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Cooking Techniques Library

Master essential cooking techniques with step-by-step guides, temperature references, visual cues, and regional variations. Learn what Google can't teach you.

Showing 50 of 50 techniques

Quick cooking method using a small amount of oil or fat in a shallow pan over high heat. The food is stirred or tossed frequently.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Medium-high to high heat (350-400°F / 175-200°C)

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Caramelizing Onions

Slow cooking onions over low heat until their natural sugars break down and turn golden brown, creating deep, sweet flavor.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Low to medium-low heat (250-300°F / 120-150°C)

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Tempering Spices (Tadka)

Indian technique of briefly frying whole spices and aromatics in hot oil or ghee to release their essential oils and create aromatic base.

Category

Flavor Building

Temperature Range

Medium-high heat (350-375°F / 175-190°C)

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Varies by recipe

Cooking liquid at temperature just below boiling, with small bubbles occasionally breaking the surface. Gentle cooking method for tender results.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

185-205°F (85-96°C) - just below boiling point

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2-5 minutes per side

Cooking at very high temperature to create a browned, flavorful crust through Maillard reaction. Usually done before slower cooking methods.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Very high heat (400-500°F / 200-260°C)

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Adding liquid to a hot pan to dissolve browned bits (fond) stuck to the bottom, creating base for flavorful sauces.

Category

Temperature Range

Medium to medium-high heat

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Briefly boiling vegetables or fruits, then plunging into ice water to stop cooking. Preserves color, texture, and nutrients.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Rolling boil (212°F / 100°C at sea level)

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Combining two liquids that normally don't mix (like oil and water) into a smooth, stable mixture by breaking them into tiny droplets.

Category

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High-heat cooking method using a wok or large skillet with constant stirring and tossing. Originated in China, widely used across Asia for quick, flavorful dishes.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Extremely high heat (450-600°F / 230-315°C)

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Two-stage cooking: first sear food in fat, then cook low and slow in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot. Transforms tough, collagen-rich cuts into fall-apart tender meals.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Oven at 300-325°F / 150-165°C after searing

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Cooking food using steam from boiling water without submerging the food itself. One of the healthiest cooking methods — preserves nutrients, color, and natural flavor.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

212°F / 100°C (steam temperature)

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5-40 minutes (active), plus pressure build/release

Pressure Cooking

Cooking food in a sealed vessel that traps steam, raising pressure and water's boiling point to 250°F / 121°C — dramatically speeding up cooking time.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

250°F / 121°C internal (at 15 psi pressure)

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20 minutes to 3 hours

Cooking food uncovered in dry oven heat. The circulating hot air browns the exterior through Maillard reaction while the interior cooks through. Creates caramelized, deeply flavored results.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

375-450°F / 190-230°C depending on ingredient

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Cooking food directly over dry heat — charcoal, gas, or electric. Creates iconic grill marks, smoky flavor, and charred exterior through direct radiant heat.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Direct: 450-550°F / 230-290°C. Indirect: 325-375°F / 165-190°C

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2-8 minutes per batch

Submerging food completely in hot oil (350-375°F). Water in food flash-evaporates creating a dry, crispy exterior while interior steams and cooks. The result: perfectly crunchy outside, moist inside.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

350-375°F / 175-190°C (oil temperature, not food)

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Frying food in moderate amount of oil in a shallow pan (halfway up the food, not submerged). Crispier than sautéing, less messy than deep frying.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

325-375°F / 165-190°C

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Gently cooking food submerged in liquid held at 160-180°F — below a simmer, no bubbles. The gentlest moist-heat method. Produces incredibly tender, moist results especially for delicate proteins.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

160-180°F / 71-82°C — steam rises but no bubbles break surface

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Cooking food at low temperatures (225-250°F) for extended periods while exposing it to smoke from smoldering wood. Simultaneously cooks, flavors, and preserves the food.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

225-250°F / 107-121°C (smoke chamber temperature)

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Cooking food at very low temperatures (170-280°F) in a slow cooker or crockpot for extended time. Hands-off cooking that transforms tough cuts into tender, flavorful meals.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Low: 170-200°F / 76-93°C. High: 200-280°F / 93-138°C

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Cooking food with intense heat from above using your oven's broil setting. Like upside-down grilling — direct radiant heat at 500-550°F browns and chars the top of food in minutes.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

500-550°F / 260-290°C (broiler element temperature)

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1 day to several weeks

Controlled microbial activity transforms food through bacteria, yeast, or mold. Fermentation preserves food, increases nutrition, adds complex sour/tangy flavors, and creates probiotics.

