The Difference Between Saute, Pan Fry and Stir Fry

What's The Difference Between Sauté, Pan Fry and Stir Fry

There was an interesting discussion over a while back regarding the difference, if any, between pan frying and sautéing.  The two techniques are similar in that they are both dry heat cooking methods in which foods are cooked over direct heat.  The differences between the two are subtle, but it is worth making the distinction, just so there is no confusion, especially when reading a recipe.

Sauté

To sauté means to cook small pieces of food over medium-high to high heat until browned on the outside and cooked through.  I think of shrimp, cut vegetables and meat that has been cut into small pieces. The term sauté comes from the French "to jump."

The jumping is of two types, one more important to the technique than the other. The jumping refers to the way the pieces of food appear to jump in the pan as the moisture is forced out by the high heat of the pan and oil. Jump also refers to the very chef-ly manipulation of the pan, allowing the cook to toss the pieces a bit into the air so they cook evenly.

While that maneuver is impressive, it is not necessary to achieve a sauté since all it really does is make the food leave the cooking surface, and therefore slow down the cooking process a bit.  For myself, I make sure that the food cooks evenly while I'm sautéing by moving the food around with a wooden spatula.

Pan Fry

A pan fry takes place at a little lower heat than does a sauté.  This is because the food to be pan-fried, such as chicken breasts, steak, pork chops or fish fillets, is not cut into pieces before cooking.  Pan frying requires a lower heat so that the exterior of the food doesn't overcook while waiting for the interior of the food to cook.

You still use the same amount of oil - just enough to glaze the pan - but the temperature should be lower during a pan fry.  It's important to note that the oil should always be hot enough to ensure that the moisture in the food can escape in the form of steam.  The force of the steam keeps the oil from soaking into the food.  This is important, even if you're just talking about a little bit of oil.

Dry Heat Cooking Method

The thing to remember about cooking in oil, regardless of whether you're sautéing, pan frying or stir frying, is that it is a dry heat cooking method.  While the oil is a liquid, it is a fat, so there is no water component.  Oil behaves much differently than water.  Water boils at 212°F.  If your oil is boiling, look out -  it's way too hot to cook in! It shouldn't even be smoking or the flavor is ruined.

Water is also called the universal solvent for a reason. Lots of the flavor in food can be transferred to the water. That's why it's such a great medium for making stocks and broths. Some flavor compounds are fat soluble, but for the most part, foods cooked in oil have less of a chance of losing flavor to the oil than they do of losing flavor to water.

When we cook with oil, the oil is the medium by which we transfer heat into the food.  The main goal is to cook the food, not to make it taste like oil.

How Hot Should the Pan Be?

Since it takes less time to sauté, and the food is cut in small pieces, precision in temperature is not as crucial in a sauté as is moving the food to ensure even cooking. A good test for making sure the pan is hot enough to sauté is to sprinkle just a few drops of water in the pan. They should immediately boil vigorously and evaporate within a couple of seconds. In the longer process of pan frying, temperature control is a much more crucial factor. In a pan fry, you're looking for a gentle sizzle.

Regardless whether you sauté or pan fry, the pan will still develop a fond - the browned bits that stick to the pan during cooking. In both cooking methods, making a pan sauce is the natural next step.  All that is needed is some deglazing liquid"”stock, wine, juice, etc - followed by a quick reduction and maybe some herbs and a bit of butter.

Shallow Frying

Another type of frying that isn't talked about as much is the shallow-fry.  A shallow fry is what you do when you make fried chicken, eggplant Parmesan, or beer battered shrimp.  The food sits in hot oil that comes about halfway up the sides of the food.  And, it stands to reason that, when food is completely submerged in oil during cooking it is a deep fry.

All of these types of dry heat cooking are very similar.  They all use oil as a medium for heat delivery.  The only true difference between a sauté and a pan fry is that in a sauté, the food is cut into small pieces and in a pan fry, it is left in larger pieces, like a fillet.

The only difference between a shallow fry and a deep fry is the depth of the oil.  In a shallow fry, you have to flip the food to make sure all sides are cooked.  In a deep fry, it is possible to completely submerge the food in the oil, decreasing the necessity for flipping.

