Crosshatch refers to a pattern of intersecting lines that form small diamonds or squares. In cooking, it most commonly describes the grill-mark pattern created by rotating food on a grill, or the shallow criss-cross scoring cut into the surface of an ingredient.
To create a crosshatch pattern, place the food on clean, hot grill grates and allow the first set of marks to form. Rotate the food approximately 45 degrees without flipping it, then continue cooking. Turn the food over and repeat if grill marks are desired on both sides. The pattern is primarily visual; it does not by itself improve doneness or flavour.
Shallow diagonal cuts can be made in the surface of foods such as duck breast skin, eggplant or certain vegetables. Scoring can help fat render, allow seasoning to reach the surface or create a decorative pattern. Cuts should be controlled so they do not damage the structure of the ingredient.
Crosshatch grill marks are produced by rotating food on the grill. Crosshatch scoring is a knife-cut pattern made before cooking. The two techniques create a similar visual design but have different purposes.
Chef’s tip: Use a clean, well-heated grill and avoid moving the food repeatedly before the marks develop. For duck breast, score the skin without cutting deeply into the meat.
Key distinction: Crosshatch describes a criss-cross pattern; in cooking it may refer to grill marks or to deliberate surface scoring.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
