Glossary of Culinary Terms and Definitions Explained

You don’t have to work in a professional kitchen to know kitchen talk.. some of the glossary of culinary terms we will refer to in our recipes are listed below. This list is not exhaustive and does not include terms we don’t use.

Check out our easy glossary of culinary terms:

Al dente – cooked just enough to retain a somewhat firm texture
Au Gratin – covered with breadcrumbs and/or cheese and baked or broiled until golden brown. Traditionally, a shallow baking dish is used.
Bain marie – A bain-marie (pronounced “bane mah-REE”) is a fancy way to describe a hot water bath in the culinary world. It is commonly used for cooking delicate foods such as custards. The purpose of a bain-marie is that it creates gentle heat around the food and results in a uniform cooking process.
Bake – : to cook by dry heat especially in an oven. Example: bake a cake; bake bread; baked potatoes; baking [=roasting] a chicken
Making sauce using a bain marie
Baking Beads – Baking Beads or pie weights are a common baking tool used when pre-baking a pastry case. This process is also called blind baking. You can purchase baking beads in a shop or on-line, alternatively, uncooked beans such as kidney beans or chick peas [garbanzos], or rice can be used. See Blind Baking below **
Baste – to moisten foods, especially meat at intervals with a liquid [such as melted butter, fat, or pan drippings] especially during the cooking process to prevent drying and add flavour.
Batons – To cut food into uniform sized rods or batons, about 1/4 inch (6 mm) in diameter by approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. This is generally called for preparing root vegetables.
Bechemel – Béchamel is a basic white sauce and one of the five mother sauces of classical cuisine. That means it’s the starting point for making other sauces; you can also season it and serve it as is. Or try making it with bacon or sausage fat for an amazing white gravy.
Blanching – Blanching is a cooking technique in which food, often vegetables, is briefly immersed in boiling water or fat, either to soften it, loosen its skin, or preserve its colour.
Blind Baking – Blind Baking is an essential step in many recipes for pastry cases, as it helps to prevent the dreaded soggy bottom that can result from wet filling coming into contact with a raw pastry case. When blind baking, baking beads, or pie weights are used to keep bubbles from forming on the bottom of the pastry case and the sides from shrinking down. When used properly, baking beads will keep your pastry case in place as it cooks. Line the bottom of your uncooked pastry case with baking parchment, and fill with baking beads and bake your pastry case according to instructions. When coole enough, remove the baking beads and the parchment before adding your filling.
Boil – Boiling means to cook in a liqud at high temperature. A full boil is characterized by rapidly churning bubbles.
Bouquet Garni – a bundle of herbs tied together or placed together in a cheesecloth used for flavoring stew, broth, or soup. Common herbs include parsley, rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme.
Bouquet garni in chicken stock
Braise – to brown or sear in butter and/or oil and then cook on low heat in a covered pot in cooking liquid for a long period of time. This process tenderises the food and creates a full-flavored taste.
Broth – Broth is a clear, flavorful liquid made by simmering meat or poultry and other ingredients. Broth is generally seasoned, whereas stock is not.
Brunoise – is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is first julienned [see Julienne below ] and then turned a quarter turn and diced, producing cubes of about 3 millimetres (1⁄8 in) or less on each side. In France, a “brunoise” cut is a smaller 1 to 2 mm. Some typical vegetables for a brunoise are carrots, celery, leeks, and turnips. The brunoise is used as a garnish in many dishes, and a typical brunoise should be consistent in size and shape, as this helps to create a pleasing and professional presentation.
Chiffonade – is a slicing technique in which leafy green vegetables such as spinach, sorrel, or Swiss chard, or a flat-leaved herb like basil, are cut into long, thin strips. This is accomplished by stacking leaves, rolling them tightly, then slicing the leaves perpendicular to the roll. Check out these handy instructions.
Cream – to mix butter, sugar(s) and sometimes eggs together until well-blended for baking. They should form a fluffy, light, and creamy substance.
Dry Rub – Spice or Dry Rub is any mixture of ground spices that is made to be rubbed on raw food before the food is cooked. The spice rub forms a coating on the food. The food can be marinated [see Marinade below] in the spice rub for some time for the flavors to incorporate into the food, or it can be cooked immediately after it is coated in the rub. The spice rub can be left on or partially removed before cooking.
Egg Wash – is a mixture of beaten eggs plus water or milk brushed on pastries and pies before baking to give them a golden, shiny glaze.
Fillet – a boneless piece of meat, poultry, or fish; the French version, spelled as “filet,” is also used when referencing a cut of beef that is boneless, such as filet mignon
Florentine – refers to a dish that has been prepared in the style of the Italian region of Florence and characteristically featuring spinach.
Grate – to reduce to small particles by rubbing on something rough, such as a box grater. Example: to grate cheese
Grill – to broil on a grill also to fry or toast on a griddle. A cooking utensil of parallel bars on which food is exposed to heat (as from charcoal or electricity.
Hollandaise – Hollandaise sauce is a smooth emulsion of butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice. It is known for its velvety texture and distinctly tangy taste. Hollandaise sauce originated in France and is a classic component of French cuisine.
