In your hospitality establishment you may come across specific cooking terms in recipes for meat or poultry, such as:
Basting is the process of drizzling a dish that is roasting with fat, liquid or juice, to keep it moist.
The liquid may be a sauce or marinade. Juice is normally the liquid that comes out of the item during cooking, which has gathered at the bottom of the pan or dish.
Glazing is the process of coating a food with a flavourful, glossy sauce. A glaze can be savoury or sweet. The sauce must be thick enough to stick to the meat.
Marinating refers to the process of covering a solid food in liquid to soak flavour into it and tenderise it.
A marinade is normally a mixture of acidic substances, such as lemon juice or vinegar, and flavourings, such as soy sauce, wine, herbs, spices, etc.
Sautéing is a form of shallow frying that involves cooking food in a small amount of fat or oil in a pan, such as a wok or fry-pan, at high temperature.
The term sauté means ‘jumped or bounced’ and the food is tossed around in the pan. This is a quick cookery method and is best suited to tender cuts of meat. Sautéing can be used for meat and vegetables.
Searing is the process of browning the surface of the meat or vegetables in a small amount of fat in a hot pan. This adds colour and flavour to the finished dish.