The Ultimate Guide to Differentiating Sauce, Gravy, Dipping Sauce, Condiment, Spread, and Seasoning

There is more confusion among the sauce, gravy, dipping sauce, condiment and seasoning. I have explained everything here to make you understand the actual differentiation among them. The information has been taken from internet and from the discussion with chef. we will also do practice from the couple of example for better understanding

1. Sauce

Sauce is actually defined to anything which are thin, semi - thick, thick and chunky liquid which are made from different form of vegetables [ chop and puree], fruits, flour [roux or just plain flour], fat [Butter] and consistency of thickness and thinness is adjusted with liquid [ water, broth, stock and milk] and flavored with anything according to recipe requirement. In case of Indian cuisine,. it is said gravy in place of sauce to their thick liquid dish. Sauce gives the consistency, texture, taste and flavor to the foods. Sauce can be hot or cold and it can be either used for finishing dish or served with prepared dish. sauce can be served with any kinds of foods such as boiled, grilled, roasted, fried foods and so on. Example of sauce such as pizza sauce, napolitana sauce, lemon and butter sauce, mayonnaise sauce, hollandaise sauce and so on.

In the below picture, it is added small amount of sauce around the food, which is sauce, but it is actually used for food presentation. it means sauce is also used as garnishing for presenting the dish.

2. Gravy

Gravy is defined as a thick and more viscous liquid which is made from the meat juice and thicken with flour or starch for adding texture and other flavoring agents is also used to add flavor such as herbs and spices. Stock and broth is added to the gravy to add extra more flavor. gravy is brown in color and often goes with roast and grilled meat dish. gravy has flavorful liquid and roast and smoky flavor. How actually meat juice is bring. Actually when we cook any meat items in the oven and after an hours when you take out the tray, it can be seen the juice on the tray which came out from the meat, that is a meat juice and later on flour or starch, broth or stock and flavoring agent is added into it to make gravy. In the modern age of cooking, Gravy powder is available in the market which is made from the meat powder, thickening agent and so on. so you just need to add liquid water or stock to bring the required consistency. In the below picture, it can be seen the brown sauce which is a gravy goes with roasted beef.

3. Dipping Sauce

Dip or Dipping sauce is defined as any hot and cold thin, semi - thin liquid, thick, semi - thick, viscous or chunky sauce which come in a small ball along with the food on the same plate or on a side, In which piece of food is dip into it before eating. dipping sauce can be anything in which food is dipped before eating. Dipping sauce adds more flavor in food and to enhance the taste of the food. Normally, dip sauce is eaten with foods sauce as crackers, bread, chips and fried foods, but it can be eaten with anything. There are some example for better understanding. In the below image picture, you can see the sauce in a small bowl with the steamed vegetables.

Another example, when you order the KFC fried chicken, you will get small sauce with the chicken or they ask you to choose your sauce which is called dipping sauce.

4. Condiment

Condiment is defined as a any ingredients that are used to add flavor and taste to the foods such as dry or liquid ingredients like soya sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper and so on. condiment is always added into the ready foods. condition when ingredients is called condiment. for example you order noodles and you get your order on the table and you had a bit of noodles and then you think, umm, oh, I have to add some ketchup and you ask to waiter, can I get ketchup for my noodles, which is become a condiments because you first taste your food and you think, I have to add this for enhance the flavor and taste. Slat and pepper which is on the dining table are also a condiment.

4. Spread

spread is a thick, jelly like sauce which are often goes with bread. we always use a knife or spoon for spreading the spread on the bread and so on. Anything which is spread on the food with spoon is known as spread. The example of spread are butter, jam, cream cheese and so on.

5. Seasoning

seasoning is defined as the process of adding salt, herbs and spices to the cooking food to enhance the flavor and taste. salt, spices and herbs are the seasoning ingredients.

Example 1

I ordered the crispy pork and I got steamed rice, soup and sweet and sour sauce in a bowl with the crispy pork. The sweet and sour sauce is a dipping sauce for the crispy pork.

Example 2

I ordered samosa. I got samosa with mint sauce on my table and I called the waiter and ask for the ketchup. The ketchup became condiment because I taste and think ketchup goes well with samosa.

Example 3

I ordered samosa. I got samosa with ketchup on side in a small bowl on my table. The ketchup became dipping sauce because it comes in a small bowl with the dish, in which dish is dipped into the it before eating.

Example 4

I ordered samosa. I got samosa with ketchup but ketchup on plate or on the top of samosa. The ketchup became sauce because dipping sauce always come in a small bowl and condiment does come with food. I taste and think ketchup goes well with samosa.

Example 5

You are seating on the dining table and waiter bring the box of salt and pepper and put on your table, what is this, condiment or seasoning. it is condiment because you will be going to use when you have some bit of your food and you think , I have to add some more salt and then you will add, seasoning is added while cooking the foods and dish.

Culinarian Institute is a free online learning platform which share you all the basic to advance culinary arts information that lend a hand to be a professional chef in future.

Contact Information
Content Writer : Chef BBS

Facebook Page : https://www.chefbbspage.com

Instagram : https://www.chefbbsinstagram.com

Facebook : https://www.chefbbsfacebook.com