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- Common Cooking Terms
- Bake, Blanch, Boil, Braise, Broil
- Grill, Fry, Parboil, Poach
- Roast, Saute, Scald, Sear
- Simmer, Steam, Stew, Stir-fry
- Measuring Quantities
- Abbreviations
- Conversions
- Equivalents
- Common Substitutions
- Dairy
- Leavening
- Sweetening
- Thickening
- Miscellaneous
Cooking's Frequently Asked Questions
Common Cooking Terms
What cooking method does the term "Bake" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Baking refers to cooking food in the dry heat of an oven. Foods commonly baked are breads, cakes, and roasts.
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What cooking method does the term "Blanch" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Blanching refers to the method of loosening the skin on vegetables and fruits by plunging them into boiling water for a short period of time. Blanching is also used to help preserve their color.
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What cooking method does the term "Boil" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Boiling refers to cooking foods fully immersed in boiling water, where bubbles are constantly breaking the surface of the water. Foods commonly cooked this way are pastas, vegetables, and soups.
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What cooking method does the term "Braise" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Braising refers to cooking food long and slow in a few inches of liquid. The food is not quite covered by the liquid, producing both a steaming and stewing effect. This long, slow cooking method allows you to use less expensive cuts of meat because the fibers break down, making it tender. Foods commonly braised are large, tough cuts of meat such as chuck steak. Vegetables and broth are usually added to produce a tasty mixture of flavors.
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What cooking method does the term "Broil" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner?Broiling refers to cooking food in an oven with an intense heat source above the food. Broiling pans are usually used to hold the food, allowing the fat to be collected in the pan under the grate so that flare ups don't occur. Foods commonly broiled are steaks, poultry, fish fillets, and vegetables.
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What cooking method does the term "Grill" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner?Grilling refers to cooking food over an intense source of heat. This heat is usually provided by charcoal or gas grills. Because of the high heat, using thinner pieces of meat or vegetables produces the best results. Popular items cooked on a grill are steaks, chicken, ribs, fish fillets and vegetables.
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What cooking method does the term "Fry" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Frying refers to cooking food in fat over high heat. Deep-frying refers to immersing the food entirely in hot fat and cooking until crispy. Common fried foods are eggs, vegetables, and hamburgers. Common deep-fried foods are french fries and breaded vegetables.
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What cooking method does the term "Parboil" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Parboiling refers to partially cooking foods by plunging them briefly into boiling water. Foods commonly parboiled are potatoes, carrots, and rice.
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What cooking method does the term "Poach" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Poaching refers to cooking foods in simmering, but not boiling liquid. Liquids could be water or vegetable stock. Foods commonly poached are eggs and fish.
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What cooking method does the term "Roast" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner?Roasting refers to cooking food uncovered in an oven. Commonly roasted foods are meat roasts, poultry, fish and root vegetables like carrots, onions, and potatoes.
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What cooking method does the term "Saute" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Sauteing refers to cooking food in a hot pan, and is sometimes referred to as pan-frying. Butter or oil may be used to keep the food from sticking to the pan. Sauteing is performed in a pan over medium-high to high heat and constant attention must be used to keep the food from burning. Foods commonly sauted are vegetables, steaks, chicken breasts, and fish fillets. Sauteing cooks the seasoning into the vegetables and acts to sear steaks, chicken breasts, and fish fillets to trap the juices in the meat.
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What cooking method does the term "Scald" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Scalding refers to heating milk over medium-low heat until it foams, but doesn't boil. This is primarily done to shorten cooking times when making sauces and custards.
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What cooking method does the term "Sear" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Searing refers to subjecting the food to high heat in a pan, under a broiler or in the oven to quickly brown it. Searing helps to lock in the juices in foods such as steaks before completing the cooking process. Foods commonly seared are steaks and beef roasts.
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What cooking method does the term "Simmer" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Simmering refers to gently cooking food in liquid that is heated to just below the boiling point. Foods commonly simmered are soups and stews.
