Broiling Explained

• Think of broiling as upside-down grilling, with the heat source coming from above rather than from below. Broiling uses dry infrared heat at high temperatures, typically 550 degrees Fahrenheit on a standard range but as high as 1,000 F on a commercial range. Preheat the broiler for at least five minutes before using it, and make sure to place foods at least 3 inches from the broiler element. Because broiling uses heat from one direction only, food placed under the broiler must be cooked quickly or turned intermittently. Broiling is a quick cooking method -- typically no longer than 15 minutes for many foods -- and produces a pleasantly caramelized surface on meats, while allowing fats to drain away into a pan.

Broiler Foods

• Certain foods call out for broiling. For example, thin meats with a tender but juicy texture are ideal candidates. The quick cooking time allows a crust to form on the surface, drawing out the aromas of seasoning or herbs sprinkled on top. Typical broiled meats include pork chops; thin steaks, such as ribeye and tenderloin; and bone-in chicken, such as thighs, legs and halves. Fish, too, benefits from quick but intense cooking, either placed on a rack or in a skillet. Don’t overlook vegetables. Drizzled in olive oil and seasoned accordingly, broiled vegetables will caramelize quickly, releasing their juices.

Baking Explained

• Unlike broiling, which directly heats food on one side at a time, baking uses indirect convection heat to wrap around the food from all sides. This nurturing, uniform heat is vital for breads, cakes and pies to rise. The dry oven heat raises the food temperature consistently. No areas are cooler than others, and the moisture inside the food turns to steam, swelling the food's volume. Unlike broiling, baking allows you to vary the oven temperature to accommodate baked goods that require different intensities of heat.

Baked Foods

• Baking's dry, consistent convection heat is ideal for transforming dough and batter into breads and cakes. Ancient civilizations transformed their diet by discovering ways to bake flatbreads in stone or clay ovens. Later, the invention of the semi-closed oven and metal utensils led to a mania for baking cakes, pies, pastries and breads. Baking is also an effective technique for slow-cooking meat joints, whole birds and even fish, although roasting is the more commonly used term for oven cooking where no significant change in shape or size is expected.