Introduction
Understanding cooking terminology is essential for successfully following recipes and developing your culinary skills. This comprehensive glossary serves as a quick reference guide for both novice and experienced home cooks, helping you decode recipe instructions and expand your cooking vocabulary.
Core Cooking Methods
Dry Heat Methods
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Baking | Cooking food in an oven using dry heat, typically for breads, pastries, and casseroles |
| Roasting | Cooking food uncovered in an oven, usually at higher temperatures than baking |
| Broiling | Cooking food directly under intense heat (usually the top element of an oven) |
| Grilling | Cooking food on a grill over direct heat, often with a smoky flavor |
| Sautéing | Cooking food quickly in a small amount of fat over relatively high heat |
| Searing | Browning the surface of food quickly with intense heat to develop flavor |
| Pan-frying | Cooking food in a moderate amount of fat in a pan |
| Deep-frying | Submerging food completely in hot oil |
| Toasting | Browning food surfaces using dry heat, typically for bread or nuts |
Moist Heat Methods
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Boiling | Cooking in water that has reached 212°F (100°C) with bubbles breaking the surface |
| Simmering | Cooking in liquid just below boiling point (185-200°F) with gentle bubbling |
| Poaching | Cooking delicate foods gently in liquid below simmering point (160-180°F) |
| Steaming | Cooking food with the steam from boiling water without direct contact with the water |
| Blanching | Briefly boiling food and then plunging into ice water to stop cooking |
| Parboiling | Partially cooking food in boiling water, often to be finished with another method |
Combination Methods
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Braising | Searing food first, then cooking slowly in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid |
| Stewing | Similar to braising but with food cut into smaller pieces and more liquid |
| Pot-roasting | Braising a large cut of meat whole |
Essential Cutting Techniques
| Term | Description | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| Dice | Cutting food into small cubes of uniform size | Vegetables, fruits, meats |
| Mince | Cutting into very tiny pieces, smaller than dicing | Garlic, herbs, aromatics |
| Chop | Cutting into irregular pieces, generally larger than dicing | Vegetables, fruits, nuts |
| Julienne | Cutting into thin matchstick-sized strips | Vegetables, fruits |
| Chiffonade | Slicing leafy greens into thin ribbons | Basil, mint, spinach |
| Brunoise | Dicing into very small cubes (1/8 inch), often from julienned food | Vegetables for garnish |
| Batonnet | Cutting into stick shapes (1/4 inch × 1/4 inch × 2-2.5 inches) | Vegetables |
| Slice | Cutting vertically into thin, flat pieces | Bread, vegetables, meat |
Preparation Techniques
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Blanch | Briefly cook in boiling water then transfer to ice water to stop cooking |
| Fold | Gently combining ingredients with a spatula, preserving air bubbles |
| Cream | Beating fat and sugar together until light and fluffy |
| Beat | Vigorously mixing ingredients to incorporate air |
| Whip | Rapidly beating to incorporate air (e.g., cream, egg whites) |
| Whisk | Using a whisk to blend ingredients or incorporate air |
| Knead | Working dough by hand to develop gluten |
| Proof | Allowing yeast dough to rise |
| Reduce | Simmering a liquid to evaporate water and concentrate flavors |
| Deglaze | Adding liquid to a hot pan to loosen browned bits for a sauce |
| Marinate | Soaking food in a seasoned liquid to add flavor |
| Render | Melting fat from meat slowly over low heat |
| Temper | Gradually adding hot liquid to eggs or dairy to prevent curdling |
| Macerate | Soaking fruit in liquid, often with sugar, to soften and flavor it |
| Blind bake | Baking a pie crust without filling |
| Score | Making shallow cuts in the surface of food |
| Sweat | Cooking vegetables over low heat until soft but not browned |
| Roux | Cooking equal parts fat and flour as a thickening agent |
Cooking Terms by Technique
Finishing and Plating Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Garnish | Decorative elements added to a dish for flavor or visual appeal |
| Plate | Arranging food attractively for serving |
| Drizzle | Lightly pouring a thin stream of sauce or oil over food |
| Dust | Lightly sprinkling a fine ingredient (usually powdered) over food |
| Glaze | Coating food with a shiny, flavorful liquid |
| Nappé | Coating food with a light layer of sauce |
| Mount | Adding cold butter to a sauce at the last minute for richness and shine |
Baking Terminology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cream | Beating fat and sugar together until light and fluffy |
| Fold | Gently incorporating ingredients to maintain air bubbles |
| Proof | Allowing yeast dough to rise |
| Cut in | Incorporating solid fat into flour using a pastry cutter |
| Dock | Piercing dough with holes to prevent bubbling |
| Bloom | Activating gelatin in liquid before using |
| Blind bake | Pre-baking a pie crust without filling |
| Crumb coat | Initial thin layer of frosting to seal in cake crumbs |
| Leaven | Adding an ingredient that causes dough or batter to rise |
| Laminate | Folding butter between layers of dough (for pastries like croissants) |
| Score | Making shallow cuts in dough before baking |
| Temper | Controlling temperature when melting chocolate to maintain proper crystallization |
Doneness Terms
Meat Doneness
| Term | Description | Approx. Internal Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | Cool red center | 125°F (52°C) |
