HEAT TRANSFER
Now that we know exactly what energy is, there’s a second
layer of information to consider: the means by which that
energy gets transferred to your food.
Conduction is the direct transfer of energy from one solid
body to another. It is what happens when you burn your
hand by grabbing a hot pan (hint: don’t do that). Vibrating
molecules from one surface will strike the relatively still
molecules on another surface, thereby transferring their
energy. This is by far the most efficient method of heat
transfer. Here are some examples of heat transfer through
conduction:
Searing a steak
- Crisping the bottom of a pizza
- Cooking scrambled eggs
- Making grill marks on a burger
- Sautéing onions