Culinary Glossary
Discover our cooking dictionary to master culinary vocabulary. An essential tool for understanding gastronomic terms.
Bake
To cook food in an oven.
Baste
To brush or spoon a melted fat (such as butter), a liquid (such as a stock) or a marinade over food as it cooks.
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.
Bind
To add a thickening ingredient such as an egg, flour or cornstarch, to hold ingredients together.
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, then transfer to ice water to stop cooking.
Blend
To stir together two or more ingredients until just combined.
Boil
To heat a liquid mixture until bubbles break the surface.
Bone
To remove the bones from poultry, meat or fish.
Braise
To brown meat or vegetables in fat over high heat, then cook slowly in liquid.
Bread
To coat food in a dry ingredient such as flour, bread crumbs, cornmeal or cracker crumbs.
Brine
A strong mixture of water, salt and vinegar used on meats to add flavor, tenderness and moistness.
Broil
To cook directly above or below a heat source in the oven or on the grill.
Broth
A flavorful liquid made by cooking meat, vegetables or fish in water with seasonings.
Brown
To cook food quickly over high heat 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 following safe canning procedures.
Caramelize
To heat sugar until it dissolves and turns into golden syrup, or to cook food until soft and brown.
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 with a heat source underneath.
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 than a cube.
Clarify
To remove solids from a liquid to yield a clear liquid, most often used with butter.
Coats a Spoon
To test for doneness; a cooked egg-based mixture leaves a thin layer on a metal spoon.
Coddle
To cook eggs in simmering water, and remove from heat when eggs are cooked as desired.
Combine
To stir two or more ingredients with a spoon, or beat on Low speed with a mixer.
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 smooth and creamy.
Crimp
To press together two pastry layers on edge of pie crust, creating a decorative edge.
Crumble
To break up into small pieces.
Crush
To reduce to crumbs, powder, or small pieces.
Cube
To cut meat or vegetables into 1/2-inch equal-sided squares.
Curdle
To overcook a mixture, causing it to separate and appear lumpy.
Cut In
To mix a cold fat (such as butter) with flour or dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Dash
To add a tiny amount of an ingredient.
Deep Fry
To cook food by submerging in hot oil.
Defrost
To thaw food.
Deglaze
To pour water, wine or stock over browned pan drippings, stirring to loosen them.
Degrease
To spoon or drain fat or grease from a soup, stock, sauce or gravy.
Devil
To add a spicy ingredient, such as hot pepper sauce or mustard, to food.
Dice
To cut into 1/8 to 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, such as butter, over food.
Drain
To pour liquid or fat from food through a strainer or colander.
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.
Drizzle
To slowly pour a thin liquid mixture over food, such as a cookie or salad.
Drop
To place cookies by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet, or a small amount of liquid.
Dry Heat
To cook by roasting, broiling or grilling.
Dust
To coat lightly with an ingredient, such as flour or powdered sugar.
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.
Flambé
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 mixture of dry ingredients.
Fluff
To beat a mixture until light and soft.
Fold
To gently combine a light, airy mixture with a heavier mixture using a rubber spatula.
Frost
To cover a cake or 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.
Grate
To cut food into shreds, using a grater.
Grease
To coat the surface of the baking pan with shortening to prevent sticking.
Grease and Flour
Coat baking pan with shortening before lightly dusting with flour to prevent sticking.
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 using a mortar and pestle, food processor or blender.
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 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 using methods such as braising, stewing, or pot roasting.
Muddle
To crush or mash with a spoon or tool called a muddler.
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.
Parboil
To cook food partially in boiling water, then continue cooking using another method.
Pare
To cut off a thin layer of skin on a food with a paring knife or vegetable peeler.
Partially Set
To test for doneness in which the mixture is set but still fluid enough for additions.
Pat
To lightly touch a surface to flatten.
Pea-Sized Crumbs
To describe the 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.
Pipe
To decorate food with a mixture, such as frosting or whipped cream, using a pastry bag.
Pit
To remove the stone or seed of a fruit, such as cherries, apricots and peaches.
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.
Pound
To flatten or tenderize a piece of meat.
Process
To cook following safe canning procedures, sealing filled jars; also to beat ingredients in 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.
