Basting (cooking)
{{short description|Periodically coating cooking meat with sauces}}
Basting is a cooking technique that involves cooking meat with either its own juices or some type of preparation such as a sauce or marinade, such as barbecue. The meat is left to cook, then periodically coated with the juice.{{Cite web |last=Tolley |first=John |date=2024-05-22 |title=We Can Thank The British For This Common Barbecue Technique |url=https://www.tastingtable.com/1585988/british-common-barbecue-technique/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Tasting Table |language=en-US}}
Method
Prominently used in grilling, rotisserie, roasting, and other meat preparations where the meat is over heat for extended periods of time, basting is used to keep meat moist during the cooking process and also to apply or enhance flavor. Improperly administered basting, however, may actually lead to the very problem it is designed to prevent: the undesired loss of moisture (drying out) of the meat.Christian Rach: Das Kochgesetzbuch. Edel:Books, ISBN 978-3-841-90039-5. § 121.
If not compensated by countermeasures, the opening of the oven door and the resulting loss of temperature and moisture content of the air circulating inside can lead to increased evaporation from the meat surfaces.{{cite web |last1=Hallinan |first1=Bridget |title=How to Make the Juiciest Thanksgiving Turkey |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/cooking-techniques/mad-genius-citrus-and-butter-turkey |website=Food & Wine |language=en}}
Other alternatives include allowing extended cooking time, administering increased amounts of juices, coating the meat with moisture rich fruits or fat-rich cuts, such as bacon, or actual fat, place moisture rich fruits and vegetables around the cooking meats, and if possible, using a convection oven.{{cite news |last1=DeMello |first1=Lauren |title=Tips And Tricks For Cooking The Best Medium-Rare Steak |url=https://www.mashed.com/742465/tips-and-tricks-for-cooking-the-best-medium-rare-steak/ |work=Mashed.com |date=21 January 2022}}
This is a type of cooking usually recommended for dishes that generally taste mild, but are served with sauces that provide complementing or overpowering flavor to them, for example chicken chasseur.{{cite web |title=The science behind cooking a delicious Thanksgiving meal |url=https://www.uab.edu/news/youcanuse/item/12456-the-science-behind-cooking-a-delicious-thanksgiving-meal |website=UAB News}}
See also
- {{annotated link|Kitchen utensil}}
- {{annotated link|Pastry brush}}
- {{annotated link|Pipette}}
References
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External links
- [http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/basting-questions.htm How Stuff Works - Basting]
{{Cooking techniques}}
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