Kitchen glossary

What the recipe actually means.

104 cooking terms in plain English, from al dente to zest. Including the ones that differ between British and American recipes.

Techniques & methods

What a recipe means when it asks you to fold, braise or temper.

Al dente/al-DEN-tay/: Italian for “to the tooth”: pasta or vegetables cooked until tender but still with a slight bite in the centre. Start tasting a minute or two before the packet time.; See also Blanch, Simmer
Baste: To spoon melted fat or pan juices over food while it cooks, which keeps the surface moist and helps it brown evenly. Tilt the pan so the butter or juices pool on one side and are easy to scoop.; See also Sear, Rest
Blanch: To cook food briefly in boiling water, then plunge it into iced water to stop the cooking. It sets the colour of green vegetables, loosens tomato skins and part-cooks vegetables for later.; See also Al dente, Concassé, Poach Try the kitchen timer
Blind bake: To bake a pastry case before the filling goes in, lined with baking paper and weighed down with baking beans or rice so it keeps its shape. It stops the base turning soggy.; See also Parchment paper, Springform tin
Braise: To brown food first, then cook it slowly in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot, usually in a low oven. It turns tough cuts of meat meltingly tender over a few hours.; See also Dutch oven, Sear, Simmer Try the kitchen timer
Brine: A solution of salt and water used to soak meat, poultry or fish before cooking so it stays juicy and seasoned throughout. A “dry brine” skips the water: you simply salt the meat well ahead of time.; See also Kosher salt, Marinate, Table salt Try the salt converter
Caramelise: To cook sugar until it melts and turns golden brown, or to cook onions slowly in fat until soft, sweet and deep brown. Properly caramelised onions take 40 minutes or more, not the ten many recipes suggest.; See also Fond, Sauté
Cream (butter and sugar): To beat softened butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy, which traps air and helps cakes rise. It takes a good three to five minutes with an electric mixer.; See also Caster sugar, RT, Stand mixer
Deglaze: To pour liquid, such as wine, stock or even water, into a hot pan after browning and scrape up the stuck-on bits. Those browned bits dissolve into the liquid and become the base of a sauce.; See also Fond, Reduce, Sear
Emulsify: To combine two liquids that normally separate, such as oil and vinegar or butter and water, into a smooth, even mixture. Add the oil slowly while whisking, as in mayonnaise or a good vinaigrette.; See also EVOO, Temper
Fold: To combine a light, airy mixture such as whipped cream or egg whites with a heavier one, using a spatula to cut down through the middle and turn the mixture over. Go gently and stop as soon as no streaks remain, so you keep the air in.; See also Cream (butter and sugar), Double cream
Fond: The browned, sticky bits left on the bottom of a pan after searing meat or vegetables. They are full of flavour, so don’t wash them away: deglaze the pan and turn them into a sauce.; See also Deglaze, Sear
Knead: To work dough by pushing it away with the heel of your hand, folding it back and turning it, which develops gluten and makes bread springy. Most doughs are ready after about ten minutes by hand, when they are smooth and stretchy.; See also Bench scraper, Bread flour, Proof
Marinate: To soak food in a seasoned liquid, often with oil, acid and aromatics, to add flavour before cooking. Thirty minutes helps; fish rarely needs more than an hour, while tougher meat can go overnight in the fridge.; See also Brine, Buttermilk Try the kitchen timer
Poach: To cook food gently in liquid kept just below a simmer, with only the odd bubble rising. Ideal for eggs, fish, chicken and fruit, which stay tender and moist.; See also Blanch, Simmer Try the kitchen timer
Proof: To leave yeasted dough somewhere warm to rise, usually until roughly doubled in size; British recipes often say “prove”. It can also mean checking that yeast is alive by mixing it with warm water and a little sugar until it foams.; See also Bread flour, Knead, Rest Try the kitchen timer
Reduce: To simmer a liquid uncovered so some of the water evaporates, thickening it and concentrating its flavour. Season at the end, as salt concentrates too.; See also Deglaze, Simmer
Rest: To leave cooked meat to sit, loosely covered, before carving so the juices settle and it finishes cooking gently; around five minutes for a steak and 15–30 for a roast. Doughs and batters are also rested so the gluten relaxes and flour hydrates.; See also Instant-read thermometer, Proof, Sear Try the kitchen timer
Sauté/soh-TAY/: To cook food quickly in a little fat over a fairly high heat, keeping it moving in the pan. From the French for “jumped”.; See also Caramelise, Sear
Sear: To brown the surface of meat, fish or vegetables in a very hot pan for colour and flavour. It doesn’t “seal in” juices, but it does build a delicious crust; pat the food dry first and don’t crowd the pan.; See also Cast-iron skillet, Deglaze, Fond
Simmer: To cook liquid just below boiling, with small bubbles gently breaking the surface. Bring it to the boil first, then turn the heat down until it settles.; See also Braise, Poach, Reduce Try the kitchen timer
Temper: Two meanings. For eggs, it means whisking a little hot liquid into them gradually so they warm without scrambling; for chocolate, it means melting and cooling it to set temperatures so it sets glossy and snaps cleanly.; See also Emulsify, Instant-read thermometer

