Frying, braising and stewing

Frying

Good for expensive or premium cuts of meat e.g. fillet steak, sirloin steak, rump steak, chicken fillet (aka chicken breast).

Things that need to retain their shape should be left while they fry on each side e.g. Breaded cutlet, chips, omelette etc.

Things that don't retain their shape should be pushed around in the frying pan frequently to avoid burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan e.g. onions, sauces.

Requires a medium or sometimes high heat (e.g. Chinese stir fry).

Cooking oils

Olive oil is the best general cooking oil (not extra virgin which is for consuming raw e.g. in salad dressings) but is sometimes not appropriate, for example for Asian cuisines (where olive is not a flavour used) or cooking at very high heat. Never allow cooking oil to smoke as its chemistry changes and it becomes dangerous to eat (quite apart from the fire risk). Oils have different smoking points; olive oil's is decent but for the high temperatures of a stir fry use groundnut (i.e. peanut) oil which has a very high smoke point (note: generally people with nut allergies are not allergic to groundnut oil but always check!).

Deglazing a pan

Often after frying, you are left with golden crispy bits of flavour stuck to what is now a dry pan. You can reclaim this flavour by making a sauce in the same pan and dissolving these bits in. The first step is usually to add a liquid with alcohol or acid and mixing vigorously with a spatula or fish slice, often scraping the sides of the pan while still on the heat to achieve this effect.

Braising

Often starts like frying but then some liquid is added to provide a sauce in which the main ingredients sit, like a curry.

Good for slightly less expensive or premium cuts; chicken thighs are a classic example. These cuts usually have more flavour than the most premium cuts but take a little longer to cook.

Requires a medium-low or medium heat, with some pushing around in the pan to avoid sticking and burning.

Stewing

Often starts like frying but then lots of liquid is added. Usually more ingredients are added which can then all cook in the lots of liquid e.g. vegetables often added an hour before the end e.g. in Beef stew. Some additions can be used to change the liquid e.g. pearl barley soaks it up, potatoes if added early will break down and thicken it.

Good for the cheapest cuts e.g. beef shin, brisket, with the most flavour.

Requires a low heat for a long time with only occasional stirring and can often be alternatively cooked in an oven.