Now, where does a stir-fry factor in to this discussion?

As far as I can tell, the only real difference between a sauté and a stir fry is the shape of the pan.  Both techniques require small pieces of food, high heat and a very little oil.  Both techniques generally end with the making of a quick sauce through deglazing the pan.

One difference might be, although I don't have any solid evidence other than my own experience to back this up, is that in a sauté, the food is generally taken out of the pan and kept warm while you make the sauce.  In a stir fry, the sauce is generally made with all the food still in the pan so it all gets evenly coated.

What's In A Name

So, while all these frying techniques are similar, the differences are worth noting.  Do remember that different terms mean different things to different people in different parts of the country or the world.  Often, the differences are purely semantic:  what one person might call a shallow fry, another might call a pan fry.  It can get a bit confusing, and I think that's why there has been so much discussion about the topic.  I hope that this discussion clears things up a bit.

I would love to hear how you describe these cooking terms and what they mean to you.

Credit_G. Stephen Jones

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How To Line A Pie Pan

To line a pie pan, remove the rolled crust from the refrigerator or freezer and let sit on the counter, wrapped, until pliable.

Carefully peel off one of the pieces of parchment paper.

Center the dough, on the pie plate, and peel off the remaining piece of parchment.  The dough will probably still be a little stiff.  Let it sit on the pie plate until the center of the crust starts to "slump" down into the pan.  At this point, it should be soft enough to manipulate.

Lift an edge of the crust and ease it down into the pie plate.  Try not to stretch the dough, or it will be more likely to shrink in the oven.

Using a piece of leftover dough, gently press the dough into the edges of the pan.  Trim any ragged edges about ½" larger than the rim of the pie plate.  Fold the ½" under to make a smooth edge, and then crimp.  I find that crimping with a fork is easiest - just press down gently all around the edge with the tines.

Dock the dough using a small paring knife.  Poke a lot of little holes in the bottom of the crust and up the sides.  This will help keep the crust from bubbling up in the oven.
Freeze the crust until firm.

Crumple a piece of parchment into a little ball.  Then, uncrumple it and use it to line the frozen crust.  Fill the parchment with with dried beans or pie weights, if you have them.

Bake in a 350° F. oven until the edges of the crust are set and no longer shiny.  Take the crust out of the oven. Carefully remove the parchment and beans/weights.

Brush the bottom of the crust and up the sides with a thin layer of well beaten egg.  This is an egg wash.

If you are filling the crust with a filling that requires further baking, return the crust to the oven until the crust is no longer shiny and the egg is dry. Don't let the dough color much, if at all.  This is called parbaking.  The dried egg acts as a kind of shellac and will help to keep the crust from getting soggy.

If you are filling the crust with a filling that needs no further baking, continue to bake the crust until it is deep golden brown.  You might need to cover the edges of the crust with some foil to prevent over-browning.

That's it. Easy and much less expensive than store bought pie crusts and without the extra "stuff".

Credit_reluctantgourmet

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All About Double Boilers

A double boiler as produced and marketed by the cookware industry is a very specialized piece of cooking equipment.  A commercially produced double boiler consists of a basic two-or three quart straight-sided sauce pan and another insert pan that has a slightly rounded bottom and fits snugly into the top of the bottom pan.  Often, a double boiler set will come with a lid.  Never use the lid—if you ever use the bottom pan alone, feel free to use the lid, but most foods that need to be cooked in a double boiler require constant stirring.

Now comes the question:  do you really need to purchase a specialized pan set?

The answer is no.  A double boiler can easily be rigged at home.  All you need is a deep and wide pan and a large glass or metal bowl whose bottom will fit down in the pan.  If the pan is too small or the bowl is too big, the heat will be concentrated right at the very bottom of the bowl.  You want as much of the bowl to be inside the pan as possible to promote even heat distribution.  (see photo)

As far as I’m concerned, a home-made double boiler is works better than a store-bought set.  Often, the bottom of the insert is a little flat on the bottom but with rounded sides that then have a rim that has been pressed into the pan.  This little rim is what keeps the insert from falling down into the bottom pan.  It’s also a place where food can get stuck.  The shape of these pans is not very conducive to whisking, and whisking is what you generally do in a double boiler.  So, skip the store-bought version and make your own double boiler using a whisk-friendly metal or glass bowl for the top.