Knife cuts & prep

From a rough chop to a fine brunoise, and the prep that happens before the pan.

Batonnet/ba-toh-NAY/: Sticks about 6 mm (¼ inch) square and 5–6 cm long, roughly the size of a chunky chip. It is the starting point for a small dice.; See also Dice, Julienne
Bias cut: Slicing at an angle rather than straight down, giving longer, oval pieces. Recipes often ask for spring onions, carrots or celery “on the bias”.; See also Chop, Spring onion
Brunoise/broon-WAHZ/: The finest dice, tiny cubes about 3 mm (⅛ inch) across, made by cutting julienne strips crossways. Used where you want flavour and colour without noticeable pieces.; See also Dice, Julienne, Mince
Butterfly: To slice a piece of meat, fish or a prawn almost in half horizontally and open it out like a book, so it is thinner and cooks quickly and evenly.; See also Devein, Spatchcock
Chiffonade/shif-uh-NAHD/: Fine ribbons of leafy herbs or greens, made by stacking the leaves, rolling them up tightly and slicing across the roll. Basil is the classic example.; See also Julienne, Mince
Chop: To cut into bite-sized pieces that don’t need to be perfectly even. “Roughly chopped” means bigger and more casual still.; See also Dice, Mince
Concassé/kon-ka-SAY/: Tomatoes that have been peeled, deseeded and diced. Score a cross in the base, blanch for 20–30 seconds and the skins slip off.; See also Blanch, Dice
Crush: To press a garlic clove firmly under the flat of a knife blade until it splits. It loosens the skin and releases flavour, and is the first step if you then want to mince it.; See also Mince, Mise en place
Devein: To remove the dark thread running along the back of a prawn (shrimp in the US), which is its digestive tract. Make a shallow cut along the back and lift it out with the tip of the knife.; See also Butterfly
Dice: To cut into even cubes so everything cooks at the same rate. Roughly, small dice is 6 mm (¼ inch), medium is 1.25 cm (½ inch) and large is 2 cm (¾ inch).; See also Batonnet, Brunoise, Chop
Julienne/joo-lee-EN/: Thin matchsticks about 3 mm (⅛ inch) square and 5 cm (2 inches) long, used for stir-fries, salads and garnishes. A mandoline with a julienne blade makes quick work of it.; See also Batonnet, Brunoise, Mandoline
Mince: To chop very finely, smaller than a brunoise and without needing even shapes, most often for garlic, ginger and herbs. In the UK “mince” on its own also means minced meat, which Americans call ground beef or ground pork.; See also Brunoise, Chop, Crush
Mise en place/meez-on-PLAHS/: French for “everything in its place”: weighing, chopping and setting out every ingredient before you start cooking. It turns a hectic recipe into a calm one.; See also Bench scraper, Chop, Digital scale
Spatchcock: To cut the backbone out of a chicken or other bird with sturdy scissors and press it flat. It roasts or grills far more quickly and evenly.; See also Butterfly, Instant-read thermometer
Supreme/soo-PREEM/: To cut citrus into neat segments free of pith and membrane: slice off the peel, then cut between the membranes to release each segment. The same word is used for a chicken breast with the wing bone attached.; See also Zest
Zest: The thin, coloured outer layer of citrus peel, full of fragrant oils. Grate only the colour and stop at the bitter white pith beneath.; See also Microplane, Supreme

Ingredients

Flours, sugars, salts and the produce that goes by a different name across the Atlantic.

