Cooking Glossary

Aerating refers to incorporating air into dry ingredients, such as flour, to make it lighter, and to remove large pieces by passing it through a fine mesh.

An air fryer is a type of small convection oven designed to simulate deep frying without submerging the food in oil. An air fryer works by circulating hot air at high speeds, producing a crispy brown layer on the food being cooked. More...

Al dente, Italian for to the tooth, is a phrase that refers to food, usually pasta, that is cooked to the point of giving a mild resistance when bitten into, and not overcooked or too soft.

Antipasto, an Italian phase, translated as before the pasta, refers to hot or cold hors d'ouevres served as appetizers.

Baking refers to cooking using the dry heat of an oven. Baking is mostly used in the preparation of breads, pastries, cookies, cakes, quiches, crackers and pies. More...

Baking cups are used to form cupcakes or muffins while baking. Thin paper cups can be placed in the cups of muffin pan to prevent the baked goods from sticking to the pan. More...

A baking dish is a typically wide, shallow, rectangular cooking vessel, usually for placement into an oven for baking or roasting. A popular size is 9 inches by 13 inches, especially for dishes like lasagna or brownies. More...

Baking sheets, essential kitchen companions, are flat, metal trays designed for baking delectable treats. Crafted from durable materials like aluminum or stainless steel, these versatile sheets ensure even heat distribution for perfect cookies, pastries, and more. More...

To baste means to brush drippings, melted fats (like oil or butter), or other liquid over food as it cooks. A bulb baster can also be used to drip the liquid over the food. More...

Blanching refers to boiling ingredients very briefly. Vegetables are usually immediately plunged into cold water ("shocked") after blanching to stop the cooking process and preserve color and crunch. More...

Braising means to cook covered food in liquid at low heat for a long period of time. This slow process keeps meats moist and tenderizes it by breaking down its fibers. More...

A bread pan, or a loaf pan, is a deep, (usually) rectangular cooking vessel used to shape bread while baking. Dough or batter is placed or poured evenly into the pan. More...

To broil means to cook food by exposing it to direct, radiant heat, when the heat source is above the food. This is essentially the inverse of grilling, where the heat source is below the food. More...

Browning means to partially cook food, usually ground or whole cuts of meat, giving it an outer brown color and to burn off excess fat. Browning is usually done in a skillet or frying pan on medium heat. More...

To butterfly means to split a piece of food, usually meat, fish, or poultry down the middle, but not all the way through. The two halves are opened and spread flat, resembling butterfly wings. More...

Caramelizing means to heat sugar until it liquifies and becomes a golden or brown syrup. Vegetables and fruits can be caramelized with their natural sugars by grilling, roasting or sauteeing, giving them a glaze and/or sweet flavor. More...

Casserole dishes are deep, oven proof, round or rectangular dishes with handles and possibly a lid. These are used for baking casseroles, which are dishes that can include any variety of ingredients like meat, vegetables or cheeses. More...

Cedar planks can be used to add more flavor and smoke into fish (especially salmon), steaks, poultry and vegetables during cooking. These are usually used by placing the item being cooked onto a plank and cooking over a grill. More...

Cheesecloth is a loosely-woven cotton fabric used mostly in cheese making, to separate whey from curds. The whey/curd mixture is gathered in the cloth, and then squeezed around it to push out the liquid and hold the curds together, forming a lump of cheese. More...

To chiffonade means to cut leafy vegetables or herbs into long, thin strips. This is usually done by rolling up the leaves and cutting across with a sharp knife to produce thin ribbons. More...

To chop means to cut ingredients into small, bite-sized pieces with a knife. Alternatively, a food processor can be used for chopping. More...

Pronounced con-fee, confit is a general term meaning to immerse foods in a liquid for preservation and flavor. Confit is a specialty of southwestern France, and is among the oldest ways of preserving food. More...

See baking sheet. More...

A deep fryer is an appliance that holds and heats oil for frying. Temperature settings control the frying time. More...

Deglazing means to remove caramelized food bits from a pan by dissolving it and making a pan sauce.

Meat that is prepared in a pan leaves bits of caramelized sugars, fats and other material. More...

To dice ingredients means to cut them into tiny, cube-like pieces, usually 1/4 or 1/8 cubic inches in size, with a knife.

Dredging means to lightly coat moist foods, usually meat, in a dry ingredient in preparation for cooking, especially frying. Flour, cornmeal, or breadcrumbs are commonly used for dredging. More...

A Dutch oven is a large kettle or pot, usually made of cast iron. They typically come with a tight-fitting lid to prevent steam from escaping. More...

Earthenware refers to clay bakeware fired with a nonporous and hard glazing. Earthenware is suitable for cooking dishes requiring long cooking times, such as stews and baked beans. More...

