Boiling energy for cooking...

[Externet]

Hi all.

When cooking something (just say rice, beans, potatoes...) to boil,  I believe the correct way can be applying high power until boil starts.  Then reduce the heat power to maintain just boiling without extra-energetic action as with higher-than-needed power. 

Water in it will not go beyond 100C anyway and any extra energy applied to the cooking process will not speed-up cooking and is wasted energy.  Is that right ?  Food will not cook in a shorter time if left to boil energetically, right ?  🤔

[Ken Fabian]

Boiling water also stirs and circulates the contents - you risk (a bit counter-intuitively) burning the bottom layer by reducing the heat.

[OldChemE]

23 minutes ago, Externet said:

Hi all.

When cooking something (just say rice, beans, potatoes...) to boil,  I believe the correct way can be applying high power until boil starts.  Then reduce the heat power to maintain just boiling without extra-energetic action as with higher-than-needed power. 

Water in it will not go beyond 100C anyway and any extra energy applied to the cooking process will not speed-up cooking and is wasted energy.  Is that right ?  Food will not cook in a shorter time if left to boil energetically, right ?  🤔

That's they way I've been cooking pasta for years.  Heat to boiling, toss in the pasta and turn down to barely maintain heating.

[swansont]

28 minutes ago, OldChemE said:

That's they way I've been cooking pasta for years.  Heat to boiling, toss in the pasta and turn down to barely maintain heating.

Not me. Keeping the heat up a bit sets up a nice convection cell and mixes the pasta, as Ken notes. Helps make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, or stick together

[John Cuthber]

On a related note...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haybox

[sethoflagos]

10 hours ago, Externet said:

Water in it will not go beyond 100C anyway and any extra energy applied to the cooking process will not speed-up cooking and is wasted energy.  Is that right ?  Food will not cook in a shorter time if left to boil energetically, right ?  🤔

Yes and no to both.

There's a spectrum here between a simmer and a roiling boil. Simmering is frequently a little (sometimes a lot) below boiling point, with correspondingly extended cooking times, but less thermal damage to proteins especially. Hence stews are finished on a lengthy slow heat. At the other end of the spectrum, an extreme roiling boil can raise the base of the pan quite a bit above boiling point with the liquid contents only partially insulated from this by a thin vapour film. This does definitely shorten cooking time but seems mainly to be used where the contents need to be broken apart by strong agitation.

 

[Externet]

Thanks for educating me.  Roiling, added to my dictionary.  -as ~churning, turbulent-

So the protein damage is not just at reaching certain temperature, but the time sustained ?

15 hours ago, OldChemE said:

been cooking pasta for years.  Heat to boiling, toss in the pasta

Hi. 

What is in the 'wait until boiling' to pour the food in ?  Or 'wait until oven reaches recipe temperature before placing the food in'   ?   I put my pasta in the pot and then start heat; put my bread, cakes in a cold oven and turn it on.  Feels to me cooking times are less that way.  Is it wrong ?   What differs ?

[mistermack]

6 hours ago, John Cuthber said:

On a related note...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haybox

Of course, on another related note, you have the invention of the pressure cooker, which allows you to cook at up to 120 C using less energy. As with a normal pot, it's best to reduce the heat once steam is escaping, the cooker maintains temperature while steam is being produced.

And if you combine a pressure cooker with a haybox, you have an even cheaper method. Just make a box that fits the pressure cooker.

I've rarely had stuff stick to the base of a pan. Custard used to need constant stirring, but I buy tinned now. The thicker the liquid in the pan, the more likely it is to stick. If it's runny, it's usually fine.

[John Cuthber]

1 hour ago, Externet said:

I put my pasta in the pot and then start heat; put my bread, cakes in a cold oven and turn it on.  Feels to me cooking times are less that way.  Is it wrong ?  

You are right; the cooking times are less, but you don't know how much less.
If you only have a small flame the water will heat slowly and the (for example) pasta will spend a long time in nearly boiling water- an will start cooking.

If you wait until the oven is hot or the water is boiling, you eliminate the variable "run-up" time.
It's not wrong, but you might be in trouble if you  cook in someone else's kitchen.
 

[studiot]

16 hours ago, Externet said:

Hi all.

When cooking something (just say rice, beans, potatoes...) to boil,  I believe the correct way can be applying high power until boil starts.  Then reduce the heat power to maintain just boiling without extra-energetic action as with higher-than-needed power. 

Water in it will not go beyond 100C anyway and any extra energy applied to the cooking process will not speed-up cooking and is wasted energy.  Is that right ?  Food will not cook in a shorter time if left to boil energetically, right ?  🤔

 

Wasted energy ?

Is your consideration in terms of wated money or wasted Kw-hours ?

On the subject of energy waste there are surely bigger considerations ?

Are you cooking by gas or electricity or some sort of liquid or solid fire ?

 

My current costs are £0.10 per Kw-hr for gas and £0.31 per Kw hr for electricity.

 

 

[Externet]

Thanks, studiot.  It is about learning, awareness of what is going on, and not for me but for others.

Am using an electric stove and my electric energy bill is $0.0 monthly all year. (solar panels)

[sethoflagos]

2 hours ago, Externet said:

So the protein damage is not just at reaching certain temperature, but the time sustained ?

Rather depends on the type of meat and whether or not you like it dry and tough.

I found rather a good (imho) article at https://www.theculinarypro.com/meat-and-poultry-cooking-methods.

Quote

WHAT COOKING METHOD TO USE?

Tender Cuts

Cook minimally and use dry heat (the most common method) by grilling, sautéing, and roasting or moist heat methods including poaching and sous vide.

Tougher Cuts

Cook longer and slower with a lower temperature using braising, stewing, simmering, sous vide and barbecuing methods.

 

[Endy0816]

6 hours ago, Externet said:

Thanks, studiot.  It is about learning, awareness of what is going on, and not for me but for others.

Am using an electric stove and my electric energy bill is $0.0 monthly all year. (solar panels)

If of interest, may want to look into solar cooking. I have a GoSun Solar Oven myself(vacuum insulation based). Achieves some ridiculous temperatures.