Coagulation to Caramelization: How Heat Affects Food
Last updated on Mar 16, 2016Amber BurnsWe all know that most food preparation involves heating the food, whether by roasting, baking, grilling, frying, or searing. We know that during the cooking process, red meat gets brown, liquids become solid, and flavors change. But have you ever wondered why that is? In order to help you better understand the cooking process, we’ve explained the basics of why food reacts the way it does when it’s heated up.
Proteins: Coagulation
Plant- and animal-based foods are made up of long molocules called proteins. When they’re heated, the proteins break up and lose moisture. This makes them change from a liquid (or semi-liquid) to a solid in a process called coagulation in food.
Temperature this starts at: 140 degrees F
Examples: hard boiled or fried eggs
Starches: Gelatinization
When starches are heated, they absorb liquids around them. This makes solid starchy foods softer. Starches can also be added to foods like soups and stews that are mostly liquid for thickening purposes. The whole process is known as gelatinization.
Temperature this starts at: 150 degrees F
Examples: pasta and rice getting larger and softer after boiling, flour thickening a soup
Sugars: Caramelization
Heated sugar tends to turn brown and change flavor. This not only applies to the sugar we actively add to foods, like baked goods or desserts, but to the naturally-occurring sugars in foods, as well. This process, known as caramelization, is responsible for the majority of flavors we associate with cooking. Since this happens at a higher temperature than water boiling, it also explains why foods only brown if prepared with dry heat methods.
Temperature this starts at: 338 degrees F
Examples: brown top of a creme brulee, bread turning brown as it bakes
Water: Evaporation
This is the process most people are probably familiar with from science class. When water is heated, the molecules move faster and faster until they turn into a gas (steam) and evaporate. Because water is in so many foods, this explains why foods get more dried out when they’re cooked.
Temperature this starts at: 212 degrees F
Examples: water boiling, spinach losing shape
Fats: Melt
Unlike water, fats won’t evaporate when heated, though they do melt. At room temperature they can be solid, liquid, or somewhere in between, but all of them become liquid when heat is applied to them. Because it takes much higher temperatures to burn foods that fit in this category, they’re often used as a medium to cook foods, rather than just as an ingredient.
Temperature this starts at: varies depending on fat
Examples: using butter or oil to pan-fry
As you can see, there are a lot of different scientific reactions that happen to your ingredients when you throw them on the stove or put them in the oven. One or more of these reactions can be happening at the same time in order to give you the results you want. So, the next time your food isn’t cooking perfectly, think about how you can adjust the amount heat you’re using to cook it with.
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Types of Cooking Methods
There are three types of cooking methods: dry heat cooking, moist heat cooking, and combination cooking. Each method describes how chefs use heat to cook food and bring out unique flavors and textures. Understanding these different cooking methods can help you choose the best technique for your ingredients and create delicious meals. Additionally, knowing which cooking methods align with your menu allows you to choose the right kitchen equipment to achieve consistent, flavorful results in your cooking. Use this guide to learn more about the different types of cooking methods and the best food for each technique. Click any of the cooking methods below to learn more: Sous Vide Poaching Simmering Steaming Boiling Baking Grilling Roasting Sauteing Frying Broiling Braising Stewing Glossary 1. Moist Heat Cooking As the name indicates, moist heat cooking relies on the presence of liquid or steam to cook foods. Use this method to make healthy dishes without any added fat or oil. It's also a great way to tenderize the tough fibers in some beef cuts, like chuck or brisket. When cooking fibrous vegetables and legumes, moist heat softens the food until it reaches the perfect tenderness. Unlike dry heat methods, moist heat cooking will not produce a browned crust. Sous Vide Though this cooking method recently gained popularity for home chefs, commercial kitchens have used sous vide to cook delicious meals for decades. Sous vide, a French term meaning "under vacuum," involves placing vacuum-sealed food in a hot water bath to slow-cook it. This cooking method requires an immersion circulator, a hot water tank, and vacuum sealing equipment. In addition to reducing food waste and energy consumption, sous vide reduces prep time and contamination risk. The final product is moist, tender food perfectly marinated by the natural juices trapped in the bag. Best Foods for Sous Vide Meats: In addition to perfectly cooking meat to whatever doneness customers prefer, meat cooked with sous vide will not be scorched or have overcooked edges. Even tough cuts will turn out juicy and tender. Poultry: Cook light and dark meat until it falls off the bone without worrying about undercooking or the chicken drying out. Fish: While sous vide does not allow you to cook whole fish, fish filets can be tender, flaky, or well-done using sous vide. Even salmon, which