When mixing ingredients from different tiers, don’t add them all at once. Add them based on their tier timing.
The principle: Never sacrifice texture of Tier 2/3 to the cook time of Tier 1. Add them late.
Universal Formulas by Method
Stir Fry/Skillet:
- T-Minus 20: Start Tier 1 (onions, carrots) + Meat
- T-Minus 5: Add Tier 2 (peppers, broccoli)
- T-Minus 1: Add Tier 3 (spinach) + Sauce
Sheet Pan Roasting:
- Phase 1: Roast Tier 1 (potatoes/chicken thighs) 20 min
- Phase 2: Open oven, add Tier 2 (asparagus/shrimp), roast 10 min
- Phase 3: Remove, stir in Tier 3 (fresh herbs/spinach), residual heat cooks them
Slow Cooker:
- Stage 1: Meat + Tier 1 veg + liquid, cook 7 hours
- Stage 2: Open lid, add Tier 2 veg, cook 45-60 min
- Stage 3: Turn off, stir in Tier 3 (dairy/herbs)
Steaming:
- Minute 0: Put Tier 1 (carrots) in bottom
- Minute 3: Add Tier 2 (broccoli) on top of carrots
- Minute 6: Add fish/shrimp on top
- Minute 10: Done
Why It Works
Bottom layer gets most heat. Top layer gets gentle steam. Hard stuff goes bottom, delicate stuff goes top.
The result: Everything finishes at the same time with proper texture - not mushy vegetables and crunchy meat.
North: Where this comes from
- 3-Tier Density System (the classification)
- Heat Transfer (rate differs by material)
West: What’s similar?
- Mise en Place (preparing components for timed addition)
- Critical Path (project management: sequence matters)