Basting (cooking)

When you cook a big piece of meat like a turkey or a ham, sometimes you want to make sure it stays juicy and tender. One way to do this is by basting it.

Basting is like giving a drink of water to the meat while it's cooking in the oven or on the stove. You use a special tool called a baster, which looks like a big eyedropper.

First, you mix up a special liquid called a basting sauce. This can be anything from melted butter to a mixture of spices and broth. You might even add a little of the juices that are already in the pan.

Then, you use the baster to suck up some of the basting sauce, and squirt it all over the meat while it's cooking. This sauce drips down onto the meat and keeps it moist and flavorful.

It's important to be careful when basting - you don't want to burn yourself or spill the hot liquid. But if you do it right, basting can be a fun and tasty way to make sure your meat turns out yummy and juicy.