is notoriously difficult to cook, maintains its size, color, and tenderness with sous vide cooking. Eggs: Make scrambled, poached, or hard-boiled eggs easily without monitoring them while they cook. You can vary the texture and style by manipulating the water bath's temperature and cooking time. Poaching Poaching is a gentle cooking method that submerges food in hot liquid between 140 degrees and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The low heat works well for delicate items, preserving moisture and flavor without needing fat or oil. Best Foods for Poaching Eggs: Poaching is a common method of cooking eggs that results in a soft, tender egg white and creamy yolk. It's more health-conscious than pan frying since you don't need oil. Poultry: You can use broth, wine, or aromatics for poaching liquid, which adds flavor to boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The finished product is tender chicken that can be cubed, sliced, or shredded and added to salads, pasta, or sandwiches. Fish: Poaching is a great way to preserve the delicate texture of light fish like tilapia, cod, and sole. A special broth called court bouillon adds flavor to the fish as it cooks. Fruit: Use a sweetened liquid to poach fruits like pears or apples for a unique dessert. This method deepens the flavor of the fruit and softens the texture until the fruit is tender. Use any leftover liquid to make a flavored syrup to serve with the fruit. Simmering Simmering is a gentle method of cooking food that utilizes higher temperatures than poaching, usually between 180 degrees and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range lies below the boiling point and produces tiny bubbles. To achieve a simmer, bring water to the boiling point and lower the temperature. Best Foods for Simmering Rice: Simmering produces cooked rice with a light, fluffy texture. Using boiling water causes the rice to become sticky and dry. Meats: Choose tough cuts of meat that will release fat and collagen as they simmer, like chuck roast. Soups and Stocks: Because simmering releases fat and proteins from meat, it produces a rich flavorful broth used in soups or stews. Vegetables: Gentle simmering cooks tough root vegetables like potatoes and carrots to the perfect texture. Grains: You can simmer grains like quinoa, oats, or millet until they reach a soft edible texture. Hot cereal is made by simmering grains until most of the water evaporates, creating a smooth porridge. Legumes: Simmer dried beans and legumes for a soft, edible texture. Some beans, like lentils, cook quickly, while others take several hours of gentle simmering to become fully cooked. Steaming To steam food, boil water continuously to produce a steady steam cloud. The steam surrounds food and cooks it evenly while retaining moisture. For high-volume kitchens, the most efficient steaming method is a commercial steamer or combi oven. You can also use a pot and steamer basket, a microwave, or wrap food in foil and cook it in the oven. Best Foods for Steaming Vegetables: You can steam most vegetables with excellent results. Steam sturdy veggies like beets, carrots, and potatoes longer than delicate foods like leafy greens. Fish and Shellfish: For more flavorful fish, broth or wine can be used instead of water. Fish stays tender, while shellfish like clams, mussels, lobster, or crabs are cooked inside their shells. Desserts: Some desserts are steamed rather than baked, producing a moist, silky texture. Creme brulee, flan, and panna cotta are all custards made using this cooking method. Tamales: Tamales are a popular food made by steaming masa, a dough made of ground corn, and fillings inside a corn husk packet. The steam makes the corn dough tender and moist. Boiling This cooking technique involves submerging food in water heated to the boiling point of 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The boiling water produces large bubbles, which keep foods in motion while they cook. The expression slow boil means that the water has just started to bubble slowly but is not quite heated to the boiling temperature. A full boil occurs at the boiling point, appearing as fast-moving, rolling bubbles. Steam is also released from the water as it boils. Best Foods for Boiling Pasta: Pasta is one of the most commonly boiled foods. The hot water cooks the pasta quickly, allowing chefs to remove it from the water before starches break down to prevent a mushy texture. Eggs: Boiling eggs in their shell produces hard- or soft-boiled eggs. The texture of the yolk can range from firm to creamy, depending on the cook time. Vegetables: Tough root vegetables like potatoes and carrots will cook more quickly in boiling water. Test their tenderness with a fork so they don't overcook. Back to Top 2. Dry Heat Cooking Dry heat cooking works without any moisture, broth, or water present. Instead, it relies on circulating hot air or contact with fat to transfer heat to foods. Temperatures of 300 degrees or more create browning, a reaction where amino acids and sugars in food turn brown and create a distinct aroma and flavor. The unique scents of toasted bread or seared meat are examples of dry heat cooking at work. Baking Baking and roasting use indirect heat to surround foods and cook from all sides. However, roasting refers to cooking meats or vegetables, and baking indicates making bread, rolls, and cakes. Additionally, baking usually uses lower temperatures than roasting. Best Foods for Baking Baked Goods: Baking transforms wet dough or batter into a final product with a firm texture. Bread, pastries, and cakes are all baked. Pizza: Bake pizzas in a hot oven to form the crust, harden the dough, and melt the cheese. Grilling Grilling is similar to broiling because grills use radiant heat to cook food quickly. Most grilling equipment features an open grate with a heat source beneath the food. Flip food items to cook both sides and adjust the grill's temperature to get grill marks from the hot grate or rack. Best Foods for Grilling Burgers: Ground hamburger meat is moist and cooks well on a hot grill. The high heat sears the outside of the patty for a delicious charred flavor. Meats: The dry heat from grilling removes moisture from meat quickly, so choose tender cuts or marinate the meat first. Ribeyes, porterhouses, t-bones, and strip steaks have higher fat content and marbling that produces a succulent grilled steak. Poultry: Boneless cuts of chicken, such as boneless wings, grill more evenly than other chicken cuts. You can grill whole chickens, but spatchcocking is a more effective method. Fish: Salmon, tuna, and swordfish steaks are sturdy enough for the grill and won't dry out quickly. Wrap fish in foil before placing it on the grates to prevent it from falling through the slots. Roasting Roasting is performed inside an oven and uses indirect heat that cooks from all sides for even browning. This cooking method works more slowly, coaxing flavors out of meats and vegetables. Choose low temperatures of 200 degrees to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to roast tough cuts of meat, or higher temperatures that reach up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for more tender cuts. Best Foods for Roasting Meats: Roasting cooks large cuts of meat slowly and evenly. Prime rib, beef tenderloin, pork butt or shoulder, and pork loin all benefit from roasting. Poultry: Place whole chickens or turkeys in a roasting pan or on a rotisserie spit and cook them for several hours to get a moist and flavorful product. Fruits and Veggies: Roasting is a great way to bring out the best qualities in fruits and vegetables. Use this cooking method for grapes, cherries, and tomatoes to intensify their flavors. Pumpkin, squash, eggplant, and cauliflower are also excellent when roasted. Sauteing Originating from a French word that means "to jump," sauteing is performed over a burner in a hot, shallow pan and uses a small amount of oil or fat to coat food for even browning. This method cooks food quickly, so keep the food moving by tossing or flipping. Heat the oiled pan before adding food to achieve great results with sauteing. Additionally, stir or toss items frequently without overcrowding the pan with too much food. Best Foods for Sauteing Meats: Since sauteing cooks food quickly, use tender cuts of meat like ground beef, tenderloin, or medallions. Small, uniformly sized cuts are best since they brown evenly. Poultry: Saute boneless breasts, strips, or cutlets to sear in flavor. Vegetables: Zucchini, squash, and leafy greens can all be sauteed in olive oil or butter. Use this cooking method for carrots, celery, and onions, which often make a flavorful base for other dishes. Frying Frying is a popular cooking method that involves immersing food in hot oil or fat. The hot oil cooks the food quickly, creating a crisp exterior while retaining moisture. There are different types of frying techniques, including shallow frying, deep frying, and stir-frying. Pan-frying cooks food in a shallow layer of oil, while deep-frying cooks food by completely submerging it in hot oil. For the best final product, use the right oil, maintain the proper temperature, and avoid overcrowding the pan. Best Foods for Frying Meats: While some restaurants choose to deep-fry ham or other large cuts, pan-frying tender meat in small cubes provides a delicious addition to salad, pasta, or rice. Poultry: Fried chicken is a staple in country diners, but you can also pan-fry chicken for stir fry or chicken sandwiches. For Thanksgiving meals, prepare the main entree by deep-frying a turkey. Vegetables: Starchy vegetables are renowned for being fried and served as side dishes, such as french fries. However, dipping vegetables in batter and deep frying them creates a unique menu item to appeal to customers. Fish: Since fish is lean meat, most chefs dip it in batter before frying it for the best finished product. Broiling Broiling cooks food by transferring extremely high heat onto food items, usually directed from a radiant above the food that cooks on one side at a time. Browning can occur quickly in this process, sealing juices and flavor inside and leaving a crisp exterior. Because this cooking method is fast, use a timer and check food frequently so it doesn't become burnt or overcooked. In commercial kitchens, you can broil items using a salamander or broiler oven. Best Foods for Broiling Meats: Broiling works best on thinner cuts of meat, like steaks, pork chops, or hamburger patties. Tender cuts are preferred because the dry heat will quickly evaporate moisture and dry out the meat. Poultry: Use chicken or turkey cutlets, breast halves, quarters, and legs in the broiler for flavorful results. Fish: Choose thick, sturdy fish, like salmon, that can handle high heat and won't dry out during the cooking process. Fruits and Veggies: Broiling can cook fruits and vegetables for different flavors and textures. Try broiling peaches or grapefruit for a unique menu