Are you a beginner in the culinary industry? Well, this article is perfect for you!
Chefs, restaurateurs, and servers should be at least familiar with these cooking terms to speed things up in the kitchen. These common culinary terms range from different ways to prepare food and sauces to kitchen items to dishes themselves.
Culinary terms originate from Classic French and Italian Cuisine and still being used up today. That's why do not fret if you found yourselves pronouncing French words in the list.
Now, allow us to help you interpret and understand the food and cuisine you serve by giving you a list of common culinary terms.
: separate list of priced items from a menu, not part of a set meal
: cooked just enough, not too soft, not too form; usually referring to pasta and vegetables
: covered with breadcrumbs or cheese, or both, and browned
: served or prepared with ground black peppercorn, often referring to steak
: a cooking utensil holding hot water in which food in smaller pots is placed for slow cooking; also known as a water bath or double boiler
: to cook food using dry heat, usually in an oven
: to cover the meat with strips of fat before cooking to avoid overcooking
: to pour juices or liquid such as melted butter, fat, or pan drippings to keep it moist
: a thick, creamy soup made with a strained broth of game or shellfish
: to put in steam or boiling water for a short time; usually referring to fruits and vegetables
: to combine two or more ingredients until smooth in texture
: to cook slowly the large ingredients by searing them in hot fat, at high temperature, and covered in liquid
: the process of soaking meat with salted water before cooking
: to cook food to direct heat on a rack; often used for melting cheese
: finely cut or shredded herbs and vegetables often used as a garnish for soup
: to cut ingredients into large squares
: French name for an enamel-coated, cast iron heatproof dish, often used for the long cooking process
: to beat sugar and fat into a thick, creamy froth
: to cut ingredients or food into small cubes, usually about 1/2 inch
1/8 teaspoon
: to cook in immersed hot fat or oil
: to dissolve and remove the browned residue from a pan
: to dissolve or remove the fat from the surface of a soup, hot liquid, or stew; often known as fat trimming
: to cut into smaller pieces, usually from 1/4 to 1/8 chunks
: to coat food with dry ingredients, usually flour, before cooking
: to coat foods with oil, vinegar, or other toppings in salad
: to pour the liquid back and forth in the food in a fine amount, usually melted chocolate, oil, syrup, or butter
: to whisk to ingredients to a thicker texture; usually done with mustard
: to fry a marinated fish in a sauce of olive oil, vinegar, herbs, vegetables, and spices
: a slice of boneless meat, fish, or poultry; a French term for cutting a boneless beef, such as filet mignon
: a process of pouring some liquor such as rum, cognac, or brandy over food on a hot pan
: to combine light ingredients with a heavier mixture using an over-and-under mixing motion
: to trim or cut meat, fat, and cartilage from the rib bone on a rock roast; often done to a pork rib, lamb, or beef
: a Spanish fish of cold, uncooked soup which usually contains tomatoes, garlic oil, cucumber, onions, and vinegar
: to coat food with sauces or jellies
: to create tiny pieces of food such as cheese by rubbing on something rough
: baking ingredients sprinkled with breadcrumbs or cheese under a grill to give a crust
: to coat the interior of the pan with oil or butter to prevent the food from sticking during cooking
: a spicy North African and Middle Eastern cooking made from dried chilies, oil, salt, and seasonings
: to place the ingredient into a liquid or to steep in water so as to extract its flavor or chemical compounds
: the process of exposing food to radiation in order to eliminate disease-causing bacteria and germs from foods
: a transparent, pure form of whitish gelatin prepared from the air bladders of fishes and used as a clarifying agent
: to poke holes into the meat's muscle to tenderize it; commonly known as needling
: an oversized wine bottle holding about three litters
: a preparation or garnish of food that has been cut into short, thin strips
: a whole herring that has been split into a butterfly fashion from tail to head, salted, pickled, or gutted
: a dry, colorless, unaged brandy distilled from the fermented cherries
: working dough into a uniform mass by folding, stretching, and pressing with hands
: a bacterium ( a genus from Lactobacillus) that produce lactic acids usually found in fermented products such as yogurts
: to insert strips of fat into a piece of meat that doesn't contain much fat
: a binding or thickening agent of cream and egg yolks used to thicken soups or sauces
: to soften or break into pieces by using a liquid, often referring to fruit or vegetables
: to soak foods, usually meat and fish, in a seasoned or acidic liquid before cooking to enrich their flavor
: to cut as small as possible using a chef's knife or food processor
: a flavor base made from diced onion, carrot, or celery, and sometimes ham or bacon as a basis for soups, sauces, and stews
: the preparation and organization of ingredients before cooking
: to coat the back of a spoon or food with glaze
: injecting fat or flavors to the ingredient to enhance its flavor
: A small, round, tender cut of lean meat, often referred to as medallion or mignonette
: used to describe food, such as food supplements or fortified food, that gives health benefit in addition to its basic nutritional value
: a morsel of food leftover after a meal
: a colorless anise-flavored liqueur from Greece
: to cook in a frying pan with a small amount of fat over medium heat
: a spread or mixture of ground, seasoned meat
: to briefly cook the food by boiling, then removing before they are fully cooked, then cook it again in another way
: the process of not fully cooking the food, so that it can be reheated later
: 1/16 teaspoon
: to cook delicate items, such as eggs and fish, in barely simmering liquid
: to grind or mash food until completely smooth
: a poached oval dumpling of creamed fish or meat often served as a sauce
: to cook the fat out of something, such as bacon
: let the meat sit out of the oven or stove on a wire rack with a catch pan underneath before serving
: to cook in an oven or above fire using dry heat
: a mixture of flour and butter, or other fat, used as a thickening agent in a soup or sauce
: to fry food quickly over relatively high heat
: to heat liquid almost to a boil until bubbles begin to form around the edge
: to cut slits on the surface of a food
: a technique used in grilling, baking, or sautéing in which the surface of the food is cooked at a high temperature until it forms a crust
: done in a grater with larger holes, resulting in long strips to cook or melt
: to stew gently below or just at the boiling point
: to cook food in a steamer over boiling or simmering water
: to allow dry ingredients to soak in a liquid until the liquid takes on its flavor; often referred to in coffee, tea, juice, or spices
: to cook covered food in a liquid over a low heat
: gently heating vegetables in a little oil, with frequent turning and stirring to ensure released liquid will evaporate
: to raise the temperature of a cold ingredient by adding hot or boiling liquid
: to tie meat or poultry woven through the bird parts by using a needle to create a more compact shape before cooking; often used in turkey with a string
: made without yeast or baking powder; often referred to in bread
: a soup or sauce made with chicken, fish stock, or veal and creamed and thickened with flour and butter
: food for humans
: to eat food with a mixer to incorporate air and produce volume; often referred to in eggs, cream, or sauces
: a cooking utensil used to blend ingredients in a whipping motion
: crystalline alcohol found in most fruits and vegetables and used as a sugar substitute chewing gums, mints, and candies
: a Japanese bite-sized marinated beef, seafood, or chicken skewered and grilled
: a piece of peel in citrus fruits that contains oil and provides aroma and flavor
