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conduction

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thermal energy is transferred from one molecule to the nearby molecule by means of a collision, there is no relocation of molecules

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during cooking, heat is transferred from the outside to the center of a solid piece of food by means of conduction, e.g. steak

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cellular structure of food impedes heat transfer

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rate of heat transfer is determined by

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thickness of food

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overall shape of food

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temperature of pan

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amount of time heat is applied

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how much energy is need to heat up food?

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(mass) (specific heat capacity) (change in temperature)

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heat capacity

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the measurable physical quantity that specifies the amount of heat required to change the temperature of an object or body by a given amount

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water has a very high heat capacity

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you need a lot of energy to heat up water

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in general, the higher the content of water in food, the slower it will heat up

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water also holds heat longer, which is why when you burn your tongue it is usually on parts of food that contain a high amount of water, e.g. a tomato or cheese on a pizza, but probably not the crust

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metals have a low heat capacity

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you don't need a lot of energy to heat up metals

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heat conductance

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how fast heat flows through the food

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silver and copper

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high conductance, low heat capacity (heat up quickly)

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water (and fish and meat)

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low conductance, higher heat capacity (heats up quickly, i.e. has a higher capacity to hold heat)

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applications

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stone grill

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stone can store a lot of energy and gradually pass out the heat

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Teppanyaki grill

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style of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food

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widely used to cook food in front of guests at restaurants