Gaargekookt

Gaargekookt is a Dutch adjective used to describe food that has been cooked to an excessive degree, i.e., overcooked. The word is a compound of gaar (done, cooked) and gekookt (cooked), and it emphasizes that something has been cooked beyond the optimal doneness.

In everyday language gaargekookt carries a negative connotation. Overcooked foods often have a dry or tough texture, reduced juiciness, and diminished flavor. The outcome varies by product: meat can become dry and chewy, vegetables may turn soft or mushy, and eggs, fish, or starches can develop a rubbery or bland feel. The term is common in informal speech, recipe blogs, and reviews, but less frequent in formal culinary writing, where terms like te gaar or overkoken are more typical.

Gaargekookt can occur for several reasons, such as cooking for too long, cooking at too high a temperature, or inadequate monitoring of doneness. It is generally used to convey a judgment about the result of cooking rather than a precise measurement of internal temperature.

See also: ondergaar (undercooked), halfgaar (half-cooked), te gaar (overcooked), overkoken.