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COOKING TERMS
Bake - To cook covered or uncovered in an oven or oven-type appliance. For meats cooked uncovered, it's called roasting.
Baste - To moisten foods during cooking with pan drippings or special sauce to add flavor and prevent drying.
Beat - To make mixture smooth by ading air with a brisk whipping or stirring motion using spoon or electric mixer.
Blend - To thoroughly mix two or more ingredients until smooth and uniform.
Boil - To cook in liquid at boiling temperature (212 degrees at sea level) where bubbles rise to the surface and break. For a full roling boil, bubbles form rapidly throughout the mixture.
Braise - To cook slowly with a small amount of liquid in tightly covered pan on top of range or in oven.
Broil - To cook by direct heat, usually in broiler or over coals.
Candied - To cook in sugar or syrup when applied to sweet potatoes and carrots. For fruit or fruit peel to cook in heavy syrup till transparent and well coated.
Chill - To place in refrigerator to reduce temperature.
Chop - To cut in pieces about the size of peas with knife, chopper or blender.
Cool - To remove from heat and let stand at room temperature.
Cream - To beat wtih spoon or electric mixer till mixture is soft and smooth. When applied to blending shortening and sugar mixture is beaten till light and fluffy.
Cut In - To mix shortening with dry ingredients using pastry blender or knives.
Dice - To cut food in small cubes of uniform size and shape.
Dissolve - To disperse a dry substance in a liquid to form a solution.
Glaze - A mixture applied to food which hardens or becomes firm and adds flavor and a glossy appearance.
Grate - To rub on a grater that seperates the food into very fine particles.
Marinate - To allow food to stand in a liquid to tenderize or to add flavor.
Mince - To cut or finely chop food into very small pieces.
Mix - To combine ingedients, usually by stirring, till evenly distributed.
Poach - To cook in hot liquid, being careful that food holds its shape while cooking.
Precook - To cook food partially or completely before final cooking or reheating.
Roast - To cook uncovered without water added, usually in an oven.
Saute - To brown or cook in a small amount of hot shortening.
Scald - To bring to a temperature just below boiling point where tiny bubbles form at the edge of the pan.
Scallop - To bake food, usually in a casserole, with sauce or other liquid. Crumbs are often sprinkled atop.
Steam - To cook in steam with or without pressure. A small amount of boiling water is used more water being added during steaming process if necessary.
Stir - To mix ingredients with a circular motion until well bleded or of uniform consistency.
Toss - To mix ingredients lightly.
Truss - To secure fowl or other meat with skewers to hold its shape during cooking.
Whip - To beat rapidly to incorporate air and produce expansion, as in heavy cream or egg whites.