Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions

Welcome to my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions. This list is here for you to reference at any time and will hopefully help increase your culinary knowledge and empower you to continue creating.

graphic that says glossary or cooking terms and definitions.

Like any skill, cooking has its own language and terms and can sometimes be confusing. What is the difference between air frying and deep frying, sautéing and stir-frying and how the heck do you fold?

Whether you are new to cooking or an old pro, this list is here to help if you stumble across something unfamiliar. I'm constantly adding and updating this list, however, if there is something that you don't see here, feel free to contact me so I can help and add it to the list for others.

This page contains some affiliate links and by following the links to purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, which helps to support me and this website. For more information, please read my disclosures.

Jump to:

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N - P
Q
R
S
T
U - W
X - Z

A

Al Dente - In Italian this phrase means "to the tooth" and typically refers to pasta or rice that is cooked through but still firm or has a slight bite. Read How to Cook Pasta al Dente to learn more!
Air Fry - To cook in a quick-heating countertop convection oven or air fryer. The food is not fried, but super crispy with less oil than deep frying.
Aromatics - Ingredients added to dishes to add aroma and flavor, such as herbs, spices, or vegetables.

B

Bake - To cook by dry heat, typically in an oven, at moderate temperatures.
Baking Dish - Usually made from ceramic, this dish is sometimes called a casserole dish and used to bake or cook food in the oven.
Baking Sheet - A flat, metal sheet, sometimes called a sheet pan or cookie sheet, that sometimes has a rim and is used to bake or cook food in the oven. These are my favorite baking sheets (affiliate link).
Baste - Pour juices or fat over food while cooking to keep it moist and to add flavor.
Beat - Mix vigorously using a spoon, spatula, or whisk by hand. You can also beat with a stand mixer or hand mixer.
Bechamel - A sauce made from a roux, thickened with milk.
Bench Scraper - A flat, rectangular tool for dividing, portioning, scooping, or transferring dough. I love using mine when I make homemade pasta or bread. You can get flexible scrappers (affiliate link) that are great for scraping bowls or a steel bench scraper (affiliate link) that will give you more cutting and scraping power.
Blanch - To quickly cook vegetables in boiling water for a short time. This is typically followed by dumping the vegetables into ice water to stop them from cooking.
Countertop Blender - Used to puree, blend, or liquefy things like soups, sauces, and smoothies. High-speed blenders can puree things smoother than regular blenders. This is the blender (affiliate link) I use at home and it works great!
Boil - To cook food immersed in rapidly bubbling liquid rather than simmering.
Boiling Point - The point at which liquid or water will boil when heated, which is 212˚ at sea level. With each 500-foot increase in elevation, the boiling point is lowered by just under 1°F.
Braise - To cook food in a small amount of liquid or fat in a pot or pan covered with a lid.
Bread - Covering moistened or battered food in a dry mixture of flour, starch, and seasonings that is usually coarse in texture. This is used to protect the food from frying to baking and also add texture and flavor.
Brine - A liquid used to immerse foods in to infuse flavor, tenderize and moisturize. For an example of brining you can see my Maple Roasted Turkey recipe.
Broil - To cook foods in the oven at a high heat using only the top heating elements. This is done to brown quickly or cook items that only need a short cooking time.
Broth - A savory liquid made from cooking meat and/or vegetables in water for a short period of time. Typically used in soups, sauces, and gravy.
Butterfly - To cut food, such as meat horizontally, but not entirely in half, so it opens like a book. Usually, this is done so you can stuff it or cook it quickly.

