*Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat*

6/14/25

Updated 6/28/25

Table of Contents

Part I: The Four Elements of Good Cooking

  1. Salt
  2. Fat
  3. Acid
  4. Heat

Part II: Recipes and Recommendations

  1. Kitchen Basics
  2. Recipes
  3. Cooking Lessons
  4. Suggested Menus
  5. Tips for Further Reading

1. Salt

Table salt may have iodine, anticaking agents, and dextrose; it gives it a metallic taste. Try kosher or sea salt instead.

Salt interacts with food through osmosis and diffusion. ie. it draws moisture out of food.

Salting guide:

  1. Salt meat in advance (1 day) so it can diffuse evenly and dissolve protein strands (making the meat moister)
  2. Don't salt fish and shellfish too early in advance (15-30 min)
  3. Salt eggs
  4. Salt vegetables to weaken the pectin and soften it (15 min)
  5. Don't salt mushrooms too early since it will draw out water; wait until they've begun to brown in the pan

Always stir, taste, and adjust.

2. Fat

Three categories of fat: butter, oil, and animal fats.

  1. Olive oil can be both an everyday oil and a finishing oil. It gets rancid 12-14 months after it's been pressed. Store it cool and dark; temperature fluctuations will make it go rancid.
  2. Canola oil has a neutral taste and a high smoke point.
  3. Sesame oil is a good finishing oil with a nutty flavor.
  4. Animal fats have the taste of the animal. Try chicken fat on rice.

Preheat the pan before adding fat (except for butter), in order to minimize time for the fat to deteriorate.

To avoid fumes, don't let fats reach their smoke point. It is around 176 degrees celsius for butter and olive oil.

Fat can be crispy, creamy, or light.

Crispy

Rendering fat is the process of cooking it over gentle heat until all the water has evaporated.

  1. For bacon, cook it gently in the oven at 176 degrees or on the stove with a little bit of water
  2. For steak, lay it on its side for a few minutes before cooking

To achive crispiness, add the meat to hot fat to get the crispy skin, and then reduce the heat to allow it to cook all the way through.

Creamy

Emulsification is the process of combining two liquids that don't mix. It can be done by whisking or blending. Examples of emulsions include mayonnaise, peanut butter, butter, cream, milk, and chocolate.

Cakes made with oil will be moist and tender, and cakes made with butter will be rich and dense. That's because gluten networks need water to form, and oil gets in the way, making the cake more tender and moist.

Light

Butter, eggs, and sugar can also act as a leavener, since the butter can trap air bubbles. Fold in ingredients gently and make sure the butter doesns't become too hot.