Cooking Terms

Can Cook Community Sessions a photo by Five Children's Centre on Flickr.

Know the cookery terms before planning to work in the kitchen. It's very important to understand first the terms before doing the kitchen chores.


•Bake - to cook by indirect dry heat, usually in an oven.

•Boil - to cook in boiling water.

•Braise – to brown meat in small amount of fat and cook slowly in juice from meat or added liquid in a covered container.

•Broil - to cook by direct heat from hot coals, or gas flame.

•Fricassee – to cook meat by stewing in gravy.

•Fry – to cook in a large amount of hot fat to cover the food.

•Pan-broil – to cook in a hot uncovered frying pan, pouring off fat as it accumulates.

•Parboil – to simmer for a short time preliminary to cooking by another method.

•Pot Roast – a piece of meat cooked by braising.

•Sauté or Panfry – to cook in a small amount of fat with frequent turning.

•Sear – to brown the surface of meat by short application of intense heat.

•Simmer – to cook below boiling point; bubbles occur below the surface of the liquid.

•Stew – to cook with simmering heat.