Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "parboil" [par•boil]

  • To cook partially by boiling for a brief period: parboiled and then sautéed the new potatoes. (verb-transitive)
  • To subject to intense, often uncomfortable heat. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "parboil" in a sentence
  • "•Seasoned: Quickly parboil aka blanch, drain, then place in a hot skillet or wok with a tablespoon or two of your favorite high-heat cooking oil and toss to coat."
  • "Corn•Curried kernels: With a sharp knife, slice off kernels and parboil for one minute in a small saucepan."
  • "But always parboil the liver first by dropping it into boiling water for a moment to seal in the juices and insure it remains tender, rather than turning into something resembling shoe leather."