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

In the movie, everyone at the table was disappointed because the turkey was overcooked. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024

The countertop appliance does an excellent job of browning the vegetable without overcooking it. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2024

Even cooking: Foil helps reflect some of the heat and prevents the breast from overcooking before the thighs are done. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2024

The exterior portions tend to get overcooked, while parts of the meat closer to the bone have the tendency to be rare, and the discrepancy can be disconcerting, says Pandel. —Mary Squillace, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above