On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 314

Minutes per inch thickness and minutes per pound are the usual approximations However, the mathematics of heat transfer show that cooking times are actually proportional to the thickness squared, or to the weight to the 2/3 power And the cooking time also depends on many other factors There is no simple and accurate equation that can tell us how long to cook a particular piece of meat in our particular kitchen The best we can do is monitor the actual cooking, and anticipate when we should stop by following the temperature rise at the center of the meat Because frying is a rapid cooking method, it’s applied mainly to the same thin, tender cuts best suited for grilling and broiling As with grilling, frying will be both faster and gentler if the meat starts at room temperature or above and is turned frequently (see box, p 156) Cooks make frying even more efficient by pressing down on the meat — with the spatula or a heavy pan or brick — to improve the thermal contact between meat and pan For thicker cuts whose insides take time to heat through, the cook slows heat transfer after the initial browning to prevent the outer portions from being overcooked This can be done simply by lowering the burner heat, or by shifting the pan to the oven, which continues the heating from all sides and frees the cook from the necessity of turning the meat Restaurant cooks often “finish” fried meats by putting the pan in the oven as soon as the first side has been browned and the meat turned Hot Oil: Shallow and Deep Frying Fats and oils are a useful cooking medium because they can be heated to temperatures well above the boiling point of water, and can therefore dry, crisp, and brown the food ... This can be done simply by lowering the burner heat, or by shifting the pan to the oven, which continues the heating from all sides and frees the cook from the necessity of turning the meat Restaurant cooks often “finish” fried... Restaurant cooks often “finish” fried meats by putting the pan in the oven as soon as the first side has been browned and the meat turned Hot Oil: Shallow and Deep Frying Fats and oils are a useful cooking medium...spatula or a heavy pan or brick — to improve the thermal contact between meat and pan For thicker cuts whose insides take time to heat through, the cook slows heat transfer after the initial browning to prevent the outer portions from being overcooked