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HomeEc Cooking Terms
Cooking Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Al Dente | To cook pasta until a slight firmness remains when bitten |
| Assemble | To gather necessary ingredients for a recipe together |
| Bake | To cook food in an oven |
| Baste | The brush or spoon a melted fat (such as butter), a liquid (such as stock) or a marinade over food as it cooks to give flavor and moistness |
| Batter | A mixture that is thin enough to pour or spoon: often made of flour, eggs, and milk |
| Beat | To stir rapidly by hand or with a mixer to combine ingredients or incorporate air into mixture (ex: egg whites, whipping cream) |
| Bind/Binder | To add a thickening ingredient such as an egg, flour or cornstarch, to hold ingredients together in soups, sauces or gravy |
| Bite-Sized | To cut or tear food into small enough pieces to eat in one bite |
| Blacken | To cook meat or fish in a very hot skillet to give a dark, crispy crust |
| Blanch | To immerse food into boiling water for a short time, and them transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. This brings out the color in vegetables and can loosen skins on peaches or tomatoes |
| Blend | To stir together two or more ingredients until just combined |
| Boil | To heat a liquid mixture until bubbles break the surface; a full rolling boil cannot be stopped by stirring |
| Bone/ Debone | To remove the bone from poultry, meat or fish |
| Braise | To brown meat or vegetables in fat over a high heat. Place meat or vegetables into a heavy pot with a small amount of liquid, and then cover and cook slowly for several hours. Can be cooked in the oven or on the stove-top |
| Bread | To coat food in a dry ingredient such as flour, bread crumbs, cornmeal or cracker crumbs before sauteing or frying |
| Brine | A strong mixture of water, salt and vinegar. Mixture can be used on meats to add flavor, tenderness and moistness. Spices, herbs and sweeteners can also be used in this mixture |
| Broil | To cook directly above or below a heat source on the oven or on the grill |
| Broth | To cook meat, vegetables or fish in water. Other ingredients such as seasonings, onions or celery can be added for additional flavor |
| Brown | To cook food quickly over a high heat, often on the stove-top, to give the surface color and seal in juices |
| Brush | To coat a food lightly with a marinade or liquid using a pastry brush |
| Butterfly | To cut a food, such as shrimp, down the center, almost but not completely through |
| Can | To preserve food by placing it into a glass jar. Follow the recommended safe canning procedure. |
| Caramelize | To heat sugar until it dissolves and turns into a golden syrup, or to cook a food (such as onions) over low heat until they become soft, golden brown and sweet |
| Carve | To cut food into slices (usually meat) using a sharp knife |
| Chafe | To keep food warm using a container such as a chafing dish or casserole, which has a heat source underneath (ex. candle) |
| Chill | To cool food in the refrigerator until completely cooled throughout. |
| Chop | To cut food into slightly irregular cubes or pieces |
| Chunk | To cut food into large pieces, larger that a cube |
| Clarify | To remove solids from a liquid to yield a clear liquid, most often used with butter to remove milk solids |
| Coats a Spoon | To test for doneness; a cooked egg-based mixture(such as a custard) leaves a thin layer on a metal spoon when dipped into the mixture |
| Coddle | To cook eggs in simmering water, and remove from heat when eggs are cooked, as desired. Sometimes called poach. |
| Combine | To stir two or more ingredients with a spoon, or to beat on low speed with a mixer, until mixed together |
| Core | To remove the center of a fruit or vegetable. which contains seeds, with a knife or apple corer |
| Cream | To beat together two or more ingredients, such as butter and sugar, until the mixture is smooth, creamy, uniform consistency |
| Crimp or Flute | To press together two pastry layers on edge of pie crust, sealing the dough and at the same time creating a decorative edge using fingers, a fork, or other utensil |
| Crumble | To break up into small pieces |
| Crush | To reduce to crumbs, powder, or small pieces |
| Cube | To cut meat or vegetables as examples into 1/2-inch equal-sided squares |
| Curdle | To overcook a mixture, such as an egg-based recipe, causing the mixture to separate. The mixture will appear lumpy. Another example is when acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, to milk is added to milk which will then thicken and become lumpy |
