What Does It Mean to Steep in Cooking?

To soak dry ingredients such as tea leaves, ground coffee, herbs, spices, etc., in liquid (usually hot) until the flavor is infused into the liquid.

How do you steep in cooking?

To leave an item, such as a tea bag, to soak in boiling water or other liquid, for a period of time for the purpose of adding flavor to the liquid.

What does it mean to let it steep?

"Steep" essentially means soak

In the most basic sense, to steep something means to soak it, which is what we do when we prepare tea. We take dry tea leaves, add them to hot water, let them soak, pour out the tea and then drink it. So, when someone says to steep your tea, all you are doing is preparing a cup of tea.