What Is Basting?
Basting means spooning, brushing, or squeezing liquid, usually pan juices, melted butter, or a marinade, over food as it cooks, to add flavor and moisture to the surface.
More detail
Basting doesn't cook food from the inside out the way marinating does, it works on the exposed surface, building flavor and a glossy finish as the liquid partially reduces and caramelizes with each pass. It's typically done a few times near the end of cooking rather than continuously, since opening an oven or lifting food off a hot pan too often can slow cooking or dry out the surface between bastes.
Where it's used
Common for roasted or grilled meats (turkey, chicken, ribs) and pan-seared fish or steak finished with butter, where a spoon repeatedly pools melted butter over the food as it cooks.
Substitutes
A spoon works fine if you don't have a basting brush or bulb baster, just tilt the pan slightly to pool the liquid and spoon it over.
FAQ
Is it safe to baste with a marinade the raw meat sat in?
Only if it's brought to a full boil first, to kill any bacteria transferred from the raw meat. Using a separate, reserved portion of marinade set aside before the raw meat went in avoids the issue entirely.
Do I need a basting brush?
No, a large spoon works fine, tilt the pan slightly so the liquid pools on one side, then spoon it over the food repeatedly.