Category

Preservation & Fermentation

Temperature Range

65-75°F / 18-24°C for most lacto-ferments

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30 minutes (quick pickle) to 2 weeks (traditional)

Preserving food in an acidic solution (vinegar or fermentation brine). Quick pickling uses vinegar and takes minutes. Traditional pickling uses lacto-fermentation and takes days to weeks.

Category

Preservation & Fermentation

Temperature Range

Boiling brine (212°F) then cool before pouring over veg

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30 minutes to 24 hours

Soaking food in a seasoned liquid (marinade) before cooking to add flavor and sometimes tenderize. Effective marinades include acid, fat, and flavoring agents.

Category

Flavor Building

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Soaking meat in salt water (wet brine) or salt alone (dry brine) before cooking. Salt restructures muscle fibers so they retain more moisture during cooking — juicier results every time.

Category

Flavor Building

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1-72 hours (passive)

Salting meat and leaving it uncovered in the refrigerator before cooking. Salt draws out moisture initially, then it reabsorbs — seasoning the meat from within and drying the exterior for ultra-crispy skin.

Category

Flavor Building

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Simmering bones, vegetables, and aromatics in water over long periods to extract collagen, gelatin, and flavor. The foundation of professional cooking and countless sauces.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

180-200°F / 82-93°C — gentle simmer, not boiling

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Simmering liquid over heat to evaporate water content, concentrating flavors and thickening the consistency. The most fundamental sauce-finishing technique.

Category

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Equal parts fat and flour cooked together to form a thickening paste. The foundation of classic French sauces (béchamel, velouté, gravy) and the base of Cajun gumbo.

Category

Temperature Range

White roux: low-medium heat. Dark/brown roux: medium-high with constant stirring.

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Sweating Vegetables

Cooking vegetables over low-medium heat in fat until they soften and release moisture without browning. Creates a sweet, soft base for soups, sauces, and curries.

Category

Flavor Building

Temperature Range

Low to medium-low heat (250-300°F / 120-150°C)

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Slowly cooking fatty pork, duck, or beef products over low heat until solid white fat melts out and any attached meat becomes crispy. Extracted fat is liquid gold for cooking.

Category

Flavor Building

Temperature Range

Low heat (225-275°F / 107-135°C) to prevent burning

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Clarified butter cooked a step further until milk solids turn golden brown and nutty, then strained out. Higher smoke point than butter, deeply nutty flavor, and shelf-stable for months.

Category

Flavor Building

Temperature Range

Medium-low heat, 250-300°F / 121-150°C

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2-4 hours cooking, up to 24 hours total

Cooking food (traditionally duck, goose, or pork) slowly in its own fat at low temperature until tender. Originally a preservation method — submerged in fat, it keeps for months without refrigeration.

Category

Preservation & Fermentation

Temperature Range

180-200°F / 82-93°C oven or stovetop

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Cooking food sealed inside a folded parchment paper (or foil) parcel. Food steams in its own juices and any added aromatics — incredibly moist and flavorful with zero mess.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

400-425°F / 205-220°C

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Adding high-proof alcohol to a hot pan and igniting it to create a momentary burst of flame. Burns off harsh alcohol while leaving behind complex, caramelized flavor notes.

Category

Flavor Building

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Incorporating air into heavy cream through rapid mechanical agitation until soft, firm, or stiff peaks form. Temperature and fat content are the critical variables.

Category

Baking & Pastry

Temperature Range

Cream must be 35-40°F / 2-4°C — very cold

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Heating sugar until it melts and undergoes complex pyrolysis reactions that create hundreds of new flavor compounds — nutty, bitter, and sweet. The base of caramel sauces, brittles, pralines, and crème brûlée.

