Cul 500

Vocabulary 1

Au sec – reduce until nearly dry

Caul fat – a fatty membrane from pig, sheep or cow, can be used to bard roasts.

Stewing hen – a mature female chicken, over 10 months old, good for stewing or braising.

Squab – an immature pigeon, less than 4 weeks, good for broiling, roasting, or sauteing.

Ballotine – deboning and stuffing a poultry leg.

Beurre Manie – equal weights of flour and softened butter combined into a paste and used to thicken liquids at the end of the cooking process.

Gastrique – caramelized sugar deglazed with vinegar.

Confit – meat or poultry slow cooked in its own fat.

Chutney – a condiment made from fruits and-or vegetables, can be sweet and/or sour and contain spices.

Duxelle – coarse past of mushrooms with shallots in butter.

Vocabulary 2

Primal cuts – Primary divisions of muscle, bone and connective tissue created in the initial butchering of an animal.

Collagen – A protein found in connective tissue that becomes gelatinous when cooked with moisture.

Elastin – A protein found in connective tissue (ligaments and tendons, silverskin) that does not break down with cooking.

Barding – Tying slices of fat (bacon or fatback) to lean cuts in order to protect, moisten, and flavor while cooking.

Trussing – Tie meat or poultry into a compact shape for cooking.

Frenching – all meat and connective tissue are removed from bones until it is bare.

Grain (muscle) – The direction of the muscle fibers, cut across the grain for a more tender bite.

Sous Vide – “Under Vacuum” Low temp, moist heat cooking method.

Marbling – intramuscular fat; fat streaks within the meat.

A la minute – A preparation step that occurs at the last minute before service.