Basting

Basting is the technique of periodically spooning or brushing a food, most often a roasting or grilling piece of meat, with liquid, whether its own rendered juices or a separate sauce or marinade, while it cooks. It is used chiefly with methods that expose meat to heat for an extended time, such as roasting, rotisserie cooking and grilling, and its purpose is to keep the surface from drying out and to build additional flavor as the liquid caramelizes on the meat. Basting can work against its own goal if done carelessly, since repeatedly opening an oven door to baste lets heat and moisture escape and can leave the meat drier than if it had been left undisturbed.