How to Use cook-off in a Sentence

cook-off

1 of 2 noun
  • Wear your green and enjoy green Jell-O shots, chili cook-off and more.
    — Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 13 Mar. 2024
  • The cook-off was held at Zeke’s Restaurant in Orange Beach.
    — Lawrence Specker | [email protected], al, 14 June 2023
  • Expect cooking demos, a jerk cook-off, and a seafood throw-down.
    — Ann Trieger Kurland, BostonGlobe.com, 27 June 2023
  • The town is also known for its famous chili cook-off that began in 1967.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 June 2024
  • This month is the chance to experience some of the best kitchen skills in Mississippi’s part of the Gulf Coast, through not one but two cook-offs.
    — Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Terlingua is also home to two renowned chili cook-offs, which bring in thousands each fall.
    — Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2023
  • Expect at least two chili cook-offs in San Francisco and Morgan Hill.
    — Jay R. Brooks, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2024
  • On April 21, Rubio’s hosted its first fish taco cook-off in the test kitchen at its Carlsbad headquarters.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 May 2023
  • What: Catfish cook-off, live music, food, games, photo booth, climbing wall and more.
    — Mary Colurso | [email protected], al, 13 Sep. 2023
  • People come from continents away to partake of these meals and even invite Dodin and his household to cook-offs.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2024
  • Always held the third weekend of August, the event of 22 years hosts BBQ cook-offs, food competitions, live music and more.
    — Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 19 Mar. 2024
  • The three-day fest located on 18th Street and includes an open-air mercado and outdoor mole cook-off.
    — Shanzeh Ahmad, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2023
  • They each host a regional cook-off that will culminate in Madison.
    — Kristine M. Kierzek, Journal Sentinel, 30 May 2023
  • But the Neales have come a long way since their first neighborhood cook-off in 2015, which netted them a bowling trophy for best barbecue ribs.
    — Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
  • For reality fans who skew more culinary, there is no better binge-watch than Top Chef, the series where chefs compete in a high-stakes cook-off.
    — EW.com, 21 July 2024
  • Featured will be a parade, carnival rides, beer tent, rib cook-off, bags tournament, arts and crafts fair and the Miss Libertyville Pageant.
    — Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2023
  • There will also be food competitions such as the chili cook-off, where for $25, visitors can sample and vote for their favorite.
    — Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2025
  • Plans for the event include a chili cook-off, crawfish, inflatables, kid's activities, karaoke and more.
    — Special To The Camden News, Arkansas Online, 24 Feb. 2023
  • In addition to the famous crab soup cook-off, try out the new Naptown Seafood Sampler featuring eight samples from Maryland restaurants, plus a drink, for $25.
    — Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2023
  • Sidelines will also be hosting its annual chili cook-off.
    — Mckenzie Rankin, Axios, 6 Feb. 2025
  • This three-day celebration takes over the city every May, drawing in thousands of visitors for cook-offs, live music, and of course, crawfish served in every which way.
    — Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Saturday’s cool breeze brought the promise of fall to Clarkson Park Saturday, where sweet and tangy barbecue recipes were tested during the annual rib cook-off.
    — Gina Grillo, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2023
  • The always popular event is largest one-day chili cook-off in the country according to the International Chili Society.
    — Heather McRea, Orange County Register, 2 June 2024
  • The two-day event will also include an array of food and beverage demonstrations, cook-off competitions and panel discussions.
    — Mariya Moseley, refinery29.com, 11 Oct. 2023
  • Her plans include hosting a local band showcase, a community barbecue cook-off, and an event highlighting local gospel artists and radio stations.
    — The Arizona Republic, 21 Feb. 2023
  • Family pictures with Santa (11 a.m.-1 p.m.), mini vendor market, Coca Cola memorabilia, chili cook-off, hot dogs and baked goods.
    — Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Admission is free and a $20 taste wristband is required for the chili cook-off.
    — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Feb. 2026

cook off

2 of 2 verb
  • As the meat roasts, the sheet pan allows the cider to cook off without steaming the meat.
    — Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Dec. 2022
  • Sprinkle the flour over the beef and cook, stirring, to cook off the raw flavor of the flour, about 1 minute.
    — cleveland, 1 July 2020
  • Sprinkle the flour into the pan and mix to combine, then add the brandy and cook off. Add the stock.
    — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 28 Mar. 2023
  • Add sherry to deglaze the pan and cook off the alcohol.
    — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 28 Mar. 2023
  • If there’s some liquid left in the pan, remove the top pan and let the liquid cook off.
    — Bettina Makalintal, Bon Appétit, 4 Jan. 2022
  • Let the vodka cook off and reduce before stirring in the cream.
    — Elise Taylor, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2023
  • Or have some fun with the food and consider a virtual cook off.
    — Aly Walansky, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2022
  • Alcohol will cook off, and lemon juice can take on rancid notes.
    — M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2023
  • The lid should fit the pot securely, yet still allow some steam to escape so that moisture can cook off in soups and stews.
    — Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 9 Nov. 2020
  • There have been some volcanic events that cook off a bunch of coal, for example, and fire that into the atmosphere.
    — Michael Calore, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2023
  • Some of the liquid is also cooked off in the process of creating brown butter, leading to denser, chewier cookies.
    — Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2023
  • The shirataki will release quite a lot of liquid, as they are stored in water, so take a minute to cook off the liquid until the pan is dry.
    — Chihiro Tomioka, Bon Appétit, 20 May 2022
  • Here’s hoping next year’s cook off will be live, tasty and a bit heated in flavor and competition.
    — cleveland, 7 Feb. 2021
  • If the surface of your steak is damp, the heat of the pan first has to cook off that water.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
  • Pour in the bourbon and simmer for about 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol while keeping the flavor.
    — Stacker, Denver Post, 12 May 2026
  • Giving them space—and time undisturbed—lets their moisture cook off so the edges brown properly.
    — Andy Baraghani, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Rice finishes cooking off the heat.
    — Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Mike Conley looks absolutely cooked off the bench.
    — Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
  • In the blender, those met up with sautéed poblanos, onion, and garlic, before having any remaining raw edges cooked off in a saucepan.
    — Joe Ray, Wired News, 8 Dec. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cook-off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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