Do You Need A Double Boiler?

Now that you know what a double boiler is and that you can make your own, let’s spend a minute talking about why you need one and how to use one.  Honestly, there are not many times in a home kitchen that you will need a double boiler to prepare your day to day recipes.  There are times, though, when you want to melt chocolate or make a pastry cream or lemon curd that a double boiler comes in handy.  A double boiler provides gentle, indirect heat to whatever you are cooking.  Rather than the heat of a burner transferring directly to the food, the heat is transferred to the water in the bottom pan and then through steam.  The steam bathes the bottom of the double boiler in very even gentle heat that can easily be controlled on a home stove—just move the pot off of the heat if the water starts boiling vigorously.

How to Use a DoubleBoiler

To use a double boiler correctly, put about 1 to 2 inches of water in the bottom pan, and put the pan on the stove on medium heat.  Make sure that the bottom of the top pan will not be touching the water when it is inserted into the bottom pan.  Then, place the top pan on the bottom pan and add your ingredients.  Whisk the ingredients constantly and control the heat so that the water maintains a simmer, not a vigorous boil.

A notable exception to this technique is in melting chocolate.  To melt chocolate without scorching it, place chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler, bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat off.  Let the gentle heat melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally to make sure it melts evenly.  When melting chocolate, be very careful that no water gets in the top pan.  If this happens, the chocolate will seize into a lumpy, grainy mess.  You will still be able to use it in recipes, but if you were planning on tempering the chocolate, you won’t be able to.  Since water and chocolate really do not get along, I no longer advise melting chocolate over a double boiler but rather in a microwave in a glass bowl using short bursts at medium power and stirring between bursts.

When to Use a Double Boiler

Recipes that most often call for the use of a double boiler include all custards (pastry cream, pudding, sabayon, zabaglione, etc) as well as lemon curd and delicate emulsions like Hollandaise sauce.  While some of these recipes can be prepared over direct heat, using a double boiler keeps the heat more even and gentle and can prevent scorching.  The ability to deliver gentle heat is the main advantage to using a double boiler.  Most of the disadvantages arise from buying specialized equipment:  storage issues, buying a one-trick pony, expense.  These disadvantages do not apply if you use a bowl and a pot that you already own to create your own double boiler.

Don't Forget About Bain Maries

“Wait!  What about bain maries?”  A bain marie is similar to a double boiler as both deliver more gentle heat to whatever you are cooking.  They do differ in some ways, though.  When using a double boiler (bought or made), you don’t want the water level to come up to the bottom of the top pan—the heat is transferred completely by steam.  Double boilers are also used on the stovetop. 

A bain marie, or water bath, is used in oven baking to protect delicate egg-based foods from overheating and curdling.  When using a bain marie, or water bath, the pan/pans holding the food are placed into a larger pan.  This pan is then carefully filled with hot water, usually about halfway up the side of cooking vessel.  The entire setup is often covered with foil.  The bain marie provides moist and gentle heating to egg-based foods.  Since the cooking vessels are placed directly in the hot water, as long as the water level remains constant, the temperature delivered from the sides never exceeds 212 degrees F (at sea level).  This ensures even, gentle cooking and guards against curdling, which is what happens when eggs cook too fast or in too harsh an environment.

To confuse things a bit farther, often cooks in professional kitchens place metal cylinders of soup or sauce into larger pots of hot or boiling water.  These cylinders are called “bains.”  Even though this is a stovetop method, since the hot water comes in direct contact with the cooking vessel, this is considered a bain marie as opposed to a double boiler.

Credit_reluctantgourmet

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Great Cheeses for a Dinner Party

La Tur, Prima Donna & Chebris Cheese

A few weekends ago my youngest daughter invited some friends over for dinner and a sleepover but also invited their parents for dinner. We served Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Herb Goat Cheese that were easy to prepare and were delicious. There are a lot of steps you can do ahead so you can spend more time with your guests.