C

Caramelize - Heating granulated sugar or sugar in food to a certain temperature to break down the sugars. This gives it a sweet, nutty, buttery flavor and dark brown color.
Chef's Knife - This multi-purpose knife is typically 6-10 inches long. I currently use Wuhstof Knives (affiliate link) in my kitchen.
Chiffonade - To cut fresh herbs or lettuce into thin strips.
Chill - To cool foods thoroughly in the refrigerator without freezing them.
Chop - Cut food into bite-sized pieces that are approximately ¼ inch in size. This cut is more rustic than a "dice" or "cube".
Chunk - Meat or vegetables that have been cut into large, thick pieces. This is typically bigger than a "chop".
Clarify - Removing solids from a mixture until it becomes clear. This is usually done with butter, broths, or stocks.
Colander - A perforated plastic or metal bowl used to drain foods that have been cooked in liquid, such as pasta or vegetables. This is also great for rinsing rice, beans, or grains.
Convection Oven - An oven that circulates air around the inside of the oven to cook foods quickly and encourage browning and crisping. Some home ovens now come with this feature or you can also find this feature in a toaster oven.
Cooling Rack - A metal wire rack that allows air to circulate freely to allow baked goods to cool quickly and prevent them from becoming soggy. I also use them to let fried foods drain on them or to cook bacon in the oven. This is my favorite wire cooling rack (affiliate link).
Cream - Beat fat, such as butter, with sugar at high speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer until well blended. You must do this for a few minutes until it is fluffy and lighter in color.
Cross Contaminate - Spreading bacteria from one food to another by using unwashed kitchen tools and surfaces when preparing raw foods. For more information, you can read about Handling Food Safely.
Crumble - To break food into smaller pieces.
Crush - Pressing, grinding or pounding food into a fine powder or paste instead of breaking it into smaller pieces.
Cube - To cut food into squares with even sides. This is more precise than a "chop" or "chunk" but larger than a "dice".
Cut In - To incorporate butter or fat into flour by smashing it with a pastry cutter, fork or knife until it becomes little clumps covered in flour.

D

Dash - This is an old-time cooking measurement that roughly works out to be ⅛ of a teaspoon.
Deep Fry - To cook food, fully immersed in fat at moderate heat. This is how I cook the chicken for my Chicken Parm Sandwiches or the dough for Zeppole.
Debone - To remove the bones from meat, fish or poultry before cooking.
Deglaze - Adding liquid, such as broth or alcohol to a pan or pot after cooking meat or vegetables in fat. This releases the stuck on browned bits from the bottom of the pan and incorporates it into the liquid to add flavor.
Dice - To cut food into small pieces that are uniform in size. This is more precise than a "chop" and smaller than a "cube".
Dilute - The process of thinning a liquid by adding more liquid to it to reduce the concentration, quality, flavor or strength. You can do this if the flavor is too strong in a soup or sauce or when it's reduced too much.
Divided - You will sometimes see this after an ingredient in a recipe. This means that the whole amount will be used in different steps.
Dollop - A large scoop of soft or sticky food, such as whipped cream or peanut butter.
Double Boiler - A cooking device that consists of two pans that fit on top of each other so the food can be cooked slowly in the top pan over the bottom pan of boiling water. You can make your own using a metal bowl over a regular pot. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the liquid underneath.
Drain - Pour liquid or fat from food through a colander or strainer after cooking. This is done after cooking pasta or to strain juices from meat.
Dredge - To lightly coat food with dry ingredients such as flour, cornmeal, or breadcrumbs. This is different than "breading" since no liquid is used to stick the dry ingredients to the food.
Drippings - The fat and juices that drip out of meat after roasting or cooking it. These can be strained from the meat or used to make gravy.
Drizzle - To pour a thin stream of liquid, such as a sauce or glaze over food.
Dry Ingredients - All of the ingredients in the recipe that do not have any moisture.
Dust - Lightly sprinkling a layer of something, such as powdered sugar or flour.
Dutch Oven - A large cast iron or enameled cast iron pot with a lid that is perfect for stews, soups or braising meat. It holds heat well so it's great for longer cooking times.

E

Emulsify - Mixing two ingredients that typically don't mix together at high speed until they become a homogenous liquid, such as oil and water.
Espagnole - A brown sauce that is thickened by a roux and made from brown stock, mirepoix and tomatoes.

F

Fillet - A boneless cut of fish or meat.
Flambé - A cooking procedure where alcohol is added to a pan and lit on fire. This is done for presentation, to add color or caramelization to food, to cook off alcohol quickly, and to add flavor.
Fold - A technique used to combine a light, smooth ingredient with a coarse, heavier ingredient. You do this by using a mixing spoon or rubber spatula to lift the two mixtures together in the middle of the bowl and then turn them over to combine them gently.
Food Mill - A device used to grind or puree sauces, soups, or potatoes so they are smooth. I don't have one of these in my kitchen. I use a blender, food processor, or ricer instead.
Food Processor - A small appliance with flat, wide blades that can be used for mixing, puréeing, slicing, shredding, grating and chopping. This is my favorite food processor (affiliate link) and I use it to make salsa, pasta, hummus, and more. You can also quickly grate large amounts of cheese or vegetables with it.