All-purpose flour: The everyday white wheat flour in American recipes, known as plain flour in the UK. US all-purpose is a touch higher in protein than British plain, but they can be swapped one for one in almost every recipe.; See also AP flour, Bread flour, Self-raising flour Try the ingredient converter
Aubergine: The glossy purple vegetable Americans call eggplant. Salting slices before cooking is optional with modern varieties, but it does help them soak up less oil.; See also Courgette, Sauté
Baking powder: A raising agent made of bicarbonate of soda mixed with a dry acid, so it only needs moisture and heat to make a batter rise. It is not interchangeable with baking soda, which is roughly three to four times stronger.; See also Baking soda, Self-raising flour Try the ingredient converter
Baking soda: The American name for bicarbonate of soda. It needs something acidic in the recipe, such as buttermilk, yoghurt or brown sugar, to react and lift the mixture, and too much leaves a soapy taste.; See also Baking powder, Buttermilk Try the ingredient converter
Bread flour: A high-protein wheat flour, sold as strong white flour in the UK, that develops more gluten and gives bread a chewier, better-risen crumb.; See also All-purpose flour, Knead, Proof Try the ingredient converter
Brown sugar: Sugar with molasses in it, sold as light or dark depending on how much. When an American recipe says “packed”, press it firmly into the cup before levelling.; See also Caster sugar, Cup, Level Try the ingredient converter
Buttermilk: A thin, tangy cultured milk used in pancakes, scones and fried chicken marinades. In a pinch, stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into a US cup of milk and leave it for ten minutes.; See also Baking soda, Marinate
Caster sugar: A fine white sugar that dissolves quickly, used for sponges, meringues and shortbread. In the US look for superfine or baker’s sugar, or blitz granulated sugar briefly in a food processor.; See also Cream (butter and sugar), Powdered sugar Try the ingredient converter
Coriander: In the UK, coriander means both the fresh leafy herb and the dried seeds. In the US the leaves are called cilantro and only the seeds are called coriander, so check which one an American recipe means.; See also Chiffonade, Spring onion
Cornflour: A fine white starch used to thicken sauces and crisp up coatings, called cornstarch in the US. Confusingly, American “corn flour” is finely ground cornmeal, which is something else entirely.; See also Powdered sugar, Reduce
Courgette/cor-ZHET/: The green summer squash Americans call zucchini. It holds a lot of water, so salting and squeezing grated courgette helps in fritters and bakes.; See also Aubergine, Julienne
Double cream: Rich British cream with around 48% fat that whips easily and won’t split when boiled. The nearest American equivalent is heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, which is a little lighter at 36–40%.; See also Emulsify, Fold
Flaky salt: Salt in thin, crunchy flakes, such as Maldon, mostly used as a finishing touch sprinkled over food just before serving. Because the flakes are light and airy, a spoonful is much less salty than the same spoonful of table salt.; See also Kosher salt, Sea salt, Table salt Try the salt converter
Kosher salt: A coarse, additive-free salt that most American recipes now assume. Brands differ a lot: Diamond Crystal is roughly half as salty by volume as table salt, while Morton kosher sits somewhere in between, so swapping one spoon for another can over-salt a dish.; See also Flaky salt, Sea salt, Table salt Try the salt converter
Powdered sugar: Very fine sugar for icings and dusting, called icing sugar in the UK and confectioners’ sugar in parts of the US. American versions contain a little cornstarch to stop clumping; sift it before use.; See also Caster sugar, Cornflour, Fine-mesh sieve Try the ingredient converter
Sea salt: Salt made by evaporating seawater, sold in everything from fine grains to large crystals and flakes. Fine sea salt measures much like table salt, but coarse crystals are less salty by the spoonful.; See also Flaky salt, Kosher salt, Table salt Try the salt converter
Self-raising flour: Plain flour with baking powder already mixed in, common in British baking; Americans call it self-rising flour, and theirs usually contains salt as well. To make your own, add about 2 teaspoons of baking powder to 150 g plain flour.; See also All-purpose flour, Baking powder Try the ingredient converter
Spring onion: A young, mild onion with a slim white bulb and long green leaves, called a scallion or green onion in the US. Both the white and green parts are eaten.; See also Bias cut, Coriander
Table salt: Fine-grained salt, often with iodine and anti-caking agents added. Its small grains pack tightly, so a spoonful is noticeably saltier than the same spoonful of kosher or flaky salt.; See also Flaky salt, Kosher salt, Sea salt Try the salt converter

Equipment

The pans, tins and tools recipes assume you have, and what to reach for if you don’t.