My wife asked me to pick up some fresh goat cheese from my buddy Cheeseman Jack who unfortunately is closing his cheese stand at the Farmer's Market in Ardmore I go to every Saturday morning. Good news is he is keeping his cheese store at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia open so I guess that means more trips into the city for me. Jack is one of the most knowledgeable people I know when it comes to cheese. He can be a little opinionated when it comes to cheese and life in general, but his encyclopedia knowledge of cheese makes up for it.

I asked Jack for 3 different cheeses to serve before dinner while we were standing around getting to know each other a little better. Here are the three cheeses he selected and each was fantastic in its own way. I'll try to write more about each cheese in the coming weeks, but for today I just wanted to share these wonderful examples of fine cheeses with you.

Be sure to get to know your local cheese expert so they can give you great suggestions as did my friend Cheeseman Jack. And also be sure to read my Cheese Primer on how to buy cheese.

You can see the three different cheeses, what they cost (I think per pound in this case) and the type of milk used to make it.

If you can't decide on a cow's milk, goat's milk or sheep's milk cheese, why not have all three. That's what is used to make this buttery Italian cheese from the Piedmont area call La Tur. You can read more about it at  Le Tur Cheese.

Chabris is a hard cheese from the Basque Region and is made from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk.  Not sure if you are going to find this very easily but if you have a good cheese shop near you, be sure to ask if they can order some. It is a wonderful find.

Of the three, this Prima Donna is both my wife's and my favorite. Prima Donna is an aged Gouda from the Netherlands. It is not as aged as some of the 4 to 6 year old Gouda that I write about at Aged Gouda Cheese (and where you can see a photo of Cheeseman Jack too), but it is lot different that the Laughing Cow Babybel cheese you picture in your head when you think of Gouda cheese. This is a cow's milk cheese that is hard with a sweet - nutty flavor and hints of caramel on the finish.

Try New Cheeses

I know we often get into a rut and buy the same three or four cheeses whenever we have a party or just for having around the house, but I urge you to go out and try something new. There are so many great cheeses being made around the world that you owe it to yourself to give them a try. And remember, let these cheeses come to room temperature before serving.

And please let me know some of your own favorite cheeses so I can give them a try.

Credit_G. Stephen Jones

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Buying the Best Blender

The Importance of Owning a Decent Blender

You may not need a heavy duty model like the one in the photo unless you are doing some serious "blending", but if you enjoy whipping up a breakfast shake or adult cocktail, they are nice to have around.

I can't even remember when I purchased my old Osterizer blender but it still works great for making smoothies, pureeing soup, and of course...blended drinks.

This is one of those items that every kitchen should have but you don't need to spend a lot of money unless you want a high powered muscle machine with all the extra speeds. Some things you may want to look for in a new blender:

Power- the higher the wattage, the more powerful the blender. You will want a blender with at least 350 watts.

Capacity - most blenders range in size from 4 cups to 7 cups and I would suggest you buy toward the larger size so you don't have to worry about the blend overflowing the container. You'll find the large size especially helpful when you are pureeing large quantities of soups and or sauces.

Speeds - Do you really need 15 speeds to blend something? I don't think so. You really only need a fast, medium and slow speeds and the ability to pulse which is often required in some recipes.

Design - You will pay more for a sleek design and you may want that if you leave the blender on the counter, but if you store it in a cabinet and only pull it out on occasion, don't pay up just for a space age looking design. Pay more for better features like being able to remove the blades for cleaning, an extra wide motor base to provide stability and a opening for adding ingredients or letting steam out when blending hot soups. Really important is a tight fitting lid.

Materials - Glass and stainless steel are you two best choices when buying a blender. The advantage of glass is you can see what you are working with and with stainless you don't have to worry about breakage. I prefer glass so I can keep an eye on things. Plastic is ok and will be lighter than glass but after a while, the plastic scratches and can shatter.

Credit_G. Stephen Jones

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