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What cooking method does the term "Steam" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Steaming refers to cooking food over a small amount of simmering or boiling liquid in a covered pot. The trapped steam does the cooking. Foods commonly steamed are vegetables and shellfish.
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What cooking method does the term "Stew" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Stewing refers to cooking food long and slow, completely covered in liquid. This long, slow cooking method allows you to use less expensive cuts of meat because the fibers break down, making it tender. Foods commonly stewed are cut-up pieces of tough cuts of meat such as chuck steak, and precut-up meat called stew meat in the stores. Stews consist of vegetables, broth, and stew meat simmered for a long time to combine the flavors.
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What cooking method does the term "Stir-fry" refer to and what foods are commonly prepared in this manner? Stir-frying is a method of frying. It is a technique usually used in preparing oriental dishes. Food is cooked in a wok with a small amount of oil over high heat. The food is continually tossed and stirred until cooked. Foods commonly used in stir-fry are diced chicken, chopped celery, bean sprouts, onion, and a number of oriental vegetables.
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Measuring Quantities
What are common abbreviations for measuring quantities in recipes?
t, tsp = Teaspoon
T, TB, Tbl, Tbsp = Tablespoon
C, c = Cup
oz = Ounce
pt = Pint
qt = Quart
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Gal = Gallon
lb = Pound
g = Gram
kg = Kilogram
mL, ml = Milliliter
L, l = Liter
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How do I accurately measure recipe quantities if I don't have the required measuring spoon, cup, etc.?
Pinch = Less than 1/8 Teaspoon
3 Teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon
2 Tablespoons = 1 Fluid Ounce
4 Tablespoons = 1/4 Cup
5 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon = 1/3 Cup
12 Tablespoons = 3/4 Cup
16 Tablespoons = 1 Cup
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1 Pony = 1 Fluid Ounce
1 Jigger = 1-1/2 Fluid Ounces
1 Cup = 8 Fluid Ounces
2 Cups = 1 Pint or 16 Fluid Ounces
2 Pints = 1 Quart or 32 Fluid Ounces
4 Quarts = 1 Gallon or 128 Fluid Ounces
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What are some equivalent quantities of recipe ingredients?
| Food Quantity |
Equivalent |
8 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons butter
4 sticks butter
1 pound granulated sugar
1 pound brown sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 large onion
3 medium apples or bananas
4 ounces nuts
1 cup uncooked rice
1 large tomato
3 to 4 tomatoes
1 pound all-purpose flour
8 ounces chocolate chips
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1 stick
1/2 stick
1 pound
2 cups
2 1/4 cups packed
2 cups whipped cream
1 cup chopped
1 pound
2/3 cups chopped
4 cups cooked
3/4 cup chopped
1 pound
4 cups sifted
1 cup
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Common Substitutions
What can I use as a substitute if I don't have the required dairy product?
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1 cup whole milk
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1 cup skim milk + 2 teaspoons melted butter
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1/3 cup powdered milk + 1 cup water
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1 cup soy milk
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1 cup buttermilk + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 cup unsweetened evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water
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1 cup heavy cream
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3/4 cup whole milk + 1/3 cup melted butter
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1 cup skim milk
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1 cup water + 1/4 cup nonfat powdered milk
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1/2 cup evaporated skim milk + 1/2 cup water
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1 cup sour milk
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1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt or 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon milk, + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar
Let stand 5-10 minutes.
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1 cup sour cream
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1 cup plain yogurt
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What can I use as a substitute if I don't have the required leavening product?
1 teaspoon baking powder = 1/4 teaspoon baking soda + 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
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What can I use as a substitute if I don't have the required sweetening product?
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
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1 cup honey or molasses + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white sugar + 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
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What can I use as a substitute if I don't have the required thickening product?
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon arrowroot
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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What other items can I use as substitutes in recipes?
1 cup broth
1 2-3 inch vanilla bean
1 square unsweetened chocolate
1 square semisweet chocolate
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1 bouillon cube in 1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cocoa + 1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons cocoa + 1 tablespoon butter + 2 tablespoons sugar
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