Bench scraper: A flat rectangle of metal or plastic, often called a dough scraper in the UK, used to divide dough, clean the worktop and carry chopped vegetables from board to pan.; See also Knead, Mise en place
Cast-iron skillet: A heavy frying pan made from cast iron that holds heat well, ideal for searing and for going from hob to oven. Skillet is simply the American word for frying pan.; See also Dutch oven, Sear
Digital scale: An electronic kitchen scale that weighs in grams and ounces. Press the tare button to reset it to zero, then weigh each ingredient straight into the bowl. It is the easiest way to make American cup recipes come out right.; See also Cup, Gram, Ounce
Dutch oven: A heavy, lidded pot, usually enamelled cast iron, that works on the hob and in the oven. In the UK it is often just called a casserole dish, and it is the ideal pot for braises, stews and bread.; See also Braise, Cast-iron skillet
Fine-mesh sieve: A sieve (strainer in the US) with a tight wire mesh, used for sifting flour and icing sugar, straining sauces and rinsing grains like quinoa.; See also Powdered sugar, Reduce
Instant-read thermometer: A digital probe thermometer that gives a reading in a few seconds, taking the guesswork out of meat, sugar work and bread. Chicken is safely cooked when the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F).; See also Rest, Temper
Loaf tin: A deep rectangular tin for bread and loaf cakes, called a loaf pan in the US. A British 2 lb loaf tin is roughly the same as a 9 × 5 inch American pan.; See also Parchment paper, Wire rack
Mandoline: A flat slicer with a very sharp adjustable blade that cuts vegetables into even, paper-thin slices or matchsticks. Always use the hand guard; the blade is unforgiving.; See also Julienne, Microplane
Microplane: A long, fine rasp grater (Microplane is the best-known brand) for zesting citrus and finely grating Parmesan, garlic, ginger and nutmeg.; See also Mandoline, Zest
Parchment paper: Non-stick, silicone-coated paper for lining tins and trays, sold as baking paper in the UK. Greaseproof paper is not quite the same and may stick unless greased.; See also Blind bake, Sheet pan
Ramekin: A small, straight-sided ovenproof dish for individual bakes such as soufflés, crème brûlée and baked eggs. Handy for holding prepped ingredients too.; See also Mise en place, Temper
Sheet pan: The American name for a rimmed metal baking tray. Most US recipes mean a half sheet pan, about 18 × 13 inches (46 × 33 cm), which is larger than many standard British baking trays.; See also Parchment paper, Wire rack
Springform tin: A round cake tin with a removable base and a clip-release side, so delicate cakes and cheesecakes come out without being turned upside down. Called a springform pan in the US.; See also Blind bake, Loaf tin
Stand mixer: A countertop electric mixer with a bowl and interchangeable paddle, whisk and dough hook attachments. A hand-held electric whisk can do most of the same jobs, just a little more slowly.; See also Cream (butter and sugar), Knead
Wire rack: A raised metal grid, also called a cooling rack, that lets air circulate under bakes so they cool without going soggy. Set over a sheet pan, it also works for resting meat or crisping in the oven.; See also Loaf tin, Sheet pan

Measurements

Cups, spoons, ounces and oven settings, with the numbers behind them.