Category

Baking & Pastry

Temperature Range

Light caramel: 320°F / 160°C. Dark caramel: 340-350°F / 171-177°C. Burnt: 375°F+ / 190°C+

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Tempering Chocolate

Melting and then carefully controlled cooling of chocolate to align cocoa butter crystals into the stable Form V crystal structure. Properly tempered chocolate is glossy, has a snap, and melts smoothly at body temperature.

Category

Baking & Pastry

Temperature Range

Dark chocolate: melt to 115°F → cool to 82-84°F → warm to 89-91°F

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Pre-baking a pastry crust without filling to create a cooked shell that can then hold wet fillings without becoming soggy. Essential for custard tarts, quiches, and no-bake pies.

Category

Baking & Pastry

Temperature Range

375-400°F / 190-205°C

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8-15 minutes by hand

Working bread dough with hands or a stand mixer to develop gluten — the protein network that gives bread its structure, chew, and ability to trap fermentation gases for rise.

Category

Baking & Pastry

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1-12+ hours depending on method

Allowing yeasted dough to rest and ferment so yeast and bacteria produce CO₂ gas that inflates the gluten network. Proper proofing creates airy, flavorful, well-structured bread.

Category

Baking & Pastry

Temperature Range

75-80°F / 24-27°C for active proofing. 35-40°F / 2-4°C for cold/retarded proofing.

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Creaming Butter and Sugar

Beating fat with sugar until pale, fluffy, and dramatically increased in volume. Tiny sugar crystals cut air bubbles into the fat, creating a light, airy structure that makes cakes tender and cookies chewy.

Category

Baking & Pastry

Temperature Range

Butter must be 65-68°F / 18-20°C — room temperature but not soft

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Cutting vegetables into thin, uniform matchstick strips (2-3mm x 2-3mm x 6cm). Maximizes surface area for quick cooking, creates elegant presentation, and ensures even doneness.

Category

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Rolling leafy herbs or greens tightly and slicing crosswise into thin ribbons. The most elegant cut for delicate herbs — avoids bruising and creates beautiful presentation.

Category

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Ongoing during roasting (every 20-30 min)

Spooning, brushing, or injecting pan juices, butter, or sauce over food while it cooks. Promotes browning, adds flavor layers, and helps develop lacquered crust on glazed meats.

Category

Flavor Building

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5-30 minutes depending on cut size

Allowing meat to sit off heat after cooking before slicing. As meat cooks, muscle fibers contract and force moisture to the center. Resting allows fibers to relax and reabsorb juices evenly throughout the cut.

Category

Dry Heat Cooking

Temperature Range

Rest loosely tented (not sealed) at room temperature

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Partially boiling food until it's about 70% cooked, then finishing by another method (roasting, grilling, frying). Ensures even cooking of thick items and reduces total cooking time in the final step.

Category

Moist Heat Cooking

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Preserving food using salt, sugar, and sometimes nitrites to draw out moisture, inhibit bacteria, and transform texture and flavor. Used for bacon, gravlax, prosciutto, and cured egg yolks.

Category

Preservation & Fermentation

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Making Béchamel

One of the five French mother sauces — white sauce made from a white roux and milk. The base of countless dishes: mac and cheese, lasagna, soufflés, croque monsieur, and gratins.

Category

Temperature Range

Medium heat throughout

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Blooming Spices and Gelatin

Two different but related techniques: blooming spices in fat to release fat-soluble flavor compounds, and blooming gelatin in cold liquid before heating to ensure smooth, lump-free setting.

Category

Flavor Building

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10-15 minutes + setting time

An emulsion of hot cream and chocolate that creates a rich, glossy, versatile base for truffles, tart fillings, glazes, and frostings. Ratio of cream to chocolate controls final texture.

Category

Baking & Pastry

Temperature Range

Cream to 180°F / 82°C — just before boiling

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Why Master Cooking Techniques?

Understanding techniques is more valuable than following recipes. Once you master these fundamentals, you can cook anything.

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Learn exact temperatures and visual cues. No more guessing if your pan is hot enough.

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Know when food is done by look, feel, and aroma. Professional chef instincts.

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Apply techniques across cuisines. Turn any recipe into your own creation.

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