Cooking Terms: A to Z (mostly)
- lmb523
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
I was playing a game online and had to make bread. I mistakenly said, "I need to cook bread," and then I thought it did not sound quite right. After struggling for a few seconds, I remembered it was "bake bread." I continued to think about cooking terms and how many different ones there actually are—fry an egg, boil the potatoes, steam the broccoli. It struck me that there could be a long list of these terms, which might actually be really helpful to someone—especially someone just starting out in the kitchen.
Cooking involves more than just following recipes. Each method has a specific name and purpose, and knowing these terms can improve both understanding and results in the kitchen. Whether you are heating oil to sauté vegetables or gently simmering soup, the word used for the technique matters. This post focuses on cooking terms and includes simple explanations and example sentences that use the term. Some letters do not have cooking terms associated with them, but all valid ones are included here.
Aerate
To incorporate air into a mixture to make it lighter.
I aerate the flour by sifting it before baking the cake.
You should aerate the flour before measuring to make sure the amount is accurate.
Bake
Cooking food with dry heat in an enclosed space, such as an oven. This method is commonly used for bread, cakes, and pastries.
Bake a loaf of sourdough bread.
She loves to bake cookies for her friends.
Baste
Spooning or brushing liquids over food during cooking to keep it moist.
Baste a turkey with melted butter.
She bastes the turkey every 30 minutes to keep it moist.
Blanch
Boil food and then rapidly cools it in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Blanch green beans.
If you blanch asparagus, it will keep it bright green and crisp.
Boil
Cook food in liquid that has reached 212°F (100°C), causing rapid bubbling.
Boil pasta in salted water.
She waited for the water to boil before adding the pasta.
Braise
Sear food at high heat and then slowly cooks it in liquid at a lower temperature.
Braise a pot roast.
To make the meat tender, you should braise it for hours.
Broil
Cook food with direct high heat from above, usually in an oven’s broiler setting or over a grill. This method is ideal for quickly browning or charring food.
Broil a steak until the top is browned.
If you broil the steak for a minute, it will get a perfect crust.
Caramelize
A sweet, brown effect by slowly cooking food to bring out natural sugars.
I let the apples cook slowly, allowing them to caramelize into a golden color.
When you caramelize onions, they taste naturally sweet.
Chiffonade
Slicing leafy greens or herbs into thin ribbons for garnishing.
Chiffonade basil for a garnish on pasta.
I chiffonade parsley to sprinkle on top of a salad.
Cure
Preserve food using salt, sugar, or smoking.
Cure salmon with sugar and salt to draw out excess moisture and enhance its flavor.
Cure olives by soaking them in brine for several weeks to develop their taste.
Deglaze
Loosen browned bits from a pan by adding liquid, often to make a flavorful sauce.
Deglaze a pan with red wine.
I deglaze the pan with broth after searing meat.
Dice
Cut food into small, even cubes.
Dice onions for a stir-fry.
If you dice potatoes, they will cook quicker and more evenly.
Dredge
Coat food lightly with flour, breadcrumbs, or another dry ingredient before cooking.
Dredge chicken in flour before frying for a crispy crust.
You can dredge bananas in cinnamon for a tasty snack.
Emulsify
Force two normally unmixable liquids to blend into a smooth mixture.
Emulsify oil and vinegar to make salad dressing.
To make mayonnaise, you must emulsify oil and egg yolk.
Ferment
Allow bacteria or yeast to break down food, changing its flavor and texture.
Ferment cabbage to make kimchi.
You can ferment cabbage and salt to make sauerkraut.
Fold
Gently combine ingredients without deflating air incorporated into mixtures.
Fold whipped cream into cake batter.
Use a spatula to fold the ingredients together
Fry
Cook food in hot oil or butter, either shallow or deep, to create a crispy texture.
Fry eggs in butter.
He prefers to fry his eggs in olive oil.
Glaze
Coat food with a shiny, often sweet or savory sauce.
Glaze a ham with honey and brown sugar.
Apply the glaze evenly over the cake to create a glossy finish.
Grill
Cooking food over an open flame or heated grates, creating distinct charred marks.
Grill burgers on an outdoor grill.
They decided to grill hot dogs for the barbecue.
Hull
To remove the outer leafy top or husk from produce.
She asked me to hull the strawberries while she prepped the shortcake.
I needed to hull a handful of snap peas before tossing them into the stir-fry.
Infuse
To flavor a liquid by allowing an ingredient to steep in it.
I infuse the oil with garlic before using it to dress the salad.
Leaving rosemary in warm oil for an hour will infuse it with deep herbal flavor.
Julienne
Cutting slices of food into thin, matchstick-sized strips.
Julienne carrots for a salad.
To julienne the squash, cut them into thin strips an eighth of an inch wide.
Knead
Work dough by stretching and folding it repeatedly to develop gluten.
Knead bread dough.
According to the recipe, I need to fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Lard
To insert strips of fat into lean meat to keep it moist during cooking.
They lard the game meat before roasting it to avoid dryness.
To lard the meat properly, make sure the fat strips are evenly spaced.
Marinate
Soak food in a seasoned liquid before cooking to enhance flavor and tenderness.
Marinate chicken in lemon juice, garlic, and herbs.
You can marinate the beef in soy sauce to tenderize it before cooking.
