Saute

Definition

Cooking food quickly in a small amount of fat over high heat while tossing it around the pan. The word literally means 'to jump' in French, which describes both the food in the pan and you when the oil starts spitting at your bare arms.

Example Usage

"I sauteed the vegetables with a dramatic pan flip like I saw on TV. Half the mushrooms are on the floor now. The dog is thrilled."

Related Terms

Advanced

fond de veau

A rich veal stock reduced to a gelatinous demi-glace, considered the foundation of classical French sauces. The liquid gold that takes days to make properly and costs your firstborn to buy commercially.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

forcemeat

Finely minced or ground meat mixed with fat, spices, and seasonings, typically used as stuffing for poultry, pâtés, or terrines—fancy culinary speak for 'really well-seasoned meatloaf mixture.' This classical preparation requires careful grinding and blending to achieve the proper emulsification and texture. It's what happens when chefs decide that regular ground meat isn't sophisticated enough.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

ticket

The printed order from the dining room that dictates a cook's immediate future and stress level. When the ticket printer won't stop chattering, you know you're in for a rough night.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

concassé

Tomatoes that have been blanched, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped—basically tomatoes that have been through a spa treatment. The term can apply to other coarsely chopped ingredients too.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

window

The opening between kitchen and dining room where completed plates stage before service, slowly dying under heat lamps. Also known as the pass, where quality control theoretically happens.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

beurre monté

An emulsion of butter and water that remains creamy and fluid even when warm, used for poaching or enriching sauces. Molecular wizardry that keeps butter from breaking when you need it liquid but still buttery.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Translate This Term

See “Saute” 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

DNFTT

Primarily used in forums, social media platforms, and other Internet communities, DNFTT helps maintain a more pleasant o...