item. Back to Top 3. Combination Cooking Combination cooking utilizes both dry and moist cooking methods. Foods are cooked in liquids at low heat for an extended period, resulting in fork-tender meat and vegetables. This technique works with the toughest cuts of meat, gradually breaking down fibers until they melt into the liquid. Braising During braising, foods are first seared in a hot oiled pan and transferred to a larger pot to cook in hot liquid. Then, partially submerge the food in simmering water, broth, or stock. Low heat softens the food and reduces the liquid over an extended cooking time, intensifying the flavors. Due to these qualities, braising produces fork-tender meats that fall off the bone. Best Foods for Braising Meats: Braising is most commonly used with cheaper, tougher cuts of meat such as pork shoulder, chuck roast, and lamb shank because it softens and tenderizes the muscle fibers. Vegetables: You can braise vegetables alone or alongside meat to add more flavor. Root vegetables like potatoes, beets, and turnips soften during braising. Celery and fennel absorb liquid but maintain a firm texture. Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, and green beans can be braised in broth or wine for a soft texture that isn't mushy. Stewing Unlike braising, stewing completely submerges food in hot liquid. Use small cuts of meat in a stew, which are slow-cooked at low heat. As the stew cooks, fibrous vegetables break down while the meat's fat and collagen melt away. This leads to a thick, flavorful gravy filled with tender meat and soft vegetables. Best Foods for Stewing Meats: Meats rich in collagen and fat do well in a stew pot. Avoid lean cuts in favor of brisket, oxtail, or chuck roast. Vegetables: Vegetables add depth to your stews. Onions, carrots, potatoes, and celery are common, but some recipes use parsnips, turnips, or rutabaga. Glossary of Cooking Terms As you follow recipes, you might come across some cooking terms that are unfamiliar to you. We've added descriptions of some of the most common cooking terms below: Al Dente: describes pasta that is firm and slightly undercooked Barbecue: to roast or broil meat on a rack or rotating spit over hot coals or a gas flame Baste: to pour juices or liquid fat over meat while it cooks Blanch: to scald food in boiling water for a quick moment and then place it in cold water to stop the cooking process Brunoise: to cut foods into a 1/8" size dice Caramelize: to heat sugars until they brown Chiffonade: to roll up leafy greens or herbs and cut into long, thin slices Clarify: to melt butter and separate the solids from the butterfat Cure: to preserve foods by adding salt and drawing out moisture Deglaze: to dissolve browned food residue in a hot pan with liquid Dredge: to coat moist foods with a dry ingredient, like flour Emulsify: to blend two liquids, like oil and water Fillet: to cut a portion of meat or fish Flambe: to cover food in a flammable liquid, like brandy or rum, and light it briefly on fire Fold: to incorporate an ingredient with a careful motion that retains air Julienne: to cut foods into long thin strips Meuniere: a method of cooking, usually used with fish, in which the food is lightly dusted with flour and sauteed in butter Parboil: to precook foods by boiling for a short time Reduce: to thicken a liquid mixture by boiling or simmering so the moisture evaporates Scald: to heat a liquid just to the boiling point Sear: to expose food, usually meat, to a high temperature to brown the exterior Spatchcock: to split open a whole chicken or turkey for easy grilling Back to Top With a basic understanding of the three types of cooking methods, you can choose the best technique for each dish you prepare. As you create signature recipes, use dry cooking to achieve a crispy, brown exterior on meats or utilize moist cooking to keep your meat tender. When needed, combine dry and moist heat to transform tough cuts of meat into mouthwatering morsels. Printable Version
Food Presentation Tips
If you own a food service business, you know that food presentation is crucial to marketing your restaurant on Instagram. Studies from Oxford show that a quality food presentation increases customers' perceived value of your meals, allowing you to raise your menu prices. Chefs tactfully arrange ingredients to curate flavor and textural complexity, and their creative plating techniques stimulate appetites before the first bite. Read on to discover plating techniques, an instructional plating video, and the tools you need to create your own signature food presentation style. Shop All Plating Tools Click any of the sections below to explore the topic that interests you: Plating Video Plating Techniques Plating Ideas Plating Tools Food Plating and Presentation Video An understanding of food plating techniques will help your staff improve your meal presentation and enhance the dining experience for your guests. For a visual guide, check out our video on how to plate food like a chef. <iframe scrolling="no" src="/v/?num=4852&width=600&height=500&embed=1" frameborder="0" height="500" width="600"></iframe> How to Plate Food like a Chef While there are no fixed food presentation rules, there are several important concepts to keep in mind as you arrange your meals. Remember your plate is your canvas. Arrange food items using the rule of thirds. Entice the eyes with visual stimulants. Use the sauce as paint for your plate. Garnish to enhance both appearance and flavor. Plating Techniques Conceptualize plating as an art form: you are the artist; the plate is your canvas, and the food is your medium. Master the following plating techniques to perfect your craft. 