Parboil: meaning, definitions and examples

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parboil

[ˈpɑːrˌbɔɪl ]

Definition

^{Context #1 | Verb}

cooking

To partially cook by boiling. Parboiling is often used as a preparation method for further cooking, such as grilling or roasting.

Synonyms

partially boil, precook.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
parboil	Parboil is typically used in cooking when food, usually vegetables, needs to be boiled partially before being cooked through another method like frying or roasting. You should parboil the potatoes before roasting them in the oven to ensure they cook evenly. Parboil the green beans for a few minutes, then sauté them with garlic and lemon.
partially boil	Partially boil is a more descriptive and straightforward term compared to 'parboil'. It is used to describe the same process but is often favored in casual or instructional contexts. It's important to partially boil the pasta before adding it to the baked dish. To make sure the carrots aren't too hard, partially boil them for about 5 minutes.
precook	Precook refers broadly to cooking food partially or entirely before a later use or final preparation. It is often used in the context of preparing meals in advance or when referring to food industries. You can precook the chicken breasts and store them in the fridge for use in salads throughout the week. Precook the rice the night before to save time during dinner preparation.

Word

Description / Examples

parboil

Parboil is typically used in cooking when food, usually vegetables, needs to be boiled partially before being cooked through another method like frying or roasting.

You should parboil the potatoes before roasting them in the oven to ensure they cook evenly.
Parboil the green beans for a few minutes, then sauté them with garlic and lemon.

partially boil

Partially boil is a more descriptive and straightforward term compared to 'parboil'. It is used to describe the same process but is often favored in casual or instructional contexts.

It's important to partially boil the pasta before adding it to the baked dish.
To make sure the carrots aren't too hard, partially boil them for about 5 minutes.

precook

Precook refers broadly to cooking food partially or entirely before a later use or final preparation. It is often used in the context of preparing meals in advance or when referring to food industries.

You can precook the chicken breasts and store them in the fridge for use in salads throughout the week.
Precook the rice the night before to save time during dinner preparation.

Examples of usage

Before grilling the chicken, the chef decided to parboil it to ensure it was cooked through.
The recipe instructed to parboil the vegetables before adding them to the stir-fry.

Interesting Facts

Culinary Techniques

This method helps soften foods, making it easier to finish cooking them later.
By parboiling vegetables before frying, they can retain more nutrients and color.
Parboiling grains, like rice or pasta, ensures they cook evenly without becoming mushy later.

Etymology

The word comes from the combination of 'part' and 'boil', indicating the process is only partially cooking.
It has roots in Middle French, where 'parboillir' means to boil thoroughly, reflecting a cooking technique evolution.

Cultural Practices

In many Asian cuisines, parboiling is crucial for preparing vegetables before stir-frying to keep their crunch.
Southern cooking often employs this technique for preparing ingredients in dishes like gumbo and jambalaya.

Science of Cooking

Parboiling develops a gelatinized exterior on grains, which helps prevent overcooking during the main cooking phase.
The heat from parboiling can also kill harmful bacteria, making food safer to eat before further cooking.

Health and Nutrition

This technique can reduce cooking time, allowing you to preserve some nutrients that can be lost in longer cooking processes.
Parboiling can help remove some undesirable flavors or toxins from certain foods, such as potatoes or beans.

Translations

Translations of the word "parboil" in other languages:

🇵🇹 pré-cozinhar

🇮🇳 आधा पकाना

🇩🇪 vorkochen

🇮🇩 merebus setengah matang

🇺🇦 попередньо варити

🇵🇱 wstępnie gotować

🇯🇵 下茹でする

🇫🇷 précuire

🇪🇸 pre-cocer

🇹🇷 ön haşlamak

🇰🇷 반쯤 익히다

🇸🇦 سلق جزئي

🇨🇿 předvařit

🇸🇰 predvariť

🇨🇳 预煮

🇸🇮 predkuhati

🇮🇸 forsjóða

🇰🇿 алдын-ала қайнату

🇬🇪 წინასწარ მოხარშვა

🇦🇿 qaynadıb hazırlamaq

🇲🇽 pre-cocer

Word Frequency Rank

At position #40,194, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.

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40191 llano
40192 puffball
40193 empath
40194 parboil
40195 butty
40196 unmemorable
40197 miring
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