Dry Heat Cooking
The Maillard Reaction
The Maillard reaction occurs between amino acids and reducing sugars above 140°C, creating hundreds of complex flavour compounds responsible for browned food's distinctive taste. Moisture is the enemy of Maillard — a wet surface cannot exceed 100°C until all water evaporates. Dry your proteins completely before searing. Pan must be hot enough that a drop of water evaporates immediately on contact.
Sautéing & Pan-Frying
Sautéing: cooking quickly in a small amount of hot fat, moving the food constantly. "Sauter" in French means to jump — use the pan's slope to toss ingredients. Pan-frying: more fat, less movement, larger pieces that need time to develop crust. The pan must be hot before fat is added, and fat must be shimmering before food goes in.
Roasting & Baking
Roasting surrounds food with dry ambient heat in an oven, developing Maillard browning on the exterior. Start at high heat (220°C) to brown the exterior, then reduce to 160°C to finish gently. Resting is mandatory — allow at least 10–15 minutes before carving any large roast.
Moist Heat Cooking
Blanching & Shocking
Blanching: plunging vegetables into aggressively boiling, heavily salted water for 60–90 seconds to set colour and partially cook. Shocking: immediately into an ice bath to stop cooking and lock in vibrant colour. The salt in the blanching water seasons and sets the green chlorophyll. This is why restaurant vegetables look completely different from home-cooked ones.
Poaching vs Simmering
Poaching: 70°C–80°C — barely trembling liquid with no bubbles breaking the surface. Used for delicate proteins — eggs, fish, poultry — where agitation would break the texture. Simmering: 85°C–95°C — small, occasional bubbles. Used for tougher items where collagen conversion is the goal.
Combination Cooking
Braising
Braising combines dry and moist heat sequentially. Sear a large, tough cut to develop deep Maillard flavour on the exterior. Deglaze with wine or stock, add aromatics, partially submerge in liquid. Cook covered at 150°C–160°C for 2–4 hours until collagen converts to gelatin — the liquid becomes a silky, natural sauce as the protein relaxes into tenderness.
Stewing
Stewing is braising's close cousin, but uses bite-sized pieces completely submerged in liquid. More surface area per volume means faster cooking and more gelatin released into the liquid. Ideal for goulash, beef stew, and blanquette de veau. Low and slow is the principle.
The Classic Braise
Execute a Boeuf Bourguignon or Coq au Vin: perfect sear on protein, build a flavour base, deglaze with wine, braise until fork-tender. The liquid must reduce to a thick, glossy sauce.
Success criteria: Protein shows deep, even Maillard browning. Braising liquid is glossy and coats the back of a spoon. Protein is tender at the prod of a fork — not mushy, not tough.
Phase 3 Practice Exercises
12 exercises to build skill through direct application.
Sear vs Steam Test
Sear meat in a very hot pan, then a warm pan. Compare the Maillard crust.
- Heat science application
- Pan temperature reading
- Crust quality assessment
Blanch and Shock
Blanch and shock three different vegetables. Compare colour, texture, flavour to raw and boiled.
- Blanching technique
- Ice bath setup
- Colour comparison
High-Low Roast
Roast a chicken: 220°C for 20 min, then 160°C to finish. Compare to flat-temperature roast.
- Roasting temperature logic
- Browning first principle
- Rest and carryover
Pan Sear Comparison
Sear one steak from wet surface, one from completely dry. Compare crust quality.
- Dry surface principle
- Maillard conditions
- Heat transfer comparison
Batch vs Crowded Pan
Sauté mushrooms in one crowded batch and two uncrowded batches. Compare results.
- Crowding effects
- Steam vs sear
- Batch cooking discipline
Poached Fish
Poach fish at 75°C for 8 minutes. Observe the delicate texture achievable only at low temperature.
- Poaching temperature control
- Delicate protein handling
- Texture assessment
Braise Liquid Reduction
Reduce the braising liquid to three different consistencies. Identify the correct glaze point.
- Reduction technique
- Sauce consistency
- Glaze point recognition
Deglazing Practice
After searing, deglaze with water, white wine, red wine. Taste each fond.
- Fond development
- Deglaze liquid choice
- Flavour building
Beef Stew
Classic beef stew. Check for proper collagen conversion — liquid should be naturally thick.
- Stewing technique
- Collagen conversion
- Liquid consistency
Oven Calibration
Test oven temperature with a thermometer at four settings. Record actual vs indicated.
- Equipment knowledge
- Oven accuracy
- Temperature management
Three Techniques One Ingredient
Cook one vegetable (carrot) by roasting, poaching, and glazing. Compare all three.
- Technique comparison
- Flavour development
- Texture differences
Full Braise
Execute a complete braise from start to finish. Photograph at key stages.
- End-to-end braise
- Colour and texture progression
- Sauce completion