Basting

Definition

Repeatedly pouring or spooning hot fat/liquid over meat while it cooks to keep it moist and develop flavor. It's micromanagement of meat.

Example Usage

The roast turkey was constantly basted with butter and stock, requiring someone to open the oven every ten minutes and let all the heat escape.

Origin

From the process of 'basting' (to sew loosely)

Fun Fact

Modern testing suggests frequent basting actually slows cooking and may reduce browning, but people do it anyway because it feels right.

Source: Classic roasting and meat preparation techniques

Related Terms

Beginner

Cocotte

A small, individual-serving French cooking vessel—basically a tiny Dutch oven that makes you feel fancy while eating.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

kill the heat

To turn off a burner or oven, usually shouted in panic when something is seconds away from burning. The culinary version of hitting the brakes.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

Lard

To insert strips of fat into lean meat before cooking—the pre-medieval way of preventing dry poultry (before brining was cool).

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

score

Making shallow cuts in the surface of meat, fish, or dough to help with cooking, presentation, or fat rendering. Not to be confused with settling disagreements, though both involve knives.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

feuilleté

A French culinary term for dishes made with delicate layers of puff pastry, because saying 'puff pastry thingy' doesn't justify charging $28 for an appetizer. The word literally means 'leafed' or 'layered,' referring to those impossibly thin, buttery sheets that take hours to make properly. Pronounced 'fuh-yuh-TAY' if you want the waiter to respect you.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

Pince

To caramelize vegetables in a pan with butter and sugar to create a concentrated, slightly sweet glaze. It's not quite candy, but it's definitely on the journey.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Translate This Term

See “Basting” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Beginner

Combo

An abbreviation most often used in fighting game contexts where a combination of hits together did a lot of damage, such...