Purée
To mash or grind food until a thick, smooth consistency is achieved.
Reconstitute
To soak dried foods in a liquid to rehydrate.
Reduce
To boil a sauce or liquid rapidly until boiled down and thickened.
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 potato ricer or strainer.
Rind
The outer skin of citrus fruits.
Roast
To cook meat or vegetables in a shallow, uncovered pan in the oven.
Roll Up Jelly-Roll Fashion
To roll dough and filling together, beginning with narrow side, ending with log shape.
Rolling Boil
A mixture that cooks or boils so hard it cannot be stirred down.
Rub
To apply a seasoned mixture, dry or paste, onto the surface of meat for flavor.
Sauté
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 edge.
Score
To cut shallow slashes along the surface of meat to tenderize.
Scramble
To stir gently with a fork or spoon while cooking; often used with eggs.
Sear
To brown meat quickly in a skillet over high heat to seal in meat juices.
Season
To apply a flavor ingredient, such as salt and pepper; also to season cast iron pans.
Seed
To remove the seeds from a fruit or vegetable.
Separate
To divide in half or into parts; sometimes refers to separating egg yolk from white.
Set
To test for doneness when the surface of the food is firm to the touch.
Shave
To slice a very thin layer, such as chocolate, for a garnish.
Shell
To remove the outer covering of foods, such as eggs, nuts, or fresh peas.
Shred
To cut into narrow strips with a shredder or food processor using shredding disk.
Sieve
To strain dry or wet ingredients through the holes of a strainer or sieve.
Sift
To pass an ingredient, such as powdered sugar, through a sieve to make smooth and lump-free.
Simmer
To cook foods gently in a liquid at a low temperature just below boiling point.
Skewer
To thread meat, vegetables or fruit onto metal rods or bamboo sticks for grilling.
Skim
To spoon off top layer of fat, such as for gravy or soup.
Skin
To remove the outer layer on meat, fish, or poultry.
Slice
To cut into thin, flat pieces, or to cut through with a knife.
Sliver
To cut food into long, thin strips.
Snip
To cut with scissors into small pieces, often used with fresh herbs.
Soft Ball Stage
To cook a sugar mixture until a drop forms a soft ball that flattens when removed.
Soft Crack Stage
To cook a sugar mixture until a drop separates into hard threads in cold water.
Soft Peaks
To beat whipping cream or egg whites until peaks curl over when beaters are lifted.
Spread
To cover evenly.
Sprinkle
To scatter lightly.
Steam
To cook on a rack above boiling liquid in a tightly covered pan.
Steep
To soak dry ingredients, such as tea, coffee or spices, in a hot liquid.
Stew
To cook food in enough liquid to barely cover ingredients in a tightly covered pan.
Stiff Peaks
To beat whipping cream or egg whites until peaks stand up straight when beaters lifted.
Stir
To mix ingredients in a circular motion with a spoon.
Stir Constantly
To stir during the entire time the mixture is cooking.
Stir-Fry
To cook small pieces of food quickly in a large pan over high heat, stirring constantly.
Stock
A well-flavored broth made by simmering meat, poultry, fish or vegetables with herbs.
Strain
To remove any solids from a liquid by pouring through a sieve or colander.
Stuff
To fill a cavity in poultry or a vegetable with a well-seasoned mixture before cooking.
Sweat
To cook vegetables in a small amount of fat over low heat in a covered pan.
Thaw
To defrost frozen food.
Thin
To add more liquid to a mixture to dilute.
Thread
To place chunks of vegetables, meat or fruit on a skewer.
Toast
To brown food by heating in a toaster, under broiler, or in oven.
Toss
To turn food over lightly with a large spoon and fork to coat ingredients.
Trim
To cut off unwanted fat on meat, or to remove stems or leaves on fruits or vegetables.
Wedge
A triangular shape; such as a wedge of lemon, or a wedge of pie.
Whip
To combine two or more ingredients using a wire whisk, incorporating air as the mixture is beat.
Whisk
To combine two or more ingredients using a kitchen tool with looped wires, incorporating air.
Wilt
To heat food until limp, such as to add a hot dressing to leafy vegetables.