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Glossary of Cooking Terms

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A
al dente
Pasta, grains, or veggies that are cooked until just firm and somewhat chewy.
B
bake
To cook in an oven with dry heat.
baking powder
A mix of baking soda, something acidic like cream of tartar, and a flour or starch. Best kind is aluminum free.
baking soda
Serves as leavening and is usually added to recipes with an acidic ingredient. Add to other dry ingredients before incorporating liquid ones.
barbecue
Also BBQ. To cook on a grill, rack, or spit.
baste
To add moisture or flavor by adding liquid.
batter
An uncooked, pourable mixture such as for biscuits.
beat
To stir quickly using a whisk, spoon, or mixer.
bias
To cut at an angle.
blanch
To cook briefly in boiling water. Retains color and flavor. Often used for veggies or fruit to prepare for freezing or to more easily remove peel.
blend
To thoroughly combine multiple ingredients.
boil
To cook in bubbling water that has at least 212° F. At high altitude, water boils before this temperature is reached, so boiling will take longer. See also hard rolling boil and soft rolling boil.
bone
To remove the bone from meat.
bouquet garni
A bundle of herbs, usually tied or placed in a cheesecloth bag, added to flavor stews, soups, stocks, and sauces. It is bundles for easy removal.
braise
To cook by browning first then simmering in shallow liquid over low heat until tender.
bread
To coat with crumbs or flour prior to cooking.
brine
A salty liquid in which food (such as pickles or meat) is soaked or canned.
broil
To cook with direct heat (sometimes higher heat), usually in an oven.
broth
A flavorful liquid made with water, veggies, herbs, meat, or bones. It is cooked for a shorter period of time so not as flavorful as stock. It can, however, usually be used interchangeably with stock.
brown
To heat until the blood has cooked out of meat. Usually in reference to ground meat.
butterfly
To cut a food (usually meat) almost completely in half. It is then opened flat, still in one piece. Each half should look mostly identical, hence the term “butterfly.”
C
caramelize
To heat sugar (added or naturally occurring) until it melts, thickens, and darkens. Works with the creation of syrups or for caramelizing foods with natural sugars such as onion.
cheesecloth
A thin, food safe cloth used for tying herbs, straining, and various other uses.
club hand
A term coined by celebrity chef Alton Brown. Refers to a hand that gets coated in dredge. See also dredge.
core
To remove the seeds and hard center of some veggies and fruits.
cream
To beat ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Also refers to the butterfat of milk. See also heavy cream and whipping cream.
cube
To cut food into 1/2″ cubed or cube-like chunks.
cut in
To disburse cold or solid fat into flour using a fork, pastry blender, or two knives using a cutting motion.
chop
To cut food into smaller pieces.
char
To cook food until it is almost, but not quite, burnt.
D
dash
An imprecise measurement that is approximately 1/8 teaspoon.
deep fry
To cook by completely immersing in hot oil or fat.
deglaze
To remove the flavorful browned or blackened bit on the bottom of pan by adding liquid while heating, stirring, and scraping the pan.
dice
To cut into very small (1/8″ to 1/4″) chunks or cubes.
dollop
A spoonful of soft food such as whipped cream or sour cream.
doonk
A term coined by Trim Healthy Mama. It is a measurement equaling 1/32 teaspoon.
dot
To scatter an ingredient such as butter over the surface of food.
dredge
To coat a food with a mix of usually flour or cheese. See also club hand.
dress
To clean fish, poultry, or game for cooking. Also refers to coating foods (such as salad) with a sauce or dressing.
drippings
The juices and fats rendered from cooked meat. Often used to baste or to create a sauce.
drizzle
To pour a small stream of liquid over a food, usually in a back and forth motion.
dust
To lightly coat a food with a powdered ingredient such as flour, powdered sweetener, or cocoa powder.
E
emulsify
A technique that forces the mixture two or more liquids that don’t naturally combine (such as oil and vinegar in mayonnaise).
F
fillet
A flat piece of meat. Also, to cut meat into a flattened piece. Also sometimes filet (with one L).
fines herbes
A mixture of herbs to flavor fish, poultry, or eggs.
flambé
To drizzle liquor over a food. Once heated, this liquor is then ignited with fire briefly just before serving.
fluff
To use a fork to break up cooked things like rice or quinoa.
flute
To cut decorative grooves in breads or pastries.
fold
To combine a light ingredients into a heavier mixture using a gentle over-under motion with a spatula.