1. Plate Presentation Techniques Selecting the right plate for your meal is the first step in the food presentation process. Consider the following to choose the ideal plate for your food presentation: Plate Size - Your plate should be big enough to make your food stand out and petite enough to prevent your portions from appearing small. Light vs Dark Plates - Use light and dark plates to make your meal stand out. White plates are popular because they offer a neutral background for brightly colored foods. Dark plates lend beautifully to light-colored dishes, such as a whitefish or creamy polenta. Plate Color - A plate’s color can stimulate or reduce appetites. Red increases the appetite, so serving appetizers on red plates keeps customers interested in ordering large entrees and desserts. Professional platers consider blue dinnerware unappetizing because there are few naturally occurring blue foods. Restaurant Style - If you operate a fine dining establishment, classic China dinnerware pairs well with traditional plating styles. A trendy gastropub should invest in unique plates with unconventional shapes that facilitate maximum plating creativity. 2. Food Arrangement Techniques How you arrange your food determines your meal’s aesthetic tone, structural integrity, and flavor dispersion. Here are a few of the most important food arrangement techniques: The Rule of Thirds - When applied to cooking, the rule of thirds prescribes placing the focal point of your dish on either the left or right side of the plate, rather than the center. Use white space by thinking of the rim as your frame and highlight your plate’s focal point(s). View Your Plate as a Clock - As you place your ingredients, picture the face of a clock. From the diner’s point of view, your protein should be between 3 and 9, your starch/carbohydrate from 9 to 12, and your vegetable from 12 to 3. Don’t Overcrowd Your Plate - Keep your design simple by focusing on one ingredient (usually the protein). Having a focal point helps you arrange your accompanying items to complement your standout item. Moist Ingredients First - Plate moist ingredients first and prevent them from running by topping them with other foods. For example, you can angle sliced meat against mashed vegetables. Create Flavor Bites - Flavor bites are forkfuls of food that combine all the ingredients in your dish into one bite. Flavor bites are essential to quality plating as they please both the eyes and the taste buds. Mix Textures - Contrasting a smooth vegetable puree with crunchy onion straws or topping a steak with crumbled blue cheese yields appealing texture combinations that are classic in high-end cuisine. 3. Visual Plating Techniques Maximizing the visual elements of your meal is a key plating technique. While your arrangement develops around your protein, manipulating the colors and sizes of the other elements on your plate enhances your focal point and creates a gourmet presentation. Serve Odd Quantities - If you’re serving small foods like shrimp, scallops, or bite-sized appetizers, always give guests odd quantities. Color Diversity - Colorful dishes build the expectation of a flavorfully complex meal before your patrons take their first bite. Add green vegetables or brightly colored fruits that contrast with your focal point. Monochromatic Meals - Plating color-coded items together visually builds the expectation that the dish only offers one flavor. When the palate receives multiple textures and flavors instead, it surprises the tastebuds, causing them to engage with the dish. Add Height to Your Plate - Stimulate your guests' eyes by building height. While compactly stacking ingredients isn’t as popular as it was 5-10 years ago, building layers of food for guests to explore offers an exciting experience. Create Visual Balance - Balance your plate’s landscape by leaning long, flat items against taller elements (ex: leaning asparagus spears at a 45-degree angle across a stack of lamb lollipops). 4. Sauce Plating Techniques With your principal ingredients plated, you’re ready to top your dish with delicious sauces that enhance your food presentation. Think of your squeeze bottle or spoon as a paintbrush, and your sauce as a medium. Once you're done adding your sauce, make sure you wipe down the edge of your plate with a towel, so no drippings distract from your presentation. We explain some of the simplest, most fail-proof sauce plating techniques below. Smeared Sauce Plating Technique - Fill a squeeze bottle with your sauce. Squeeze a thick layer of sauce and form a large, filled-in circle on your plate. Take a spoon or plating wedge and dip it into the middle of the sauce where it’s thickest. Quickly pull the sauce across your plate. Accent Dots Plating Technique - Fill a squeeze bottle with your desired sauce. Analyze your plate from the perspective of the rule of thirds, then add accent dots. Use multiple sauces to create additional color contrast. Smeared Accent Dots Plating Technique - Alternate between two sauce accent dots in a curved line along the side of your plate. Then, take a small plating wedge and place it at the center of the first accent dot in your row. Drag the plating wedge through the accent dots, creating a multicolored, single-sided edge. Swirled Sauce Plating Technique- Fill a squeeze bottle with your desired sauce. Place your plate atop a cake turntable. Point your squeeze bottle face down at the center of the plate. Spin your stand while simultaneously squeezing your bottle. Adjust your wrist to vary your swirled design. You can use multiple sauces to create more visual contrast. 