COOKING GLOSSARY

Below, I will teach you how to read a recipe, all types of cooking methods, cutting methods, and
common metabolic cooking words & terminology. All you need to know to get started cooking right away!

Bake
To cook food in an oven, thereby surrounding it with dry heat.

Baking Sheet
A flat, rigid sheet of metal on which cookies, breads, biscuits, etc. are baked. It usually
has one or more turned-up sides for ease in handling. Shiny, heavy-gauge aluminum baking
sheets are good heat conductors and will produce evenly baked and browned goods. Dark
sheets absorb heat and should be used only for items on which a dark, crisp exterior is desired.

Butterfly
In cooking, to split a food (such as shrimp) down the center, cutting almost
but not completely through. The two halves are then opened flat to resemble a butterfly shape.

Beat
To smoothen a mixture by briskly whipping or stirring it with a spoon, fork, wire whisk,
rotary beater, or electric mixer.

Blend
To mix or fold two or more ingredients together to obtain equal distribution
throughout the mixture.

Boil
To cook food in heated water or other liquid that is bubbling vigorously.

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 Braise
A cooking technique that requires browning meat in oil
or other fat and then cooking slowly in liquid – The effect of braising is to tenderize the meat.

Bread
To coat the food with crumbs (usually with soft or dry Bread crumbs), sometimes seasoned.

Broil
To cook food directly under the heat source.

Broth or Stock
A flavourful liquid made by gently cooking meat, seafood, or vegetables often with herbs
and vegetables, in liquid, usually water.

Brown
A quick sautéing, pan/oven broiling, or grilling done either at the
beginning or end of meal preparation, often to enhance flavour, texture, or eye appeal.

Brush
Using a pastry brush to coat a food such as meat or bread with melted
butter, glaze, or other liquid.

Chop
Using quick, heavy blows of a knife or cleaver to cut food into bite-size
(or smaller) pieces. A food processor may also be used to "chop" food.
Chopped food is more coarsely cut than minced food.

Coat
In cooking, this term refers to covering food with an outer "coating".

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 Crush
To reduce a food to its finest form, such as crumbs, paste or powder.
Crushing is often accomplished with a mortar and pestle or with a rolling pin.

Cube
To cut food (such as meat or cheese) into 1/2-inch cubes.
Cubes of food are larger than diced or mirepoix.

Dash
A measure approximately equal to 1/16 teaspoon.

Dice
To cut food into tiny (about 1/8- to 1/4-inch) cubes.

Fillet
A boneless piece of meat or fish. Filet is the French spelling. It also means to cut the bones
from a piece of meat or fish, thereby creating a meat or fish fillet.

Grate
To reduce a large piece of food to small particles or thin shreds by rubbing it
against a coarse, serrated surface, usually on a kitchen utensil called a grater.

Grill
To prepare food on a grill over hot coals or other heat source.
The term barbecue is often used synonymously with grill.

Grind
To mechanically cut a food into small pieces.

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 Marinate
To soak a food such as meat, fish or vegetables in a seasoned liquid mixture called a marinade.
The purpose of marinating is for the food to absorb the flavors of the marinade or, as in the case
of a tough cut of meat, to tenderize. Because most marinades contain acid ingredients, the
marinating should be done in a glass, ceramic or stainless-steel container - never in aluminum.
Foods should be covered and refrigerated while they're marinating.
When fruits are similarly soaked, the term used is macerate.

Mince
To cut food into very small pieces. Minced food is in smaller pieces than chopped food.

Mix
To beat or stir two or more foods together until they are thoroughly combined.

Poach
To simmer in a liquid.

Puree
/purée/
To grind or mash food until it's completely smooth. This can be accomplished by one of several
methods including using a food processor or blender or by forcing the food through a sieve.

Reduce
To cook liquids down so that some of the water they contain evaporates.

Roast
To cook uncovered in the oven.

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 Saucepan
A round cooking utensil with a relatively long handle and (usually) a tight-fitting cover. The sides
can be straight or flared and deep (the standard shape) or as shallow as 3 inches. Depending
on the style, the versatile saucepan has a multitude of uses including making soups and sauces,
boiling vegetables and other foods, braising and even sautéing (in the low-sided models).
Saucepans come in sizes ranging from 1 pint to 4 quarts. They are made from various materials
including aluminum, anodized aluminum, ceramic, copper, enameled cast iron or steel),
glass and stainless steel. Choose saucepans that are well balanced,
with handles that allow the pan to be easily lifted.

Sauté
/sautéed/
To cook food quickly in a small amount of oil in a skillet or sauté pan over direct heat.

Shred
To cut food into narrow strips, either by hand or by using a grater or a food processor fitted
with a shredding disk.
Cooked meat can be separated into shreds by pulling it apart with two forks.

Sliver
A long, thin piece of food such as almonds, meat or cheese, or a thin wedge of pie.
Slivered almonds are almonds that have been sliced very thinly into little sticks.
They differ from sliced almonds, which are almonds sliced across their
diameter giving you much bigger pieces.

Simmer
To cook food gently in liquid at a temperature (about 185°F) low enough
that tiny bubbles just begin to break the surface.

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 Smoke
To expose foods to wood smoke to enhance their flavour and help preserve
and/or evenly cook them.

Steam
To cook in steam by suspending foods over boiling water in a steamer or covered pot.

Stew
To cook food in liquid for a long time until tender, usually in a covered pot.

Stir
To mix ingredients with a utensil.

Stir-fry
To cook quickly over high heat with a small amount of oil by constantly stirring
- this technique often employs a wok.

Sirloin
This cut of beef lies between the very tender short loin and the much tougher round.
As would be expected, the meat cuts from the portion near the short loin are more
tender than those closer to the round. Sirloin is usually cut into steaks or roasts.

Skillet
This long-handled, usually round pan has low, gently sloping sides so steam
doesn't collect within the pan. It's used for frying foods over high heat,
so it should be thick enough not to warp and should
be able to conduct heat evenly.
Frying pans come in various sizes, usually
8, 10 and 12 inches in diameter.

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 Tenderloin
Of the major wholesale cuts of beef or pork this is the mst tender.
It lies in the middle of the back between the sirloin and the rib,
and the muscles in this section do little that could toughen them.
The two main muscles in the short loin are the tenderloin and the top loin.

Toss
To mix ingredients lightly by lifting and dropping them using two utensils.

Whip
To beat an item to incorporate air, augment volume, and add substance.

Zest
The thin, brightly coloured outer part of the rind of citrus fruits
- it contains volatile oils, used as flavouring.

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