Preparation Terms

To rub fat on the surface of a food or a cooking utensil

• Season

• Tenderize

• Grease

• Strain

To make something easy to chew by applying a process or a substance that breaks down connective tissue or fiber

• Tenderize

• Season

• Dust

• Marinate

To immerse food in a liquid for the purpose of wetting, softening, dissolving, or cleaning

• Baste

• Season

• Soak

• Dissolve

To leave an opening in the covering of a food through which steam can escape.

• Preheat

• Flour/Dredge/Coat

• Melt

• Vent

To lightly sprinkle the surface of a food with crumbs, flour, or sugar.

• Baste

• Dust

• Melt

• Season

To remove liquid from a solid food by pouring off the liquid, putting the food through a colander, or drying with paper towels.

• Drain

• Strain

• Dissolve

• Preheat

To expose to warmth in order to free from a frozen state.

• Freeze

• Baste

• Defrost/Thaw

• Flour/Dredge/Coat

To pour or spoon pan juices, melted fat, or sauces over the surface of a food during cooking, using a baster, cup, or spoon, to keep the food moist and add flavor.

• Marinate

• Baste

• Season

• Soak

To turn on an appliance or oven to a desired temperature before food is to be placed in it

• Season

• Dissolve

• Preheat

• Vent

To lower a food’s temperature to freezing or below by placing it in a freezer.

• Defrost/Thaw

• Freeze

• Melt

• Grease