| Cut In | To mix a cold fat (such as butter) with flour or dry ingredients by hand until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This can be achieved by using a pastry blender or two tableware knives |
| Dash | To add a tiny amount of an ingredient |
| Deep Fry | To cook food by submerging in hot oil |
| De-Fat/Degrease | To spoon or drain fat or grease from a soup, stock, sauce or gravy. Chilling the liquid first can make this easier |
| Defrost | To thaw food |
| Deglaze | To pour water, wine or stock over browned pan drippings. Stirring helps loosen droppings, while cooking to reduce to a rich liquid for sauces. |
| Devil | To add a spicy ingredient, such as hot pepper sauce or mustard, to food, such as eggs, making deviled eggs. |
| Dice | To cut into 1/8 or 1/4-inch thick cubes. |
| Dilute | To reduce the strength of a mixture by adding liquid. |
| Dip | To slowly, but briefly, lower food into a melted mixture such as chocolate. |
| Dot | To place or sprinkle small pieces of an ingredient, over top of food, such as butter, over a fruit filling on a pie. |
| Drain | To pour liquid or fat from food through a strainer or colander, such as after cooking pasta. |
| Dredge | To coat food with a dry ingredient, such as flour, bread crumbs or cornmeal before frying |
| Dress | To apply a salad dressing to a salad before serving. Can also mean to clean poultry or fish before cooking. |
| Drizzle | To slowly pour a thin liquid mixture over food, such as a cookie, a quick bread or to pour a thin stream of salad dressing or vinaigrette over a salad. |
| Drop | To place cookies by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Also, can mean a small amount of liquid, such as food coloring. |
| Dry Heat | To cook by roasting, broiling or grilling. |
| Dust | To coat lightly with an ingredient, such as flour of powdered sugar. |
| Emulsify | To force ingredients, such as oil and a liquid, that normally wouldn't mix into a creamy mixture. Mayonnaise and salad dressing are two examples. The emulsion is created by slowly adding one liquid to the other and beating rapidly. |
| Fillet | To cut bones from fish, meat, or poultry. |
| Firmly Packed | To press an ingredient, such as brown sugar, tightly into a measuring cup. |
| Flake | To pull food, such as cooked fish, with a fork, producing small pieces as a test for doneness. Cooked fish should break away easily into small pieces. |
| Flambe | To pour liquor over a warm food, usually on the stove-top, and ignite. |
| Flip | To turn over, such as turning pancakes, to finish cooking on the other side. |
| Floret | To break or cut fresh broccoli or cauliflower into small clusters. |
| Flour | To coat food with a dry ingredient or a mixture of dry ingredients, such as white flour or other dry ingredients. |
| Fluff | To beat a mixture until light and soft. |
| Fold/Fold In | To gently combine a light, air mixture (such as beaten egg whites) with a heavier mixture. Place the lighter mixture on top of the heavier mixture, and using a rubber spatula, cut vertically down through mixtures. |
| Frost | To cover a cake of cookie with icing or frosting. |
| Froth | To beat a light mixture or beverage until bubbles or foam form on the surface. |
| Fry | To cook food in hot oil over medium to high heat until brown and crisp. |
| Garnish | To decorate a finished food, often with an herb, fruit or vegetable. |
| Glaze | To coat food with a very thin mixture that will be smooth and glossy. |
| Golden Brown | To visually test for doneness of a light to medium brown color on foods, such as cookies and cakes. |
| Grate | To cut food into shreds, using a grater. |
| Grease | To coat the surface of he baking pan with shortening to prevent food from sticking. |
| Grease and Flour | Coat baking pan with shortening before lightly dusting with flour to prevent food from sticking. Commonly used when baking cakes. |
| Grill | To cook food on a grate over a heat source such as hot coals, or a gas grill. |
| Grind | To reduce food to small particles. Often nuts, spices or coffee are ground. Can use a mortar and pestle, food processor, blender or small food grinder, |
| Hard Ball Stage | To cook sugar mixture until a drop of boiling syrup (250 to 265*F) placed into cold water forms a rigid, but somewhat, pliable ball in candy making |
| Hull | To remove green stem and leaves from a strawberry. Can also mean to remove the outer husk of some nuts. |
| Husk | To remove the outer leaves of a vegetable, such as fresh corn, or to remove the outer husk of some nuts. |
