uneven cooking
Spots burn, spots raw
Uneven cooking is when food cooks at different rates across its surface or interior, leaving some parts overdone while others remain undercooked: The chicken had crispy skin but the breast was still pink near the bone.
Common causes include hot spots in ovens, overcrowded pans, or pieces of irregular thickness.
The problem is what recipe instructions like "rotate halfway through" aim to prevent.
- hot spotsAreas of intense activity
- hotspotsTrendy or active areas
- cold spotsAreas notably colder nearby
- burnt edgesOvercooked outer portions
- scorchedBurned on surface
undercooked · patchy · inconsistent · microwave · stovetop · charred · soggy · turning · stirring · rotating · browning · pale · blackened · heat distribution · flipping · learning curve · thin spots · convection
- cooking flawsburned, overcooked, undercooked, scorched, raw
- cooking mistakesburnt toast, burned food, undercooked, burnt popcorn, overcooked
- meat defectsbruising, discoloration, off odor, spoilage, freezer burn