G

Ganache - A mixture of equal parts of cream and chocolate that is mixed together into a smooth substance for sauces, candy, glazes and more. I use this in my Whiskey Chocolate Layer Cake and Nutella Cheesecake recipes.
Garnish - An edible substance used to decorate a dish such as fresh herbs. This can usually be an optional ingredient and is more used for looks. All garnishes should be edible since it's touching the food that people will eat.
Glaze - A sauce that is cooked down so the sugars caramelize and get sticky so it adheres to whatever you apply it to.
Grate - To rub food against a grater to shred it into smaller pieces. I like using a box grater (affiliate link) for more coarse grating or a microplane (affiliate link) for finer grating and "zesting".
Grease - To coat a pot or pan in some sort of fat, such as butter, oil or shortening to prevent the food you are cooking from sticking to it. This is typically done in baking.
Griddle - A large flat, heated surface used for cooking that is usually square or rectangular in shape. I have a griddle pan (affiliate link) for smaller items and an electric griddle (affiliate link) when cooking for a large group.
Grilling, Direct - Cooking food on a grill, directly over the heat source.
Grilling, Indirect - Cooking food on a grill, on a cooler part that is away from the heat source. For charcoal grills, move coals to one side to accomplish this. For propane grills, turn off one or more of the burners.
Grind - The process of breaking down solid food into smaller particles using a meat grinder, spice mill, mortar and pestle, or coffee grinder.

H

Hand Mixer - An electric handheld mixer with removable beaters and variable mixing speeds. This is great when you have "cream" or "whip" things that take a while to do by hand. This is my favorite hand mixer (affiliate link).
Hollandaise - An emulsified sauce comprised of egg yolks, lemon juice, and butter that is most commonly served over eggs, meat, and seafood.

I

Immersion Blender - A hand-held blender at the end of the stick that can be immersed into soups and sauces to blend them. It is not as powerful as a countertop or high-powered blender but makes blending hot liquid ingredients much easier. This is my favorite immersion blender (affiliate link). I use it to make my Italian Gravy Sunday Sauce and Loaded Baked Potato Soup.
Infuse - To let an aromatic sit in liquid that is hot or cold to flavor it.

J

Julienne - To cut food finely into small matchstick sized pieces.

K

Knead - To work or massage dough with your hands before baking to develop the gluten in it.

L

Leavening - The process of adding a substance, such as yeast, baking soda or baking powder to dough or other baked goods that enables the dough or batter to rise.

M

Macerate - Adding liquid to fresh or dried fruit and allowing it to sit to break down or soften the fruit.
Mandoline Slicer - A flat surfaced device with a sharp blade that allows you to quickly and easily slice fruits and vegetables. I use this to make Au Gratin Potatoes a breeze!
Marinate - Letting ingredients sit in a flavorful liquid substance to flavor and tenderize it.
Measuring Cup, Dry - A metal or plastic cup used to measuring ingredients that do not contain moisture, such as rice, flour, pasta or sugar.
Measuring Cup, Liquid - A glass or plastic cup with a spout used to measure pourable liquid ingredients such as milk, water, oil and honey. The spout makes it easier to pour the measured liquid.
Meat Mallet - A hammer like tool used to pound meat to tenderize it and thin it out. Pro Tip: You can also do this with a rolling pin! It doesn't tenderize it as well since it doesn't have the teeth on it that a mallet does, but it still works.
Meringue - A mixture of beaten eggs whites and sugar that is whipped at high speed to form a light, fluffy substance used for pies, cookies, and cakes.
Microplane - A mini grater with fine, razor sharp edges that is used for zesting or fine grating.
Mince - Cut food into very small pieces so that it allows strongly flavored ingredients, such as garlic or fresh herbs to be evenly distributed throughout the dish. This doesn't have to be precise, but you want them to be small.
Mirepoix - A flavor base used in a variety of soups, sauces and stews that is made from a combination of onions, celery and carrots that are diced and sautéed in oil or butter.

