overcook

verb

over·​cook ˌō-vər-ˈku̇k 

overcooked; overcooking

transitive + intransitive

: to cook (food) too much or for too long

… Americans have finally learned not to overcook their fish.

—Craig Claiborne

… relatively small pieces of meat or fish that are easily overcooked and, as a result, become dry …

—Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

… has come up with a slightly fussy method … that keeps the breast meat from overcooking.

—Jeremy Sauer

Keep testing for doneness, because it can overcook in an instant and almost disintegrate.

—Eric Hastie

Whisk together over low heat until the mixture thickens … being careful not to overcook or it will curdle.

—Larry Forgione

overcooked adjective

… serving rubbery, overcooked meals …

—James Suckling

… the vegetables … were crisp, not overcooked.

—The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union-News

… as floppy as a strand of overcooked spaghetti.

—Science

Examples of overcook in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bake using a water bath: Water surrounding the cheesecake will remain under 212°F, meaning your cheesecake will bake gently without direct heat overcooking the exterior. —Micah A Leal, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2023

Anova Precision Cooker Nano 3.0 for $100 ($50 off) Best Buy Sous vide cooking is a great way to stop overcooking your food. —Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 11 Oct. 2023

Slow-Cooker Garlicky Shrimp A slow cooker’s gentle heat is great for producing shrimp that are not overcooked. —Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2023

Find out how to reheat crab legs without overcooking them. —Tamara Gane, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2023

If the filet hadn’t been overcooked, James and Kennedy’s entree would have been the best of the night, the judges said. —Kturnqui, oregonlive, 24 Aug. 2023

This will help render the fat and crisp up the skin properly without overcooking the interior of the meat (pull when internal temp hits 130-degrees). —Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 17 Aug. 2023

The rice was overcooked in most of the Dutch oven, perhaps due to excessive moisture retention. —Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 20 Oct. 2023

Whereas the first film was a genuinely bold step for animation, Dawn of the Nugget is overcooked. —Jack Francis, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2023

See More

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above