SOP For Basic Cooking

Methods Dry Heat and Moist

Heat
SOP Number: Kitchen / F&B Production SOP –

Department: Kitchen / Food Production - Basic Cooking

Methods

Date Issued: 01-FEB-2022

Time to Train: 20 Minutes

Purpose of this SOP:

Cooking methods can be classified into 'Moist Heat' and 'Dry Heat', The Moist heat methods
are those in which the heat is conducted to the food products through boiling water (Eg:
water, stock, sauce, etc) or by steam. Dry heat methods are those in which the heat is
conducted without moisture i.e. by hot air, hot metal, radiation, hot fat etc.

The Executive Chef and the Chef Manager should be responsible to ensure that appropriate

food cooking methods are followed by the kitchen staff. The Catering training and HRD
department should develop and implement proper written Kitchen SOP's to ensure the same
is implemented correctly throughout all the food preparation inlet and outlet areas.

Cooking Methods Standard

Procedures:
1) Moist heat cooking method
A method in which the heat is conducted to the food
product though water by boiling or steam eg:
Boiling, blanching, steaming, parboiling,
stewing, braising etc.

To boil means to cook in a liquid that is bubbling rapidly,

the water temperature is about 100º C
 To simmer means to cook in a liquid that is bubbling very
gently. the temperature is about 185º to 85-96º C.

To poach means to cook in a liquid, usually a small

amount, that is hot but not actually bubbling.

Temperature is about 71 to 82º C.

To blanch mean to cook an item partially and very briefly,

usually in water.

To steam means to cook by direct contact with steam.

Stew means simmering a food in a small amount of liquid

and is usually served with the food.

Parboil means to cook foods partially in a boiling or

simmering liquid.

Braise means to cook foods that are covered in a small

amount of liquid and usually done after preliminary
browning (although occasionally without browning as
well.)

Sweet means to cook slowly in fat browning occasionally

under a cover.

Reduce means to cook by simmering or boiling until the

liquid quantity is decreased.

Deglaze is to swirl a liquid in a sauté pan, roast pan, or

another pan.

2) Dry heat cooking method

Dry heat methods are those in which the heat is
conducted without moisture eg: baking,
barbeque, broil, deep fry, glaze etc.

Baking means cooking foods by simmering and then

exposing them to hot dry air. It is similar to roast but it
usually applies to bread, pastries, vegetables, and fish.
 Barbeque means cooking in a grill or over host coal, or in
an enclosed container. It is often done with a
seasoned marinade or basting sauce.

Broil means cooking with radiation from above.

Deep fry means the foods are submerged in hot fat.

Fry means the foods are cooked in a hot fat.

Glaze means giving additional layer on the surface of a

food by applying a sauce, sugar, or icing, or by
browning or melting under a broiler or Salamander or
in an oven.

Griddle means to cook in a flat, solid cooking surface

called a griddle.

Grill means to cook in an oven grid over a heat source.

Pan-broil means to cook uncovered foods on a skillet or

sauté pan without fat.

Pan frying means to cook in a moderate amount of fat in

the uncovered pan.

En Papillote means the foods are wrapped in paper or foil

for cooking so that foods can be baked or steamed in
their own moisture.

Sauté means to cook quickly in a small amount of fat.

Sear means to brown cook the surface of a food quickly at

a high temperature.

Training Summary questions:

Q1. What is the purpose of this SOP?

Q2. What are the two basic cooking methods? 

Q3. How to simmer the food while cooking?

Q4. What is glazing or glaze?

Q5. Give a few examples of the dry heat cooking method?