Cooking Methods

This post explains some different cooking vocabulary that came up in one of our lessons. It is not a list of all methods of cooking, just some of the most commonly used.

Cooking in an oven

Bake: To cook something in an oven, inside another container. The top of the container is usually open. Examples are:

bake a cake

bake a loaf of bread (loaf is one of the counters for bread)

bake a pie

Roast: Essentially to roast is the same as to bake, however, the food is usually not placed inside a container, or the container is large enough for the food to be open to the heat allowing it to become well cooked on the outside but moist on the inside. Examples are:

roast a joint of meat

roast vegetables

Cooking with water or liquid

Boil: To cook in bubbling, hot water. Examples include:

pasta

vegetables

eggs

Blanch: To put into boiling water for a very short time to cook the food just slightly.

Poach: To cook gently in hot, not boiling water.

Simmer: To cook over a low heat for a long time so that the liquid bubbles just a little.

Steam: To cook in the steam rising from boiling water.

Cooking with direct heat

Grill: To cook food over a direct heat, usually a flame. Examples include:

grill food on a barbecue with charcoal

grill food over a gas flame

Broil: Used in American English to explain grilling where the heat source, or flame, is above the food. In British English, the term grill is used.

Sear: To cook meat on the outside with very high heat for a short time, sealing in the juices.

Cooking with oil, fat, butter, etc.

Fry: There are a few ways to fry food.

Pan Fry: To prepare food in a pan with a little oil, or fat, to stop the food from sticking to the pan. For example:

Fried egg

Fried sausages

Steak

Deep Fry: To prepare food in enough oil to cover the food. For example:

Tempura

French Fries

Fish & Chips

Food prepared on a hot plate with a little oil is also fried (for example, teppan-yaki).