5. Garnishing Techniques In the past, chefs casually threw a piece of kale and an orange slice onto every plate. However, these garnishes added nothing exciting to the dish, and few guests ate them. Modern garnishes pair thoughtfully with the meal to create flavor bites. Follow these garnishing techniques and guidelines to master the last step of food presentation. Edible Garnishes - As you finish plating, remember that garnishes should always be edible and enhance the dish. To determine whether a garnish belongs, ask yourself whether you would want to consume it in the same bite as the meal it accompanies. Intentional Placement - Never heap garnishes in one corner of the plate. Instead, disperse them thoughtfully to add color or texture. For example, place crispy carrot shoestrings atop a delicate filet of fish nested in a curry sauce and decorate the plate with pomegranate seeds. Less Is More - Never clutter your plate for the sake of a garnish. If your plate is full, opt for a drizzle of flavor-infused vinegar or oil to enhance the taste and appearance of your dish without overcrowding your plate. Garnishes to Avoid - Avoid using unappetizing garnishes like raw herbs, large chunks of citrus, and anything with a strong odor. Also, avoid garnishes that take a long time to apply. Back to Top Food Plating Methods There are three popular plating methods: classic, free form, and landscape. Master each method to create meals worth photographing. We provide ideas on how to plate food using each method below. We’ve selected a white square plate as our canvas. Filet mignon, potato puree, carrots, demi-glace, pea puree, lima bean and pea blend, thyme, and fried leeks are our materials. Classic Plating 1.Pipe the potato puree onto the plate using a pastry bag. 2.Place the carrots next to the puree using precision tongs. 3.Garnish the carrots with thyme using precision tongs. 4.Plate the steak using precision tongs. 5.Garnish the steak with fried leeks using precision tongs. 6.Drizzle the demi-glace around the plate using a spouted saucier. 7.Wipe the edges of the plate with a clean towel. 8.Finished classic plate. Free Form Plating 1.Pipe dots of potato puree onto the plate using a pastry bag. 2.Slice the steak into three pieces using a chef's knife. 3.Plate the pieces of steak using precision tongs. 4.Place the lima bean and pea blend around the plate using a spoon. 5.Plate the carrots using precision tongs. 6.Place dots of pea puree around the plate using a large squeeze bottle. 7.Place dots of the demi-glace around the plate using a small squeeze bottle. 8.Garnish the plate with fried leeks using precision tongs. 9.Wipe the edges of the plate with a clean towel. 10.Finished free-form plate. Landscape Plating 1.Place dots of pea puree around the plate using a large squeeze bottle. 2.Paint the pea puree onto the plate using a brush. 3.Pipe the potato puree onto the plate using a pastry bag. 4.Plate the carrots using precision tongs. 5.Lean the steak against the puree and carrots using precision tongs. 6.Place the lima bean and pea blend around the plate using a spoon. 7.Drizzle the demi-glace around the plate using a spouted saucier. 8.Garnish the steak with fried leeks using precision tongs. 9.Wipe the edges of the plate with a clean towel. 10.Finished landscape plate. Back to Top Plating Tools Having professional tools is essential for commercial plating. We’ve rounded up the foundational items you need to create restaurant-quality food presentations. Decorating brushes aid in detailed line work and broad sauce strokes. You can also use decorating brushes to create a puree or coulis base for meats or vegetables. Garnishing kits come with everything you need to garnish your signature dishes, including plating wedges, tongs, squeeze bottles, and brushes. Molds keep plates clean and increase visual appeal by cutting ingredients to specific shapes and sizes. Ring molds help you develop height and structure when stacking ingredients. Precision tongs help you place garnishes or small, delicate items. Many tongs feature micro-serrations for improved grip and stability. Plating wedges come pre-cut with flat, round, or pointed edges and are perfect for smearing soft ingredients and creating sauce designs. Shavers allow you to top your dishes with shaved or grated chocolate, hard cheese, or soft vegetables. Plating Spoons in varying sizes are essential to the art of food presentation. Saucier spoons help you drag sauce across your plate and slotted spoons quickly separate solids from liquids. Squeeze bottles help you apply sauce and aioli to your finished plate. Many come with adjustable precision control tips. Back to Top Whether you own a fine dining establishment, gastropub, or eclectic cafe, thoughtful plating will attract customers and earn their loyalty. Even before they sample your meal, your guests will eat with their eyes. To test this theory, Oxford researchers plated the same meal two ways, artfully and without attention, and diners reported that the artfully plated version tasted better. By integrating basic food presentation techniques, styles, and tools, you can enhance your plating process and increase your menu prices without deterring customers.