N - P

Offset Spatula - A blunt, thin metal flexible tool used to frost cookies and cakes. This makes it easier to frost without getting your hands in it.
Packed - Pressing the ingredient into the measuring cup or spoon to remove all of the air pockets. This is typically used with brown sugar and is important to do if you see this in a recipe. If not, the measurements won't be the same.
Pan Fry - To cook food in a pan with it submerged in a small amount of fat instead of "deep frying".
Pan Sear - This cooking method is done at high heat and used just to caramelize the surface of the food and create a crust. It browns the surface, without cooking it through.
Parboil - The process of shortly cooking food immersed in rapidly bubbling liquid so it is only partially cooked.
Parchment Paper - Paper that is cut into individual sheets or in a roll to be used to line sheet pans to prevent sticking.
Paring Knife - A short knife that is approximately 3-4 inches long and used to easily do more delicate work, such as peeling or doing more intricate cutting.
Pastry Brush - A brush used to brush things like a glaze or egg wash on baked good or other foods. You can get a silicone version for easier cleaning or a wooden and bristle brush for a more thorough coating.
Pastry Cutter or Blender - Used to "cut in" fat with flour for baked goods. A knife or fork can also be used to do this.
Pipe - To squeeze frosting or other paste-like substances through a piping bag or plastic bag to create a decoration or special shape.
Pith - The spongy white tissue that lines the rind of citrus fruits.
Pinch - This old time cooking measurement roughly works out to 1/16 of a teaspoon.
Poach - The process of gently cooking food such as fish, chicken or vegetables in liquid that is heated to just below the boiling point.
Pressure Cook - To cook food in liquid in a special pot, such as an Instant Pot (affiliate link), that is sealed to form pressure that allows the heat to go above the normal boiling point. This accelerates cooking so it can be done much faster than traditional methods.
Proof - The fermentation process in which dough is left to rise for a second time before baking.
Puree - To blend into a small paste or sauce, or food that has been blended completely smooth.

Q

Quarter - To cut food into four equal pieces.
Quick Bread - A bread that uses baking powder or baking soda to leaven it, instead of yeast.

R

Reconstitute - The process of rehydrating dehydrated foods by adding them to water or other liquids.
Reduce - Boiling or simmering a liquid so it evaporates to create less volume and a more concentrated flavor.
Render - A cooking technique where the fat on meat, such as bacon or pork, is heated so that it melts off of the meat to make it crisp.
Rest - To allow meat to sit after cooking so the juices reabsorb into the meat. This helps the meat to stay juicy and not dry out.
Ricer - A kitchen tool with small holes in it. Soft foods such as cooked potatoes can be pressed through it to create smaller pieces for a smoother texture than mashing.
Rind - The tough outer skin found on certain fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses.
Rise - The process in which dough expands due to the carbon dioxide that is produced by the yeast or other leavening agents in it.
Roast - Cooking foods at a high temperature using hot, dry air so the surface is browned and they develop more flavor.
Roasting Pan - A large deep sided pan used for roasting large meats in the oven. Sometimes these pans have a rack to allow the heat to circulate for even cooking.
Roux - Equal parts of flour and fat cooked together to form a paste used to thicken sauces, soups, and stews like my Thick and Creamy Alfredo.
Rub - A mixture of spices or herbs applied to food to add flavor, like in my Grilled St. Louis Ribs recipe.