An egg wash is a mixture made from beaten egg and a liquid, usually water or milk. Egg wash is typically brushed onto a pastry before baking,

Egg wash is usually used to bind the pastry and any toppings together, and to give it a golden brown color when baking. More...

To fold, in culinary terms, means to combine a light and airy ingredient, like beaten egg whites, with a heavier ingredient, like a custard or cream. The technique involves placing the heavy ingredient in the bottom of a bowl, with the lighter one on top of it. More...

A food processor is a kitchen appliance used to grind, slice, chop, mix, puree or shred ingredients. These can be powered manually or electrically. More...

A fricasee is a term used to describe any stewed dish made with poultry or other white meat, like pork. The stew is usually made with gravy and thickened with butter, milk, or cream. More...

In culinary terms, frosting means to cover a cake or other baked dish in a sweet frosting or icing. This is used for both flavor and decoration. More...

To fry means to cook food in some amount of fat or oil over medium to high heat. To deep fry means to submerge the food in hot fat, while to sautee or stir-fry means to quickly fry food in smaller amounts of fat or oil. More...

To garnish means to adorn a dish with a small amount of some ingredient as a decoration or to add a bit of flavor. When garnish is used as a noun, the ingredient itself is referred to as the garnish. More...

A griddle is a versatile cooking surface that has become a staple in kitchens worldwide. The griddle is a flat, typically rectangular or circular, piece of cookware used for a variety of culinary applications. More...

Grilling refers to cooking food over hot coals or some other heat source like gas burners. Grilling typically creates a crust on the outside of food that seals in juices and flavor. More...

Also known as a tumbler glass, a highball glass, is a tall, narrow glass that typically holds 8 to 12 fluid ounces (240 to 350 ml) of liquid.

Highball glasses are used to serve highball cocktails and certain mixed drinks. More...

Hors d'ouevre, French for outside the work (meal), refer to small and savory appetizers, served hot or cold.

To julienne means to cut food, usually fruits or vegetables, into thin strips or sticks.

To knead means to work and mix dough until it is smooth and elastic. Kneading stretches the gluten strands, which allow the dough to hold in gas bubbles produced by a leavening agent, enabling the dough to rise. More...

Usually made of stainless steel, a mandoline slicer is used to thinly slice foods, usually fruit, vegetables or cheese, by running them over a blade. Some slicers have a blade height adjustment that allows control of the thickness of the slicers. More...

To marinate means to soak food in seasoned liquid, often meats or vegetables, for some amount of time before cooking. This tenderizes and adds flavor to the food. More...

A melon baller is a tool used to form small balls of melon pieces for easy serving, usually 1" or 1/2" inch in diameter depending on the tool size. The tool's scoop shape is placed into a cut melon, and twisted to form a ball before removing. More...

To mince means to cut food, usually vegetables, herbs or fruits, into very tiny pieces. Minced pieces are smaller than diced pieces. More...

From the French word meaning foam or froth, mousse is a food that incorporates air bubbles to give it a rich, airy texture. Mousse can be prapared sweet, served as a dessert, or savory. More...

A muddler is a bartender's tool that is used to crush (or muddle) fruit, herbs or other ingredients at the bottom of a glass to release their flavors.

A muffin tin, or muffin tray, is a mold used form muffins or cupcakes while baking. A typical muffin tin has room for 12 muffins, with each cup holding about 3. More...

The term on the rocks refers to a beverage, usually alcoholic, served in ice without an additional mixer or water.

Open-faced refers to a sandwich served without a top bun or piece of bread. These sandwiches consist of a bottom slice of bread topped with various meats, cheeses, and vegetables. More...

Parboiling involves cooking food to boiling water and removing before it is fully cooked. Parboiling is usually done to precook food in preparation for some other cooking method, like stir-frying or grilling. More...

Also called bakery paper, parchment paper is a cellulose-based paper that serves as a non-stick surface for use in baking. The paper can be used instead of greasing a surface to aid in easy release of the baked item. More...

To pare means to remove a thin outer layer of skin from a fruit or vegetable. This is usually done with a peeler or a short knife known as a paring knife. More...

To peel means to remove the outer rind or skin of a fruit or vegetable using a peeler or sharp knife.

To poach means to cook food in simmering liquid (often water), either at or just below the boiling point.

To pound, in culinary terms, means to tenderize meats by hitting pieces repeatedly with a kitchen mallet. This breaks down the meat fibers and also produces a thinner cut of meat, which may cook faster. More...

To puree (or purée) means to grind or mash food until it is a smooth paste. This is usually accomplished with a food processor or blender. More...

Also known as shocking, to quench means to quickly place boiled food into cold water. This stops the cooking process. More...

