[burn] {sth} to a (crisp|cinder)

to cause significant damage or destruction to something by subjecting it to intense heat or fire

The idiom "burn something to a crisp" likely originates from the visual and descriptive imagery of something being completely incinerated or reduced to ashes or cinders after a fire. It is used metaphorically to describe a situation where something has been thoroughly and excessively burnt, often signifying an irreparable state of damage or destruction.

The sun was scorching hot, and it burned the grass to a crisp.
The overcooked steak was completely burnt to a crisp and inedible.
The abandoned building had been left for so long that it was burnt to a crisp by the time the firefighters arrived.
Her attempt at baking the cake ended in disaster, as it was burnt to a crisp in the oven.
The old, neglected documents were found in the attic, nearly burnt to cinders by years of exposure to extreme temperatures.

(of food) to be burned completely, due to being cooked too much or for too long

The idiom "burn something to a crisp" has its origin in the destructive and transformative power of fire. The phrase is used to suggest that something has been burned completely, leaving it charred, blackened, and reduced to ashes or cinders. It conveys the idea of intense heat and destruction. The use of "crisp" or "cinder" emphasizes the thoroughness and completeness of the burning process. Here are five example sentences using the idiom:

Nothing ruins a perfectly juicy and savory bacon like burning it into a crisp.
The fire was so intense that it burned the entire forest to a crisp, leaving behind a barren landscape.
I accidentally left the toast in the toaster for too long, and it ended up burned to a crisp.
The building was engulfed in flames, and within minutes, it was burned to a cinder.
The chef cooked the steak for too long, and it was burned to a crisp, making it inedible.