Electrical Energy Used and Time Consumed When Cooking Foods by Various Home Methods: Chickens

Broilers and fowl (spent Leghorn hens) were cooked by various home methods and the electrical energy and time required for cooking were recorded. Broilers were cooked by three oven methods, four frying methods, a microwave oven and two slow cooker methods. Fowl were cooked by four slow cooker methods. Electrical energy was recorded for all cooking methods by the use of an appliance meter in the circuit. An energy efficiency analysis was calculated to determine the allotment of input energy to the cooking process to cooking the chicken, to energy stored in the utensils, and to energy losses to radiation, convection, and evaporation. Results indicate that energy used in cooking chicken can best be conserved by: 1) using the smallest size appliance for the task; 2) minimizing moisture loss by covering the utensil and/or a short cooking time; or 3) using the microwave oven.