Cooking methods divide into two broad categories based on the use of water or air. Dry-heat methods — roasting, grilling, baking, sautéing, broiling, and pan-frying — create browning through high temperatures and produce concentrated flavors. Moist-heat methods — boiling, simmering, poaching, steaming, braising, and stewing — use water, steam, or liquid to preserve moisture and gently tenderize food. Choosing between them depends on the ingredient: dry heat suits tender cuts of meat and vegetables where browning is desired, while moist heat excels with tough cuts containing connective tissue, delicate foods, and preparations where moisture retention is the priority.
Boiling and simmering represent a spectrum of water temperature. A rolling boil at 212°F (100°C) shows vigorous, continuous bubbles and is reserved for pasta, potatoes, and other items that benefit from rapid, turbulent cooking. Simmering occurs at 185–205°F (85–96°C) with gentle bubbles breaking the surface, ideal for sauces, stews, braises, and any food that would toughen or break apart under harsher conditions. Poaching goes a step gentler still, at 160–180°F, with barely any water movement, perfect for eggs, fish, and delicate proteins. Steaming suspends food above boiling water without submerging it, preserving more nutrients, color, and texture than boiling — particularly valuable for vegetables, fish, and dumplings.
Dry-heat methods each have their own character. Roasting uses an oven at 375–450°F to cook large cuts of meat and whole vegetables, browning the exterior while concentrating interior flavors. Baking, by contrast, is reserved for breads, desserts, and casseroles at more moderate temperatures (300–375°F). Sautéing involves a small amount of fat over medium-high heat with constant movement, while stir-frying uses a wok at very high heat with minimal oil and continuous tossing. Pan-frying uses more oil (1/4 to 1/2 inch deep) for moderate-heat cooking of larger pieces, while deep-frying submerges food entirely for even crisping. Grilling and broiling both apply high direct heat, but grilling brings heat from below (often with smoke flavor) while broiling comes from above in an oven. Sous vide, by sealing food in a temperature-controlled water bath, achieves precise doneness edge to edge — a method sometimes combined with reverse searing, where low-and-slow cooking is followed by a brief high-heat sear for crust.