Red Seal Cook Practice Exam

Which of the following is a common type of dry heat cooking method besides roasting?

1. Frying

2. Poaching

3. Braising

4. Boiling

The correct answer is: Frying

Frying is indeed a common type of dry heat cooking method alongside roasting. Dry heat cooking methods involve cooking food without the use of moisture, relying instead on the transfer of heat through air, fat, or direct contact with a hot surface. In frying, food is cooked in fat at high temperatures, which promotes browning and enhances flavor through the Maillard reaction. This method is versatile and can be applied to various types of food, from meats to vegetables, providing a crispy texture and rich taste. The other options listed—poaching, braising, and boiling—are wet heat cooking methods. Poaching involves cooking food gently in water or broth at low temperatures, braising combines both dry and moist heat (typically starting with searing in fat and then cooking with liquid), and boiling is cooking food in bubbling water. These methods rely on moisture to transfer heat and produce different textures and flavors than those achieved through dry heat methods like frying and roasting.