The Danger Zone: Following Food Safety Temperatures
The top priority in a commercial kitchen is understanding and enforcing food safety temperatures. Neglecting them can put customers at serious risk of contracting foodborne illnesses. To ensure food safety, foodservice operators and handlers must understand the temperature danger zone and its impacts. We'll explain the danger zone temperature range, which foods are most at risk, and how to prevent food from lingering at hazardous temperatures. Shop All Kitchen Thermometers Click below to learn about the temperature danger zone: Why Is the Danger Zone Important? How Long Food Can Stay in the Danger Zone How to Hold Cold Food How to Hold Hot Food Danger Zone FAQs <iframe scrolling="no" width="392" height="226" src="/v/?num=14915&width=600&height=500&embed=1" frameborder="0"></iframe> What Is the Danger Zone for Food? The danger zone refers to the temperature range that accelerates bacteria growth in food. According to ServSafe recommendations (an authority on foodservice training material), food temperatures between 41 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit represent this danger zone (5 and 57 degrees Celsius). Bacteria thrive and multiply most rapidly between temperatures of 70 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. The longer food sits in the temperature danger zone, the greater the risk that bacteria will grow. Why Is the Temperature Danger Zone Important? When foods are allowed to enter the temperature danger zone, bacteria may grow to unhealthy levels and cause the food to spoil. Dangerous bacteria growth like this may occur without any visible signs that the food is unsafe for consumption. Foods may smell and appear normal but could contain harmful amounts of bacteria that will cause foodborne illness. This is what makes the temp danger zone extremely important. As a food service professional, it’s your responsibility to keep foods out of the danger zone by using approved methods to chill, heat, and store foods. What Is Time Temperature Abuse? Time temperature abuse is the act of allowing foods to stay in the temperature danger zone of 41 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Along with cross-contamination, time temperature abuse is a common source of foodborne illness, making it a major health code violation. Foods may become time-temperature abused in three ways: Foods are not held or stored at food safe temperatures Food is not cooked or reheated to the temperature required to eliminate possible pathogens Hot food is not cooled properly before being placed in cold storage What Are TCS Foods? TCS stands for time/temperature control safety. Foods that require strict time and temperature control are considered TCS foods. Pathogens love TCS foods because they present an ideal environment for germs to grow and spread. Preventing TCS foods from entering the danger zone and becoming time-temperature abused is a critical food safety practice. These are the high-risk TCS foods that should be closely monitored at all times: Milk and dairy products Meat and poultry Fish, shellfish, and crustaceans Shell eggs Baked potatoes Cooked rice, beans, and vegetables Tofu, soy protein, or other plant-based meat alternatives Sprouts and sprout seeds Cut tomatoes, melons, and leafy greens Untreated garlic and oil mixtures How Long Can Food Stay in the Temperature Danger Zone? ServSafe states that 4 hours is the maximum length of time ready-to-eat foods can stay in the temperature danger zone. After the 4-hour limit, foods are considered spoiled and must be thrown away. Within the 4-hour time limit, foods can be consumed, reheated, or chilled to bring them back to food safe temperatures. Checking temps every 2 hours allows for a greater window to perform any necessary corrective actions. How to Keep Food Out of the Danger Zone Kitchen thermometers are the key to keeping foods out of the temp danger zone. By monitoring and recording food temperatures regularly, you can prevent foods from becoming time-temperature abused. This is imperative while prepping, cooking, and holding food on your buffet line or salad bar. Follow these important tips to ensure you’re making the best use of your kitchen thermometers to keep food safe for consumption. Always use the right type of thermometer for the job. Never rely on the temperature display of your equipment alone. Place a thermometer inside your refrigerator or freezer as an additional safety measure. Keep written records of all temperature checks that include the temp, the time, and the name of the operator. Clean and calibrate thermometers often. As part of your HACCP training, be sure that your staff members know how to perform these temperature logging procedures to keep your menu items out of the danger zone. Use our downloadable Food Holding Temperature Log! Download our Food Holding Temperature Log PDF Food Holding Temperature Once your food is cooked to the proper internal temperature or chilled to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, it’s important to maintain these safe temperatures before serving. There are several instances in which foodservice professionals need to hold food for extended periods. These instances could include holding food in salad bars and buffet lines or transporting food to off-site locations and catering events. When transporting food, it is recommended you use a food pan carrier or insulated catering bag to ensure your hot or cold foods remain safe for