You may have sat down to cook a recipe and come across unexpected words or terms that prevent you from knowing what you’re doing. For instance, “sweat the onions,” “brine the meat,” and “fold the batter” are all terms that can make you feel lost in the kitchen.
Even professional chefs sometimes get tripped up by using certain cooking terms. In today’s article, we’ll talk about common terms and techniques you might accidentally encounter while cooking.
Baste
To keep food moist while cooking, spoon or add a sauce or melted fat over it. For instance, you can use herbs and butter to baste a steak.
Broil
When cooking food at high temperatures, it’s best to place it on top of the oven. For instance, if you want to make garlic bread, you can add garlic and butter to it and place it on a tray. It will allow the garlic to cook on the bread for no more than two minutes. You can also broil almost anything to get the most out of it, though it’s not for cooking and only the final touches of the dish. Never leave food unattended.
Brown
To remove fat and add flavor, try to partially cook the surface of vegetables or meat. This method works best when adding broth or other ingredients to a soup, or it can be done before adding other components to a dish. You can also use various equipment, such as frying pans and pots.
Blanch
A flash-cooked food is called a “blanch.” This process usually happens in just a few seconds, and it’s followed by “refreshing.” This means the food is submerged in cold water to stop the cooking.
Chiffonade
This French term refers to a knife cut, which involves thinly cutting leafy greens and herbs into strips.
Cream
To get the most out of fat, you can beat it until it’s light and fluffy. Then, combine it with sugar and butter to make a paste.
Deglaze
Browned bits left on the bottom of a pan can be dissolved in a liquid, usually water, stock, or wine. You can add this mixture to a saucepan and boil, remove it from the heat, and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon.
Fold
Folding wet and dry ingredients in a circular motion is commonly used in baking. It helps prevent the loss of air, which can occur when a batter is beaten to increase its air content. Stirring in a dry ingredient such as flour will release the air and flatten the batter.
Reduce
The reduction process involves reducing a liquid’s volume by evaporation, which causes it to become more flavorful.
Roux
A roux combines fat and starch, usually butter and flour, to create a thick and flavorful sauce or soup. There are three roux types: brown, blonde, and white.