What is the difference between cooking methods and cooking processes?

Question

i've been searching about these topics but the results are the same. Yesterday i saw a game show that said "in the cooking method chopping.... I'm very confused and i need the answer ASAP. i'll give answers to your own questions too. thanks

Answer 1

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A cooking method is the method that you actually cook or not cook the food or meal. For example:
freeze (as in desserts)
cure, preserve, roast, grill, saute, boil, steam, brine, pickle, dry (or dehydrate), etc....

A cooking process is the preparation of the food and it's ingredients prior to the method of cooking, for example:
chop, slice, dice, marinate, whip, salt, soak, blend and all things required to bring you to the point of the method and then the table.

Below is the example of the entire act of preparing a dish and the difference between the two.

Nachos

The process of making nachos involves PREHEATING the oven to 450 degrees, GETTING your favorite tortilla chips and SPREADING them out on a cookie sheet, COVERING them with shredded cheese and meat and beans and jalapenos, or some other mild pickled pepper of your choice. The meat, GROUND, SEASONED beef is preferred, should be COOKED and DRAINED before PLACING on the chips. If you choose to, you can SUBSTITUTE canned cheese sauce though the results may vary.

The cooking method you will use is the BAKING method as you will now need to bake the nachos until the cheese is bubbly.

The final preparation for any dish involves garnishing, and this is when you will now TOP the nachos with your favorite salsa, veggies, sour cream or guacamole and serve.

The words I capitalized for you are so you understand the elements, but keep in mind they can cross. What's important is that you realize that the time you do the action decides whether it is a process or a method. For example, you can saute veggies for a casserole and the sauteing is considered a process to the end result which would be the baking of the casserole. But you can saute sirloin tips and mushrooms in a fry pan with sour cream and a light roux and make a wonderful stroghanof to serve over noodles.The sauteing is the method in this instance. The same goes for several of the cooking "buzz" words like curing, salting, frying, etc. Just pay close attention to the final interring of the dish before the garnishing and you'll have your answers!

I hope this was helpful.

Source(s):

I have over 25yrs experience in all phases of culinary arts and am a professional chef, though now retired and catering.

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Asker's Comment:

good job! thanks

Answer 2

Cooking methods are....
1. Baking
2. Boiling
3.Frying
4. whip
5. dice
6.marinate..................

Cooking process is how you go about each method.
1. bake in 400 degree oven using the center shelf
2.Put in a large stew pot and completely cover with water. Bring to rapid boil..........................

Chopping would be a method of preparing something.
Add the vegetables to a food processor and chop to pea size pieces......would be a cooking process.

Answer 3

a method is the way you cook it and the process is the order you cook it in