consumption. Cold Holding Temperature The cold food holding temperature for TCS foods must be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Here are some tips to properly hold cold foods so they don't fall into the danger zone: Ensure your cold-holding equipment, like cold food tables and cold crocks, keeps foods at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below. Any cold food held without refrigeration is safe for up to 6 hours, starting from the time it was removed from refrigeration at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below. Check the temperature of cold foods every 2 hours and discard any cold food that reaches a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. How Cold Does a Salad Bar or Refrigerator Have to Be to Keep Food Safe? Salad bars and refrigerators need to maintain temperatures at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below to prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria. This is especially important as you house vulnerable TCS foods including cheese, yogurts, meats, salad dressings, and egg products. Hot Holding Temperature The appropriate holding temperature for hot food is 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Here are some tips to keep hot foods out of the danger zone: Never use hot holding equipment to reheat food. Foods should be heated to safe temperatures prior to holding. Hot holding equipment, like steam tables and holding cabinets, is designed to maintain current temps, not bring food up to temp. When possible, keep food covered to help maintain temperatures and keep contaminants out. Stir frequently to distribute heat throughout the food. Use the appropriate thermometer to monitor food temperatures often. Discard hot food that has been sitting below 135 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 4 hours. Never mix freshly prepared food with foods already being held for service to prevent cross-contamination. How Often Should I Check the Temperature of Hot or Cold Holding Food? It is recommended you check the temperature of your hot or cold holding food every four hours. However, if you check every 2 hours instead, this allows enough time to take corrective action if food has fallen into the danger zone. By staying on top of your food’s internal temperatures, you can prevent the spread of dangerous bacteria and eliminate food waste by simply re-heating or re-chilling the affected foods before bacteria has time to spread. Danger Zone FAQs Here are some of the most common questions about the danger zone that you may encounter in your kitchen: Proper Cooling of Foods If you're preparing food ahead of time and placing it into cold storage for holding, it has to be properly cooled first. Once your menu item has reached its proper internal temperature, it is essential to quickly bring the temperature down through the danger zone. Cool your food to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours and then further down to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 4 hours. Though it seems like the simplest option, placing hot food directly into your refrigerator or freezer is never recommended because it endangers the food around it by raising the ambient temperature in your fridge or freezer. This creates the possibility of other foods in your refrigerator or freezer entering the temperature danger zone and developing bacteria without you even knowing. Instead, follow these tips for quickly cooling your hot foods. Use a commercial blast chiller to cool foods quickly and minimize the time food spends in the danger zone. Store foods in shallow containers to allow the temperature to distribute more evenly. Consider using a cooling paddle to reduce the temperature of hot liquids including soups, stews, and sauces. Create an ice bath by filling a pot, container, or sink basin with ice. Containers of hot foods can be placed in the ice bath to quickly cool food to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. How to Thaw Food One of the most common examples of time temperature abuse in a kitchen is defrosting food incorrectly. It can be tempting to leave food out on the counter to thaw or run it under hot water, but these put your foods at risk of entering the danger zone. Use the following methods to defrost food safely: Move the frozen food to the refrigerator 10-24 hours before cooking. Place the frozen food under cold running water in a clean prep sink. Use the defrost setting on a microwave. Cook from frozen, regularly checking internal temperatures. Safe Cooking Temperatures Along with concerns for the danger zone, you'll also want to make sure your foods have reached safe internal temperatures for at least 15 seconds before they can be served. Below is a temperature guide for some of the most common ingredients. Cook to 165 degrees Fahrenheit: Poultry, stuffing, any dish that contains a cooked TCS food Cook to 155 degrees Fahrenheit: Ground meat, flavor-injected meats, eggs from the shell Cook to 145 degrees Fahrenheit: Seafood, steaks and chops, game meat, roast meats Cook to 135 degrees Fahrenheit: Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes Back to Top It's every food service operator's top priority to keep the food they're serving safe for consumption. Following these important tips and getting your staff food handling certified will ensure that they have the knowledge to keep food out of the danger zone, take corrective action, and protect customers from foodborne illnesses.
