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

Avoid overcooking: Overcooking is the easiest way to dry out chicken. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2025

Most rice cookers tend to overcook brown rice, and the KitchenAid was a pleasant departure from the trend. —Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 14 Jan. 2025

The verdict: The bowl was quite filling, the veggies were not overcooked (a pet peeve of mine) and the dressing tied it together nicely. —Joe Guillen, Axios, 10 Dec. 2024

Cooking the pasta separately from the soup prevents it from overcooking, becoming mushy, and continuing to absorb up the broth when stored. —Nicole Hopper, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above