Mash
To crush food until smooth
Mash the potatoes with butter until they are smooth and creamy.
You need to mash the vegetables thoroughly before serving.
Mince
Finely chop food into very small pieces.
Mince garlic for pasta sauce.
If you mince garlic too early, it can dry out.
Nappe
Completely coat a piece of food with a light, thin, even layer of sauce or a jelly.
I nappe the fish with lemon butter just before serving.
The chef decided to nappe the chicken with mushroom sauce to enhance its flavor.
Neutralize
Reducing or eliminating a strong or overpowering flavor.
Lemon juice helped neutralize the fishy smell in the marinade.
To neutralize the spice, add a dollop of sour cream.
Oven-Dry
To slowly dry food using low heat in an oven.
I oven-dry the citrus peels to use them later in tea blends.
After washing the herbs, I prefer to oven-dry them to preserve their flavor.
Overcook
To cook food for too long, causing it to lose its desired texture or taste.
Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, or they will lose their crunch.
If you forget to set the timer, you may overcook the rice into a sticky mess.
Pickle
Preserve food in an acidic brine, enhancing its shelf life and flavor.
Pickle cucumbers to make dill pickles.
You can pickle chunks of green tomato in brine.
Poach
Gently cooking food in simmering liquid without bringing it to a full boil.
Poach eggs for eggs Benedict.
I poach eggs when I want a soft yolk.
Pressure Cook
Rapidly cook food using high pressure steam and water in a sealed pot.
Pressure cook a pot of chili.
A pressure cook method saves time when making beans.
Quarter
Cut an item into four equal parts.
I quarter the potatoes before tossing them in herbs and olive oil.
To prepare the apples for the pie, first quarter them and remove the seeds.
Quench
Stop the cooking process, usually by cooling the food quickly, often in ice water.
After blanching, you must quench the vegetables so they will stop cooking.
You should quench pasta in cold water to prevent it from cooking further.
Reduce
Thicken and concentrate the flavor of a liquid by simmering it to evaporate excess water.
Reduce a wine sauce by simmering for about 10 minutes.
Let the sauce reduce over low heat until it reaches a thicker consistency.
Roast
Use dry heat in an oven or over an open flame to cook food, often at higher temperatures than baking. This technique enhances flavor and creates a crispy exterior.
Roast a whole chicken with herbs.
Nothing beats the smell of roast chicken in the oven.
Sauté
Cook food in a small pan with a small amount of oil or butter over medium to high heat.
Sauté onions and mushrooms for a stir-fry.
To bring out the flavor, sauté the mushrooms in butter.
Sear
Quickly cook food at high heat to create a browned, flavorful crust.
Sear a steak in a cast-iron skillet.
Sear the fish fillets in a skillet for a few minutes on each side for a crispy texture.
Shred
Grate or slice food into thin strips.
Shred cheese for tacos.
After cooking, she shreds the pork for sandwiches.
Simmer
Cook food in liquid at a temperature just below boiling, where only small bubbles appear.
Simmer a pot of soup to bring out the flavors.
The key to good chili is to simmer it slowly.
Slow Cook
Cook food at a steady, low temperature over several hours, typically in a slow cooker or crockpot. This method is well-suited for tougher cuts of meats.
Slow cook pulled pork.
He lets the chili slow cook all day for a rich flavor.
Smoke
Cook food slowly using wood or charcoal smoke, infusing it with deep flavors.
You can smoke brisket in a wood chip smoker.
To enhance the flavor, you can smoke the ribs over low heat for several hours.
Sous Vide
Submerge vacuum-sealed food in a precisely controlled water bath for even cooking.
Sous vide a steak to maintain an even temperature throughout.
The chef used sous vide to prepare the chicken to ensure it was tender and juicy.
Steam
Cook food using the vapor from boiling water, often in a covered pot or steamer basket.
Steam broccoli to preserve all the nutrients.
They steam dumplings instead of frying them.
Stew
Slowly cook small pieces of meat or vegetables in a liquid at a low temperature.
Stew beef with potatoes, carrots, and onions.
On cold nights, she likes to stew beef with potatoes.
Stir-Fry
Use high heat and constant stirring to cook small pieces of food quickly in a wok with a small amount of oil.
Stir-fry chicken and vegetables.
A quick stir-fry is a great way to use leftover vegetables.
Toast
Brown food by applying dry heat, usually in a toaster or oven.
Toast slices of bread.
If you toast the bread just right, it stays crunchy but not burnt.
Unmold
Remove food from a mold once it has set or cooked.
I unmold the flan onto a chilled plate to keep its shape.
The cake was easy to unmold once it had cooled for a few minutes.
Whisk
Rapidly beat ingredients to incorporate air or blend them smoothly.
Whisk eggs to make a fluffy omelet.
To make the batter smooth, whisk the ingredients together until there are no lumps.
Zest
Remove the outer peel of citrus fruits to add concentrated flavor.
Zest a lemon for cake batter.
A little lemon zest makes desserts taste fresh.
Understanding cooking terms can elevate your kitchen skills. By mastering these specific techniques, you can approach your recipes with confidence and precision. Every cooking term has a purpose, and when used correctly, it helps you achieve the desired outcome. Whether you bake, braise, or broil, knowing the right term makes the process clearer and more efficient and ensures that your food is prepared as intended..
Proverbs 31:15
"She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants."
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