America not prepared for culinary technique (10)

I believe the answer is:

maceration

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'culinary technique' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.

'america not prepared' is the wordplay.
'prepared' indicates anagramming the letters.
'america'+'not'='americanot'
'americanot' anagrammed gives 'MACERATION'.

'for' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for maceration that I've seen is " culinary breakdown".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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