S

Santoku Knife - This knife is similar to chef's knife, but with a less pronounced tip with a more curved spine at the top and between 5-7 inches in length.
Sauce Pan - A small deep-sided pot with one long handle that is typically used for cooking liquids on the stovetop.
Sauce Pot - A deep side pot with two short handles on the side that is used for sauces or small amounts of soup or stews.
Sauté - To cook quickly over high heat in a small amount of fat.
Sauté Pan - A straight sided pan that has a large surface area making it ideal for searing meats.
Scald - To heat a liquid to just below the boiling point, by gently bringing the temperature up, but stopping just before it boils.
Score - To cut slits on the surface of food for decoration, to absorb flavor or to allow fat to drain.
Sear - Browning food, with or without fat, by sautéing or grilling over high heat.
Serrated Knife - A knife with saw-like notches or teeth formed into one side of the blade surface that enables it to cut through surfaces of food easily without damaging it. This knife is great for slicing tomatoes or bread.
Set/Partially Set - This means the state at which the liquid form of the food turns partially or fully to a solid such as in custards, gelatins, or puddings like my Strawberry Panna Cotta.
Shave - To make very thin slices of food, typically done with either a mandoline slicer or vegetable peeler.
Shock - To quickly stop cooking a food that has been blanched, by immersing it into ice water.
Shred - To scrape food across the shredding surface of a grater to create strips.
Sieve - A basket made of metal fine-mesh weave with a handle attached. This is great for straining fine ingredients from a sauce or breaking up small lumps in dry ingredients.
Sift - The process of breaking up lumps and aerating dry ingredients by using a sieve or sifter.
Sifter - A kitchen utensil with a mesh bottom used to sift dry ingredients. I use one of these when I have a lot of dry ingredients to sift for baking.
Silicone Baking Mat - A non-stick baking surface made from high-quality, food-grade silicone that is used on baking sheets to prevent food from sticking to it. This is a great reusable option for foil or parchment paper.
Silicone Spatula - A flexible rubber spatula made up of high-quality, food-grade silicone that is heat resistant. Perfect for mixing thick batters or sauces or for scraping the sides of bowls, pots, or pans. This silicone spatula (affiliate link) is my favorite!
Simmer - To heat a liquid until it bubbles gently, but not rapidly.
Skillet - A pan with a flat wide based and flared rounded sides that is sometimes called a frying pan.
Skim - To remove the fat from the top of a liquid using a spoon or skimmer.
Sliver - A very thin slice of food cut with a sharp knife.
Slow Cook - Cooking food at low heat for a long amount of time. This is typically done in a slow cooker or dutch oven. This is my favorite slower cooker (affiliate link).
Smoke - To infuse food with smoke made from wood, either with hot smoke which cooks the food or cold smoke, which does not.
Soft Peaks - Peaks that do not hold their shape and immediately flop over when you hold a beater up with the mixture on it.
Sous Vide - A cooking method using water heated by an immersion circulator to cook the food.
Spatchcock - Splitting open a whole chicken or turkey and removing the backbone to allow it to lay flat for cooking.
Stand Mixer - A heavy-duty electric mixer attached to a stand that sits on a countertop and includes various attachments for mixing batters, doughs, and more. This is the stand mixer (affiliate link) I use.
Steam - A cooking method that uses moist heat by boiling water that vaporizes into steam that heats the food and cooks it. I use a steamer basket but you can also purchase a food steamer.
Steep - To allow dry ingredients to sit in liquid so that they take on the flavor of the dry ingredients, such as in tea or coffee.
Stiff Peaks - Peaks that do hold their shape and stick straight up in the air when you hold a beater up with the mixture on it.
Stir Fry - To cook foods quickly in a little bit of fat while stirring briskly.
Stock - A savory liquid, similar to broth, but with the addition of bones cooked with meat and vegetables in water for a long period of time. Stocks are used in soups, sauces and gravy. You can learn more about stocks in my Homemade Chicken Stock and Homemade Beef Stock recipe posts.
Stock Pot - A large pot for cooking liquids such as broth or stocks or for boiling pasta. I also use my large stock pot for brining.
Strain - To pour food through a fine mesh sieve or strainer to remove unwanted parts to create a more smooth, refined product.
Stuff - An edible substance or mixture placed inside another food item.
Sweat - To gently cook food in fat to soften it, but not brown it. Also, to leach out extra moisture from an item by covering it in salt.

T

Tenderize - The process of making meat more tender by using a process or adding something to it to break down the connective tissue.
Thaw - Warming a frozen food to a state where there is no residual ice.
Thermometer, Candy - A heatproof thermometer that is specifically marked with temperatures for candy making.
Thermometer, Instant Read - A thermometer that can be inserted into cooked food to quickly read the temperature on a digital display or on a dial. This is the instant-read thermometer (affiliate link) I use and it will last you forever.
Thermometer, Infrared - A laser-type thermometer that allows you to take the temperature of the surface of food or material it is being pointed at. Perfect for checking the temperature of liquids and cooking surfaces. This is the infrared thermometer (affiliate link) I use and it's great for deep-frying.
Thermometer, Probe or Meat - An oven proof thermometer with a probe on it that is inserted into meat and left in to constantly monitor the temperature of the meat during cooking. When cooking a large piece of meat like a Roast Chicken, it's great to monitor the temperature without constantly opening the oven. This is the probe thermometer (affiliate link) I use.
Truss - A technique of tying up a whole chicken or turkey so the wings and legs stay close to the body to encourage even cooking.

U - W

Veloute - A savory sauce made from a roux and light-colored sauce.
Wedge - To cut food into large slices that may be irregular in shape.
Wet Ingredients - All of the ingredients that contain moisture.
Whip - To incorporate air into an ingredient by beating or whisking it rapidly.
Wilt - The process of warming delicate ingredients until they just barely cook, such as spinach, fresh herb, or arugula.

X - Z

Zest - The outer most part of citrus fruit or the process of removing the outer most layer of citrus fruit typically by using a microplane.