| Medium-rare | Warm red center | 135°F (57°C) |
| Medium | Pink center | 145°F (63°C) |
| Medium-well | Slightly pink center | 150°F (66°C) |
| Well-done | No pink, cooked throughout | 160°F+ (71°C+) |
Pasta and Vegetable Doneness
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Al dente | Cooked until firm but not soft (“to the tooth”) |
| Tender-crisp | Cooked but still crisp and not soft |
| Fork-tender | Soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork |
| Wilted | Softened greens from brief exposure to heat |
Kitchen Equipment Terms
Cookware
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Sauté pan | Shallow pan with straight sides and a lid |
| Skillet/Frying pan | Shallow pan with sloped sides |
| Dutch oven | Heavy pot with tight-fitting lid, often cast iron |
| Stock pot | Large, deep pot for making stocks or boiling pasta |
| Saucepan | Smaller pot with high sides and a handle |
| Roasting pan | Large, shallow pan for roasting meats |
| Sheet pan/Baking sheet | Flat, rectangular pan for baking |
| Ramekin | Small, individual baking dish |
Utensils and Tools
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Mandoline | Tool for slicing foods to uniform thickness |
| Microplane | Fine grater for zesting citrus or grating hard cheese |
| Chinois | Fine, conical strainer |
| Spider | Wire mesh strainer with long handle |
| Bench scraper | Flat tool for working with dough and cleaning surfaces |
| Fish spatula | Thin, flexible spatula for delicate foods |
| Pastry bag | Conical bag for piping soft foods |
| Immersion blender | Handheld blender for pureeing in the pot |
Measurement Terms
Volume Measurements (US)
| Term | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Teaspoon (tsp) | 5 mL |
| Tablespoon (Tbsp) | 3 teaspoons / 15 mL |
| Fluid ounce (fl oz) | 2 tablespoons / 30 mL |
| Cup (c) | 8 fluid ounces / 240 mL |
| Pint (pt) | 2 cups / 16 fluid ounces / 475 mL |
| Quart (qt) | 2 pints / 4 cups / 950 mL |
| Gallon (gal) | 4 quarts / 16 cups / 3.8 L |
Weight Measurements
| Term | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Ounce (oz) | 28 grams |
| Pound (lb) | 16 ounces / 454 grams |
| Gram (g) | Base metric unit |
| Kilogram (kg) | 1000 grams / 2.2 pounds |
Temperature Conversions
| Fahrenheit | Celsius | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 0°C | Freezing point of water |
| 212°F | 100°C | Boiling point of water |
| 350°F | 175°C | Common baking temperature |
| 375°F | 190°C | Medium-high baking temperature |
| 400°F | 200°C | High baking temperature |
| 450°F | 230°C | Very high baking temperature |
French Cooking Terms
| French Term | Pronunciation | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Mise en place | MEEZ ahn plahs | Having all ingredients prepared and ready before cooking |
| Au jus | oh ZHOO | Served with its own natural juices |
| Bain-marie | ban mah-REE | Water bath for gentle heating |
| Bouquet garni | boo-KAY gar-NEE | Bundle of herbs tied together for flavoring |
| Brunoise | broon-WAHZ | Very small dice (1/8 inch cubes) |
| Concassé | kon-kah-SAY | Roughly chopped, usually referring to tomatoes |
| Deglaze | day-GLAHZ | Adding liquid to pan to dissolve cooked particles |
| Flambé | flahm-BAY | Adding alcohol to a dish and igniting it |
| Julienne | zhoo-lee-EN | Cut into thin matchstick strips |
| Mirepoix | meer-PWAH | Aromatic mixture of diced carrots, celery, and onions |
| Sauté | soh-TAY | Quick cooking in a small amount of fat |
Common Cooking Challenges and Solutions
| Challenge | Solution |
|---|---|
| Oversalted food | Add potato chunks to absorb salt, increase recipe volume with unseasoned ingredients, or add acid like lemon juice |
| Lumpy sauce | Strain through a fine mesh strainer or blend with immersion blender |
| Broken emulsion (sauce) | Slowly whisk in a small amount of warm water or reheat while whisking |
| Burned bottom of pan | Transfer food to a new pan without scraping the burned bits |
| Tough meat | Cook longer at lower temperature if it’s a tough cut; for overcooked tender cuts, slice thinly and use sauce |
| Soggy vegetables | Avoid overcrowding the pan, cook at higher heat, or blanch then sauté |
| Watery stir-fry | Cook in smaller batches, ensure pan is very hot, drain excess moisture from ingredients |
| Flat flavors | Add acid (vinegar, lemon), salt, or umami elements (soy sauce, fish sauce, mushrooms) |
Best Practices and Tips
General Cooking Tips
- Read recipes completely before starting
- Practice mise en place (preparation of all ingredients before cooking)
- Taste as you go (when safe to do so)
- Let meat rest after cooking
- Heat the pan before adding oil
- Don’t overcrowd the pan
- Pat ingredients dry before searing or frying
- Season at different stages of cooking
Knife Skills Tips
- Keep knives sharp
- Use the correct knife for the task
- Curl fingers under when holding food
- Let the knife do the work; avoid excessive force
- Use a rocking motion when chopping
- Stabilize cutting boards with a damp towel underneath
Resources for Further Learning
Recommended Books
- “The Food Lab” by J. Kenji López-Alt
- “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” by Samin Nosrat
- “On Food and Cooking” by Harold McGee
- “The Flavor Bible” by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
- “Ratio” by Michael Ruhlman
Online Resources
- Serious Eats (seriouseats.com)
- Food52 (food52.com)
- America’s Test Kitchen (americastestkitchen.com)
- The Kitchn (thekitchn.com)
- Epicurious (epicurious.com)
Apps
- Supercook (ingredient-based recipe finder)
- Paprika (recipe manager)
- Kitchen Stories (instructional videos)
- Chefsteps (technique-focused cooking)
- Yummly (personalized recipe recommendations)