Julienne – is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks. Common items to be julienned are carrots, celery, potatoes, or cucumbers. Trimming the ends of the vegetable and the edges to make four straight sides makes it easier to produce a uniform cut. A uniform size and shape ensures that each piece cooks evenly and at the same rate. Once julienned, turning the subject 90 degrees and dicing finely will produce brunoise [ see Brunoise above]. Check out these handy instructions.
Jus – Jus is a word for the pan-drippings from roasted meat, which is generally enhanced by deglazing the pan with stock and simmering the liquid with other ingredients.
Kneading – Kneading refers to working dough by hand to develop the gluten in the flour. Kneading dough is what gives bread its texture and structure.
Macerate – to steep a food (usually fruit) in liquid and/or sugar to infuse flavor and soften the food. The process is similar to marinating. Example: Combine the strawberries, 50g caster sugar and zest in a small bowl to macerate for an hour.
Marinate – to steep (food such as meat, fish, or vegetables) in a marinade. Marinade: a savory usually acidic sauce in which meat, fish, or a vegetable is soaked to enrich its flavor or to tenderize it
Mince – The definition of mince is to cut into very small pieces. This term means the smallest possible pieces; smaller than dice or chop, but not pureed. To do this, you need a very sharp knife.
Mirepoix – a sautéed mixture of diced vegetables [such as carrots, celery, and onions], herbs, and sometimes ham or bacon used especially as a basis for soups, stews, and sauces.
Mise en place – the preparation of ingredients, such as dicing onions or measuring spices, before starting cooking. Example: I have just finished my mise en place.
Nappage – or apricot glaze is a glazing technique used in pastry making. The glaze is used to cover fruit on a fruit tart or other baked goods, to make the fruit pieces shiny, prevent them from drying out, and to reduce oxidation [e.g., browning of cut fruit].
Piping – to squeeze a soft food item from a pastry bag to another food item, usually in a decorative manner.
Piping muffin mix
Poach – Poaching is a cooking method where food is submerged and simmered in a liquid until it is cooked through. Poaching typically involves using a liquid, such as water, broth, wine, or milk, to cook the food. The liquid is heated to a gentle simmer, usually between 160°F and 180°F (71°C – 82°C), creating a moist cooking environment. How does poaching differ from boiling? Boiling and poaching may seem similar, but the main difference lies in the temperature at which the food is cooked. Boiling involves rapidly cooking food in hot liquid at or above its boiling point, while poaching utilizes a lower temperature to slowly cook the food and typically involves delicate food items such as eggs or fish.
Refresh – Refreshing vegetables is an odd term, and it simply means to plunge them in cold water immediately after cooking. It’s to stop the cooking process, because vegetables that are just drained will remain hot, and continue to cook a little more. Refreshing is great for ensuring a crisp and crunchy final texture.
Roux – a cooked mixture of flour and fat used as a thickening agent in a soup or a sauce, roux is a smooth paste, made from flour cooked in fat, that is added to sauces, soups or gravy to make them thick, smooth and rich.
Sauté – Sautéeing is a form of dry-heat cooking that uses a very hot pan and a small amount of fat to cook foods like vegetables, meats, and seafoods very quickly. Sautéeing browns the food’s surface as it cooks and develops complex flavors and aromas.
Score – the process of creating shallow cuts or incisions on the surface of food items before cooking. To score food, a sharp knife or blade is used to make shallow cuts on the surface. Note: When scoring meat, it is commonly recommended to make cuts about 1/2 cm deep [1/4 inch], spaced about 2 cm [1 inch] apart.
Sear – a technique used in grilling, baking, or sautéing in which the surface of the food is cooked at high temperature until a crust forms
Simmer – Simmering is a culinary technique where food is cooked in liquid within a specific temperature range and with bubbles forming and gently rising to the surface but not at a full rolling boil.
Stock – Stock is a flavorful liquid made by simmering bones along with aromatics and other ingredients. Generally unseasoned, stock is the basis for making various sauces, soups and stews.
Sweat – to cook something over low heat in a small amount of fat, usually in a covered pan or pot. The objective of sweating vegetables is to soften them and release the moisture in them, not to brown them. This release of moisture is how the the term “to sweat” came to be.
Truss – to tie up the wings and legs of poultry to prevent movement during cooking. Youcan use string, skewers or pins to truss.
Sweating carrots, onion and celery
Velouté – is a savory sauce that is made from a roux and a light stock. It is one of the “mother sauces” of French cuisine listed by chef Auguste Escoffier in the early twentieth century. Velouté is French for ‘velvety’, and you may see this on menu’s, particulary referring to soup.
Weighing-Up – the act of gathering and weighing all the ingredients of a recipe. Example: Have you weighed up the muffins yet? In a professional setting, this is part of your “Mise en place” [see above]
Whip [whipping aka beating] – Whipping is a culinary technique commonly used in cooking to incorporate air into ingredients, resulting in a lighter and fluffier texture. When you whip an ingredient, you beat it vigorously, typically using a whisk, electric mixer, or food processor, until it becomes frothy and increases in volume. This method is employed to add volume, create stability, and enhance the texture of various dishes.
Zest – Zest is the outer layer of the skin of a citrus fruit which is often used to flavor desserts and drinks. To zest, is to finely grate the citrus skin. check