Which method of cooking involves submerging food completely in liquid?

The method of cooking that involves submerging food completely in liquid is stewing. Stewing is a technique where ingredients, often tougher cuts of meat and vegetables, are cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid. The food is fully immersed, allowing it to absorb the flavors from the liquid while simultaneously becoming tender through the gentle, prolonged heat.

This method differs from other cooking techniques such as searing, which involves cooking food at high temperatures in a small amount of fat to create a browned crust without fully cooking the interior. Braising combines elements of both moist and dry heat cooking, where food is first browned in fat and then cooked slowly in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid, but the food is not usually submerged completely. Roasting, on the other hand, is a dry heat cooking method that involves cooking food evenly in an oven, typically without liquid.

Therefore, the defining characteristic of stewing is the complete immersion of food in liquid, which facilitates thorough cooking and flavor development.