High School Science Questions

For this lesson you have a choice of the protein you intend to cook up. You can either cook up 1 to 1.5 inch thick steaks (suggest flank, T-bone, strip, or sirloin), or 1 inch thick pieces of extra firm tofu (make sure it has already been pressed to remove excess moisture). Both of these substances will have similar reactions in the skillet. First, we will be marinating the protein.

You will need:

- Enough pieces of protein to serve who you want to serve (if this is only for you, you only need one)
- a bowl large enough to marinate the protein
- whisk
- tongs or fork (for handling the protein)
- 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar for each piece of protein
- 1 tbsp of olive oil for each piece of protein
- 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic or garlic powder
- tbsp oil to grease skillet
- skillet
- spatula

Place vinegar, oil, and garlic in bowl and whisk together. Place each piece of protein into the bowl, making sure to coat both sides. Let the protein sit in the bowl in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Grease skillet and place skillet on stove-top at medium-high heat. Allow to heat a few minutes until a drop of water thrown on the skillet sizzles.

Place protein in skillet and allow one side to cook for about 5-6 minutes. Flip to allow other side to cook for equal time. (Be sure to wash every bowl, plate, and utensil that was touched by raw meat before it is used for anything else. Include washing your hands.)

After each side has cooked for 6 minutes the protein should be nicely browned on each side. Cook for longer if this is not the case. You can use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is about 140 degrees. Or you can cut the meat open to make sure it's cooked to your preference. Tofu should have a nice, crisp, outer skin to it.

Place on plates to serve.

Use outside sites to research these answers, but be sure to use your own words! The point of this section is to show that you understand the answers, not just to quote another site. Please paste the url(s) of the sites where you obtained your answers after the question.

- What is diffusion? What step of the recipe utilizes diffusion?
- What is the browning process that occurs in this recipe?
- What is denaturization? What steps in this recipe may cause denaturization?
- What steps in this recipe demonstrate a physical change?
- What steps in this recipe demonstrate a chemical change?
- What are some reasons for cooking proteins? Name at least two.
- Are the changes to the proteins in this lesson reversible?
- Is it possible to "cook" protein without using heat? Explain.

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Diffusion is a form of passive transport. It involves the movement of a solute along a concentration gradient, from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. The step of the recipe that utilized diffusion was when I placed the protein in the bowl with the whisked together marinade (vinegar, oil and garlic)...