Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
YaBB - Yet another Bulletin Board
  News:
YaBB is sponsored by XIMinc!
  HomeHelpSearchLoginRegister
 
Pages: 1
how to cook without heat (Read 246 times)
whenpigsfly
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline



Posts: 1

how to cook without heat
04/21/07 at 00:24:39
 
How does this work, I had fish and shrimp cooked in lime juice and other acids please explain.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Luc_H
Junior Member
**
Offline



Posts: 54

Gender: male
Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #1 - 04/24/07 at 05:18:37
 
Hello Whenpigsfly,

Seviche, the cooking technique of using Lime juice to cook fish and sea food is one way to <cook> without heat.  
It is true that a piece of salmon left to sit in lime juice will become opaque, milky and change to a paler colour similar to how it would appear if it was steamed for example.

Heat and acid affect proteins (found in meat, fish, etc).  The term is denaturing which essentially means to render non-functional in a irreversible fashion.   Eggs is a good example on how denatured proteins manifests themselves:  an egg cracked in a hot skillet will change to an opaque. milky white from a watery clear liquid in the case of the egg white.  Eggs are less affected by acids which helps when making mayonnaise.  

Acids denature milk proteins which manifests as curdling yet cooking does not affect milk that much.

In the case of muscles (meat) both heat and acids denature the proteins in a similar fashion.

I hope this helps!
Luc H.

Back to top
 
 

I eat food science everyday! Do you?
  IP Logged
jan
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 1

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #2 - 05/26/08 at 11:03:27
 
very interesting, i noticed that effect a couple of times with fish and lemon juice, never knew it got something to do with proteins. but it makes perfectly sense now.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
shooprxn
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 3

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #3 - 06/06/08 at 11:02:47
 
Hello,
One way for scientist to describe proteins is by their shape, which in turn corresponds to their molecular function.  A common model is the "lock and key", so if a protein changes shape from its normal natural state it does not work.  Hence a lot of research is performed  understanding the ins and outs of protein structure.

Ok so how does this have to do with your post?
All proteins have a "natural" shape that allows it to fulfill its function.  This shape/structure of proteins is sensitive to changes in pH and in temperature.  Change either pH or temp and the protein may unravel or fold up in different ways, suddenly the protein is no longer in its natural state but in a "denatured"  state.  
The acidity in lime and lemon juices lowers the pH enough that the proteins in seafood are changed from their natural state to a "cooked" or "denatured" state.  Basically you are using a chemical process to change the protein structure.  I hope this helps!
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
shooprxn
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 3

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #4 - 06/06/08 at 11:10:24
 
PS, meant to add:

There are many different types of proteins, and each may react in different ways to changes in their chemical and physical surroundings.  So just because adding acid makes shrimp appear cooked, the same acid may denature proteins differently in other substances (ie milk as the post  from Luc_H explains very well).

Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Jim Olejniczak
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 1

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #5 - 12/30/08 at 20:42:32
 
ou don't "cook" without using heat.  However, as you are clearly implying, you can prepare some foods by use of common food acids. Ceviche (Seveche or Seviche by some), refers to a style of food preparation using citric acid found in limes and lemons and which is sometimes used with vinegar to prepare seafood dishes. It doesn't really "cook" the food, but the chemical reaction that occurs does make the food appear to be cooked as if by heat.

You marinate meat in vinegar (and other acids like the limes and lemons) to either flavor the food, or to help break down the chemical structure of the food in order to help different texture in the meat or, in some cases, help tenderize it.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Derric
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 2
USA
Gender: male
Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #6 - 01/29/09 at 04:59:55
 
My major is cooking. I am often assigned writing essays on cooking topics. Custom research paper on cooking won't let you down.
Back to top
 
 
WWW   IP Logged
Arianna
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 2

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #7 - 04/20/09 at 14:00:49
 
Would this heatless cooking method have the same effect on a food's deterioration process as cooking with heat?  Can fish cooked with acids be stored in the refrogerator as long as fish cooked using heat?
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
holly
Ex Member




Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #8 - 06/23/09 at 22:50:02
 
Designer handbags and wallets from Gucci
Cheap Gucci Handbag
Gucci Handbag
Gucci Bags
Gucci Wallet
Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence, Italy in 1921, and began its life as a family owned leather goods, handbag and saddle store. However, Guccio Gucci had travelled to Europe and London when young, and gained an understanding of Cosmopolitan Culture.Gucci make prestigious luxury products, including bag
Gucci Classics handbag
Gucci Cruise handbag
Gucci Fall Winter handbag
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Floobynooby
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 8

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #9 - 07/02/09 at 06:35:11
 
Not heard of the technique before but whilst looking I came up with this which may be of interest.
http://ourman.typepad.com/omig/2007/06/how_to_cook_a_f.html
I think you need to be careful how long you leave the lime juice on for as its an acid and will eat away the fish.
Back to top
 
 
WWW   IP Logged
Mike Rane
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 3

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #10 - 11/05/09 at 11:01:12
 
jan wrote on 05/26/08 at 11:03:27:
very interesting, i noticed that effect a couple of times with fish and lemon juice, never knew it got something to do with proteins. but it makes perfectly sense now.



Even some time i face the same problem.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
sethcooper
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 1

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #11 - 11/10/09 at 12:23:44
 
You don't "cook" without using heat.  However, as you are clearly implying, you can prepare some foods by use of common food acids. Ceviche (Seveche or Seviche by some), refers to a style of food preparation using citric acid found in limes and lemons and which is sometimes used with vinegar to prepare seafood dishes. It doesn't really "cook" the food, but the chemical reaction that occurs does make the food appear to be cooked as if by heat.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
vick
Junior Member
**
Offline

Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 56

Re: how to cook without heat
Reply #12 - 11/12/09 at 00:23:58
 
The term is denaturing which essentially means to render non-functional in a irreversible fashion.   Eggs is a good example on how denatured proteins manifests themselves:  an egg cracked in a hot skillet will change to an opaque. milky white from a watery clear liquid in the case of the egg white.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Pages: 1