Basted
Basted or basting is a cooking term which refers to the coating or moistening of a food item with juices, butter or a sauce while it is being baked. This technique heightens the flavor, softens the texture and improves the flavor of the food item. The basting technique can be used with foods such as:
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Pork
- Beef
- Fish
- Turkey
- Vegetables
Basting a food item requires that the cook opens the oven while the food is cooking and periodically injects or pours juice, butter or sauce over the food itself. This helps the dish to soak up moisture while cooking, thus adding flavor. Baking will naturally extract the moisture from meat, so basting is necessary to preserve the moisture and heighten the flavor. Cooks use the basting technique often because it not only improves the flavor but the texture as well. The basting process could also be a way to add a new flavor to the dish. Basting could be used to incorporate Asian, Indian and other spices into the dish such as making teriyaki chicken wings or curry chicken.
