--- title: "Char: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Charring cooks food over intense heat until parts of the surface turn black and blistered, adding smoky flavor to peppers, corn, onions and meat." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/char" --- # Char Charring cooks food over intense heat until parts of the surface turn black and blistered, adding smoky flavor to peppers, corn, onions and meat. Also called Charred, Charring, Fire-roast. To char is to cook food over very high, direct heat until patches of the surface turn black. A little charring adds a bitter, smoky edge that balances sweet vegetables and rich meat. It is different from burning: you char the outside in spots and stop before the whole surface is black and acrid. Recipes often char peppers, chiles, corn, onions, tomatoes, eggplant and the edges of grilled meat. ## How to do it On a gas flame: 1. Set a whole pepper or chile straight on the burner over high heat. 2. Turn it with tongs every minute or so until the skin is black and blistered all over, 5 to 8 minutes. 3. To peel, put it in a covered bowl for 10 minutes. The steam loosens the skin, which then rubs off. In a pan, on a grill, or under a broiler: 1. Heat a dry cast iron pan, a [grill](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/grill) or the [broiler](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/broil) (grill in the UK) until very hot. 2. Add the food in one layer with a light coat of oil, or none for skins you will peel. 3. Leave it alone so dark spots can form, then turn it. ## How to tell it is done For vegetables you will peel, the skin should be black and puffed over most of the surface while the flesh is soft. For food you will eat with the char, aim for dark brown to black spots on 10 to 30 percent of the surface, with the rest browned. ## How to use it * Charred peppers and tomatoes go into salsas and sauces such as romesco. * Charred onions give stock and broth color and depth. * Charred eggplant, cooked whole until it collapses, is the base of smoky dips. * Corn charred on the cob gets sweet and nutty. ## Common mistakes * Moving the food too often. Contact time builds the spots. * Peeling and then rinsing. Water washes away the smoky flavor. Wipe off stray skin instead. * Charring everything. Too much black tastes harsh and covers the food. Stop at spots. * Confusing it with [blackening](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/blacken), which browns a spice crust and does not char the food itself. ## Recipes that use this technique 11 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Old-Bay-Sheen-Pan-Shrimp-with-Corn-and-Tomatoes-5.jpg)Old Bay Sheet Pan Shrimp with Corn and Tomatoeswww.skinnytaste.com · 30 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/sheet-pan-shrimp-with-corn-and-tomatoes/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Grilled-Shrimp-Tacos-7.jpg)Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Peach Salsawww.skinnytaste.com · 35 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/grilled-shrimp-tacos-with-peach-salsa/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/BlackenedFishTacos-2.jpg)Blackened Fish Tacos with Cabbage Mango Slawwww.skinnytaste.com · 30 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/blackened-fish-tacos-with-cabbage-mango/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CedarPlankBrownSugarSpice-RubbedSalmon.jpg)Cedar Plank Spice-Rubbed Salmonwww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/cedar-plank-spice-rubbed-salmon/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Cacio-E-Pepe-Brussels-Sprouts-6.jpg)Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sproutswww.skinnytaste.com · 25 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/cacio-e-pepe-brussels-sprouts/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Cod-Fish-Tacos-5.jpg)Cod Fish Tacoswww.skinnytaste.com · 30 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/cod-fish-tacos/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/One-Pot-Chicken-and-Artichoke-Cavatappi-8.jpg)One-Pot Chicken and Artichoke Cavatappiwww.skinnytaste.com · 45 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/one-pot-chicken-and-artichoke-cavatappi/) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Caprese-Grilled-Cheese-Recipe.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Loaded Caprese Grilled Cheesepinchofyum.com · 30 min](https://pinchofyum.com/caprese-grilled-cheese) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Vegan-Walnut-Chorizo-Tacos-Feature-1.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Walnut Chorizo Tacos with Pineapple Salsapinchofyum.com · 50 min](https://pinchofyum.com/walnut-chorizo-tacos) * [![](https://pinchofyum.com/tachyon/Brussel-Sprout-Tacos-Square.jpg?fit=225%2C225)Brussels Sprouts Tacospinchofyum.com · 45 min](https://pinchofyum.com/brussels-sprouts-tacos) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Simple-Grilled-Corn-Salsa-Minimalist-Baker.jpg)Perfect Grilled Corn Salsaminimalistbaker.com · 30 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/perfect-grilled-corn-salsa/) ## Related terms * [GrillGrilling cooks food on a grate over direct, high heat from charcoal, gas or wood. It gives a browned, smoky crust and those dark stripes in minutes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/grill) * [BroilBroiling cooks food with strong, direct heat from the top element of the oven. It browns cheese, chars peppers and cooks thin cuts in a few minutes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/broil) * [BlackenBlackening coats fish or meat in butter and a spicy herb rub, then sears it in a very hot cast iron pan until the spices form a dark, flavorful crust.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/blacken) * [SearSearing browns the surface of meat or fish in a very hot pan to build a deep, flavorful crust. It adds flavor but does not seal in juices.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sear) * [PlanchaA plancha is a thick, very hot flat-top used in Spanish cooking. Cooking a la plancha sears seafood, meat and vegetables fast with only a little oil.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/plancha) [More in dry-heat cooking](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/dry-heat-cooking)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)