| Ice/Icing | To cover a cake or cookies with mixture, such as frosting. |
| Inject | To force fluid into a food, most often meat, for flavor and moistness. |
| Julienne | To cut food, such as carrots, into 1/8-inch equal-sided strips, often 1x1/8x1/8-inch. |
| Knead | To work dough by hand, or with a dough hook of an electric mixer, into a smooth ball to develop the gluten, or structure, of the dough. |
| Marinate | To soak or brush food with a seasoned liquid for tenderness, moisture and flavor. |
| Matchstick | To cut food, such as carrots, into thin strips, that are about 1x1/8x1/8-inch. |
| Melt | To apply heat to change a food from a solid to a liquid, such as butter or chocolate. |
| Mince | To cut into very small pieces, such as garlic. |
| Mix | To stir two or more ingredients until mixture is thoroughly combined and uniform in texture. |
| Moist Heat | To cook, such as braising, stewing, or pot roasting. |
| Muddle | To crush or mash with a spoon or tool called a muddler. Often used with mint leaves and sugar. |
| Pan Broil | To cook food quickly in a preheated pan with little or no butter or oil. |
| Pan Sear | To cook tender cuts of meat in butter or oil in a heavy skillet over high heat, which produces a golden crust. |
| Pan Boil | To cook food partially in boiling water, then continue cooking using another method. For example, par boiling potatoes and then threading on skewers and grilling. |
| Pare | To cut off a thin layer of skin on a food, such as potatoes or apples, with a paring knife or vegetable peeler. |
| Partially Set | To test for doneness in which the mixture is set but still fluid enough to add ingredients, such as when making gelatin. |
| Pat | To lightly touch a surface to flatten. |
| Pea-Sized Crumbs | To describe to size of the pieces in a mixture of flour, butter and other ingredients. |
| Peel | To remove the skin or rind from a fruit or vegetable. |
| Pinch | TO add a tiny amount (about 1/16th teaspoon) of a dry ingredient such as salt. The amount should be able to be held between the thumb and forefinger. |
| Pipe | To decorate food with a mixture, such as frosting or whipped cream, using a pastry bag or tube. |
| Pit | To remove the stone or seed of a fruit, such as cherries, apricot and peaches. This is sometimes called the stone. |
| Pith | To remove the stone or seed of a fruit such as cherries apricot and peaches. This is also what the stone is called. |
| Plump | To soak dried fruits or vegetables in liquid until they swell. |
| Poach | To cook food in a liquid to just below the boiling point. Often used to cook eggs, fruit or poultry. |
| Pound | To flatten or tenderize a piece of meat. |
| Process | To cook, following safe recommended canning procedures, sealing the filled canning jars. Also to beat ingredients, using a food processor. |
| Pulse | To use an on and off speed motion when combining a mixture in a food processor or blender. |
| Pulverize | To reduce to a powder or dust. |
| Puree | To mash or grind food until a thick, smooth consistency is achieved. |
| Quarter | To cut or divide into four equal parts. |
| Reconstitute | To soak dried foods in a liquid to rehydrate. |
| Reduce | To boil a sauce or liquid rapidly until the sauce is boiled down or evaporated and it thickens. |
| Reheat | To re-warm food. |
| Render | To heat a solid animal fat over low heat until melted; remove solids. |
| Rice | To push a soft food, such as potatoes, through a potatoes ricer or strainer. |
| Rind | To describe the outer skin of citrus fruits. |
| Roast | To cook meat or vegetables in a shallow, uncovered pan in the oven. This yields a brown exterior and a moist interior. |
| Roll Up Jelly-Roll Fashion | To roll dough and filling together, beginning with narrow side of dough, and ending with a log shape. Seal ends of dough. |
| Rolling Boil | To describe a mixture that cooks or boils so hard it cannot be stirred down. |
| Rub | To apply a seasoned mixture, dry or a paste, onto the surface of meat, providing flavor to the meat. |
| Saute | To cook food quickly in a small amount of oil or fat in a skillet until light brown. |
| Scald | To heat liquid to just below the boiling point until tiny bubbles form around the edge. |
| Score | To cut shallow slashes, along the surface of meat, to tenderize. The peel of a vegetable, such as cucumbers, can also be scored for a decorative look. |
| Scramble | To stir gently with a fork or spoon while cooking; eggs are often scrambled. |
| Sear | To brown meat quickly in a skillet over high heat or using a broiler to seal in meat juices. |
Created by:
hhalverstadt