Any cooking technique where the heat is transferred to the food item without using any moisture. Typically involves high heat, with temperatures of 300°F or hotter.
Dry heat cooking methods
Baking or roasting in an oven
Pan-searing a steak
Methods of cooking meat
Dry heat cooking, such as roasting, broiling, or sautéing
Moist heat cooking, like braising, steaming, or poaching
Dry heat cooking
Browning of food (including the process by which meat is browned, called the Maillard reaction) can only be achieved through dry-heat cooking
Dry heat cooking methods
Roasting and baking
Grilling and broiling
Sautéing and pan-frying
Deep-frying
Moist heat cooking
Any technique that involves cooking with moisture — whether it is steam, water, stock, wine, or some other liquid. Cooking temperatures are much lower, anywhere from 140°F to a maximum of 212°F.
Moist heat cooking methods
Simmering
Boiling
Steaming
Braising and stewing
Factors affecting choice of cooking methods in meat
Cuts of meat
Fat content
Desired quality
Effects of heat on meat
It tenderizes connective tissue if moisture is present, and cooking is slow
It coagulates protein. Even meats low in connective tissue can be tough and dry if cooked at excessively high heats for too long
High heat toughens and shrinks protein and results in excessive moisture loss
Roasts cooked at low temperatures shrink less and lose less moisture
Moist heat penetrates meat quickly. To avoid overcooking, meat should be simmered, never boiled