Cup: A volume measure common in American recipes: a US cup is 236.6 ml, while the metric cup used in Australia, New Zealand and Canada is 250 ml. Weight varies hugely by ingredient, so a cup of flour is around 120–130 g but a cup of sugar is about 200 g.; See also c, Digital scale, Fluid ounce Try the ingredient converter
Dash: A very small, loose amount of a liquid or seasoning, usually taken to mean about ⅛ teaspoon. Slightly more than a pinch.; See also Pinch, Teaspoon
Fan oven: An oven with a fan that circulates hot air, called convection in the US. It cooks faster than a conventional oven, so reduce the temperature by about 20°C (25°F) unless the recipe already gives a fan setting.; See also Gas mark
Fluid ounce: A measure of volume for liquids: a US fluid ounce is about 29.6 ml and a UK one about 28.4 ml, and there are 8 US fluid ounces in a cup. It is not the same as an ounce of weight, except roughly for water.; See also Cup, fl oz, Ounce Try the ingredient converter
Gas mark: The temperature scale on British gas ovens. Gas mark 4 is 180°C (350°F), and each mark up or down is roughly 14°C (25°F), so gas mark 6 is 200°C (400°F).; See also Fan oven
Gram: The metric unit of weight; there are about 28.35 grams in an ounce. Weighing in grams is more accurate than using cups, especially for flour and sugar.; See also Digital scale, g, Ounce Try the ingredient converter
Heaped: A spoonful piled up as high as it will go rather than scraped flat, roughly double a level spoon for powders. Americans tend to say “heaping” or “rounded”.; See also Level, Tablespoon, Teaspoon
Knob (of butter): A loose British measure meaning a small lump of butter, roughly a tablespoon or 15–20 g. Exactness doesn’t matter where a recipe uses it.; See also Stick of butter, Tablespoon
Level: A spoon or cup filled and then scraped flat with the back of a knife. Unless a recipe says otherwise, spoon and cup measurements are always meant to be level.; See also Cup, Heaped, Teaspoon
Ounce: An imperial unit of weight equal to about 28.35 g, with 16 ounces in a pound. Don’t confuse it with a fluid ounce, which measures volume.; See also Fluid ounce, Gram, oz Try the ingredient converter
Pinch: The amount you can hold between your thumb and forefinger, usually reckoned at about 1/16 teaspoon. Mostly used for salt and spices.; See also Dash, Teaspoon
Pint: A volume measure that differs on each side of the Atlantic: a US pint is 16 fluid ounces (473 ml), while a UK pint is 20 fluid ounces (568 ml).; See also Fluid ounce, pt, Quart Try the ingredient converter
Quart: An American volume measure of 4 cups or 2 pints, about 946 ml, so just under a litre. Pan and slow cooker sizes are often given in quarts too.; See also Cup, Pint, qt Try the ingredient converter
Stick of butter: The standard American butter unit: one stick is ½ cup, 8 tablespoons, 4 ounces or 113 g. The wrapper is usually marked in tablespoons for easy cutting.; See also Cup, Knob (of butter), Tablespoon Try the ingredient converter
Tablespoon: A volume measure of 3 teaspoons: about 14.8 ml in the US and 15 ml in the UK, but 20 ml in Australia. For most recipes the US and UK spoons are interchangeable.; See also tbsp, Teaspoon, Level Try the ingredient converter
Teaspoon: A small volume measure of about 5 ml; there are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon. Use proper measuring spoons, as cutlery teaspoons vary a lot.; See also Tablespoon, tsp Try the ingredient converter

Acronyms & abbreviations

The shorthand in ingredient lists, spelled out.

AP flour: Short for all-purpose flour, which is plain flour in the UK.; See also All-purpose flour Try the ingredient converter
c: Cup, in American ingredient lists. A capital C next to a temperature means degrees Celsius instead.; See also Cup, Gas mark Try the ingredient converter
EVOO: Extra virgin olive oil, the fruitiest, least processed grade. Save the best bottles for dressing and drizzling, where you can taste them.; See also Emulsify, Sauté
fl oz: Fluid ounce, a measure of volume rather than weight. A US fl oz is about 29.6 ml and a UK one about 28.4 ml.; See also Fluid ounce, oz Try the ingredient converter
g: Gram, the basic metric unit of weight used in most British and European recipes.; See also Gram, kg Try the ingredient converter
kg: Kilogram, which is 1,000 grams or about 2.2 pounds.; See also g, lb Try the ingredient converter
l: Litre (liter in the US), also written L. It is 1,000 ml, a little more than a US quart.; See also ml, qt Try the ingredient converter
lb: Pound, from the Latin libra. One pound is 16 ounces, or about 454 g.; See also kg, oz Try the ingredient converter
ml: Millilitre, the small metric unit of volume. A teaspoon is about 5 ml and a tablespoon about 15 ml.; See also l, Tablespoon, Teaspoon Try the ingredient converter
oz: Ounce, a unit of weight of about 28 g. Written as fl oz, it means fluid ounces, which is a volume.; See also fl oz, lb, Ounce Try the ingredient converter
pt: Pint. A US pint is 473 ml and a UK pint is 568 ml, so check where the recipe comes from.; See also Pint, qt Try the ingredient converter
qt: Quart, a US measure of about 946 ml.; See also pt, Quart Try the ingredient converter
RT: Room temperature, roughly 20°C (68°F). For baking, room-temperature butter should dent easily when pressed but not look greasy, and eggs should have the chill taken off.; See also Cream (butter and sugar), Stick of butter
T / t: Some American recipes use a capital T for tablespoon and a lowercase t for teaspoon. Easy to misread, and the difference is three times the amount.; See also tbsp, tsp
tbsp: Tablespoon, about 15 ml. Also written Tbsp, Tbs or a capital T.; See also T / t, Tablespoon, tsp Try the ingredient converter
tsp: Teaspoon, about 5 ml. Sometimes written as a lowercase t.; See also T / t, tbsp, Teaspoon Try the ingredient converter

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