A ramekin is a small earthenware or porcelain baking dish, usually 3 or 4 inches in diameter, that looks like a small souffle dish. These are used for both savory and sweet dishes. More...

To reduce, in culinary terms, is the process of rapidly boiling a liquid to reduce its volume via evaporation. The resulting mixture, called a reduction, is thickened with an intensified flavor. More...

A reduction, in culinary terms, is the thickened mixture produced by rapidly boiling a liquid until it is reduced in volume via evaporation.

Risotto is a class of Italian rice dishes with a creamy consistency, cooked in a vegetable, meat or fish broth. Onion, butter and wine are also common ingredients in risotto. More...

A roux is a mixture of fat and flour that is slowly cooked over low heat. It is then used to thicken mixtures like sauces and soups. More...

A saucepan is a round cooking vessel with a long handle and usually comes with a tight-fitting cover. The shape and size of saucepans can vary, from a shallow pan with straight sides to deeper pans with flared sides. More...

To sautee (or sauté) is to cook in a way similar to stir-frying, where a small amount of fat, usually oil, is heated in a shallow pan over high heat. Food is cut into small or thin pieces and cooked in this pan. More...

To sear means to quickly brown fish or meat over high heat in a broiler or frying pan. Searing produces a crisp exterior that seals in juices. More...

Seeding means to remove the seeds from fruits or vegetables.

To sift means to pass dry ingredients like flour or confectioner's sugar through a fine mesh using a sifter in order to remove or break up large bits and incorporate air. More...

A sifter is a device used to aerate dry ingredients like flour, or to separate lumps from finer particles, by passing it through a sieve or fine mesh.

To simmer means to cook food in liquid over medium or low heat, under the boiling point, but hot enough to bring tiny bubbles to the surface.

A skewer is a thin wooden or metal stick with a pointed end used for holding pieces of food together, especially during cooking.

Skewered foods such as meats and vegetables are usually grilled or roasted. More...

To slice means to cut food into thin pieces. Depending on the shape of the food, the slices may be in the form of thin, broad sheets or thin wedges. More...

A slow cooker is an electric cooking appliance used to slowly cook meals at relatively low temperatures, compared to frying, sauteing, baking, broiling or grilling. Slow-cooked dishes are usually simmered at these low temperatures for several hours, and are often left unattended during cooking. More...

A soufflé is a savory or sweet cake made from egg yolks and beaten egg whites. The term soufflé comes from the French verb souffler which means "to puff up": essentially describing what happens to the combination of egg and other ingredients. More...

A springform pan is a kind of baking dish with sides that can be separated from the base. The pan has a latch on its exterior wall that can be opened to release the base from the sides. More...

Steaming involves cooking food, usually vegetables, on a rack or in a steamer over boiling liquid. Steaming helps retain shape, nutrients, and texture better than by boiling. More...

To steep means to extract flavor out of dry ingredients such as coffee, tea leaves or herbs by soaking them in liquid, usually hot water. The liquid is usually strained before serving it, once the desired about of flavor is reached. More...

Stir frying refers to quickly frying small pieces of food in oil over very high heat while constantly stirring. The technique allows use of a minimal amount of oil, reducing the amount of fat compared to other frying techniques. More...

A stock pot is a name for a common type of pot often used to make broths, stock or a large quantity of soup. It is a typically large pot with high walls and a flat bottom. More...

Typically made of metal or plastic, a strainer is a mesh or sieve used to separate solids from liquid. Strainers come in a variety of sizes and shapes. More...

Sushi is a Japanese term for a food with a base of cooked, vinegared rice and combined with other ingredients, such as meats, vegetables and condiments.

The term sushi is often confused with sashimi, which refers to raw meat, especially fish. More...

Unleavened describes breads or other baked goods that contain no leavening agent, like yeast, baking soda or baking powder. Unleavened foods are typically flat, since the leavening agent is what makes it rise in the oven. More...

To vandyke means to cut decorative zigzags in round fruit or vegetable halves. This is often done as a decoration for lemons, oranges, or tomatoes. More...

To whip means to beat ingredients, like cream or egg whites until light and fluffy, by incorporating air and increasing their volume.

To whisk means to blend ingredients until smooth with a kitchen tool having looped wires, known as a whisk.

A wok is a cooking vessel with a long handle and round bottom, often used in Asian stir-fry cuisine. Woks are usually made from steel or cast iron. More...

Wurst is the German word for sausage.

Yakitori is a popular Japanese dish that consists of skewered and grilled chicken, typically served with a savory glaze or seasoning. The word "yakitori" translates to "grilled bird" in Japanese, highlighting its primary ingredient. More...

Zesting means removing the outermost layer of a citrus fruit peel, using a grater, peeler, or a zester. Care should taken to avoid removing the bitter white layer of the peal, called the pith. More...