G
glaze
To coat a food with a glossy sauce, mixture, or ingredient such as jelly or honey. Also refers to the glossy sauce, mixture, or ingredient.
grate
To cut a food such as cheese or ginger into tiny pieces using a food grater or the grater attachment in a food processor.
grease
To rub or spray an oil or fat along the sides and bottoms of a pan or dish to prevent sticking.
grill
To cook foods on a grate or rack under or over direct (often increased) heat. Refers to using a grill or a broiler.
grind
To pulverize a food into granulated particles using a grinder or food processor.
H
hard rolling boil
A boil that cannot be stirred down.
heavy cream
Also known as heavy whipping cream. This is a heavier cream (butterfat of milk) that contains 36% or more milk fat.
J
julienne
To cut a food into long, thin strips or matchstick shapes.
K
knead
To fold and press dough together using hands or a dough hook in a mixer.
M
macerate
To soak in a flavorful liquid. Usually in reference to fruit.
marinade
The flavorful liquid that food (usually meat) is soaked in.
marinate
To soak a food in a flavorful liquid. Usually in reference to meat.
mince
To cut into tiny pieces using a knife or garlic press.
P
panfry
To cook a food in a pan with a small amount of fat. See also sauté.
parboil
To cook by partially boiling. Often used in reference to rice or oats.
pinch
An imprecise measurement that is achieved by grabbing an ingredient with a pinching motion. It is equivalent to approximately 1/16 teaspoon.
pith
The white part of a citrus peel.
poach
To gently cook over low heat in simmering liquid.
purée
To pulverize or smash food to a more liquefied form.
R
reduce
To boil a liquid until much of it has turned into steam and the remaining liquid has thickened and intensified in flavor.
render
To cook the fat and juices (drippings) out of meat.
roast
To cook uncovered using dry heat (usually in an oven).
rough chop
To chop into chunks of about the same size.
roux
A thickening mixture using equal parts of a fat or oil and a thickening agent such as flour or oat fiber.
S
sauté
To cook a food in a pan with a small amount of fat. See also panfry.
scald
To heat a liquid almost to the boiling point. Bubbles will start forming only around the edges.
sear
To brown the surface of a meat over high. This seals in flavor.
shock
To transfer blanched food to a bowl of ice water to rapidly stop cooking.
shred
To cut a food such as cheese into tiny strips with a knife or grater.
sieve
To drain the liquids off a food using a tool with a mesh bowl. Also refers to the tool with a mesh bowl.
sift
To run an ingredients such as flour through a sieve to pulverize or remove lumps.
simmer
To cook a liquid to just before the boiling point. Tiny bubbles will form and rise to the surface.
skim
To remove foam or fat that rises to the surface while cooking a liquid.
slice
To cut a food into thin, flat pieces.
soft rolling boil
A boil that can be stirred down.
steam
To cook a food in a rack or steamer over (but not in) a simmering liquid.
steep
To soak in simmering liquid. Often refers to tea.
stew
To cook over low heat in a liquid.
stir fry
To quickly cook small chunks of food over high heat, usually in a small amount of fat or oil.
stock
A flavorful liquid made with water, veggies, herbs, meat, or bones. It is cooked for a longer period of time so is usually more flavorful than broth. It can, however, usually be used interchangeably with broth.
smidgen
An imprecise measurement that equals about 1/32 teaspoon. It is the same as a doonk.
T
toast
To brown or crisp the exterior of a food.
truss
To tie a poultry with string or skewers so that it holds its shape during cooking.
to taste
A phrase that refers to adding spices or other ingredients in whatever quantity you like (to your taste).
W
whipping cream
Also known as light whipping cream. This is a cream (butterfat of milk) similar to heavy cream, but lighter. It contains 30% to 35% milk fat.
whisk
To stir food with a whisk or beater to incorporate air to create volume.
whisk
To stir with a whisk or fork.
Z
zest
The grated outer (colorful) part of citrus fruit such as a lemon, lime, or orange.
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