Searing meat is the process of cooking it rapidly with a hot-surface temperature, high enough to produce a brown crust on the surface that can be easily broken off and absorbed into the meat.
It is essentially the same as cooking over high heat on a gas or charcoal grill, but on the stovetop.
The meat is placed on a hot surface and cooked for a brief period of time to produce a tasty crust.
Searing meat has yet-another benefit; it results in much more even cooking, which makes for more consistent cooking throughout. The meat will sear quickly if it is quickly moved from one side of the pan to the other, and if you have an extremely hot pan you will get more even browning and less overcooking.
Searing meat with dry heat is often referred to as searing. Searing with moist heat (water or steam) is sometimes referred to as braising.
Why Buy A Searing Pan?
Many people skip over buying a proper searing pan because they prefer not to use one, thinking they might as well just use a pan on the stove. The truth is, they’ll be missing out on the incredible benefits that a properly seared piece of meat can produce.
The most important thing to remember when you’re buying a searing pan is to buy one with a lid.
You’ll want something that has some weight to it so that you can sear meat without lifting the lid and letting heat escape.
You’ll also want an enamel-coated cast iron pan.
Cast iron is superior at retaining heat and producing caramelized flavors, but it’s more expensive than other options, so be sure to do your research before buying one.
Why Would You Want To Sear?
The answer is simple: flavor.
The process of searing creates a layer of flavorful browned crust on the surface of the meat. This layer is what we refer to as the Maillard reaction (or ‘browning’), which occurs when amino acids in food react with oxygen, forming tasty compounds such as pyruvic acid, carbon dioxide, and in some cases, melanoidins.
The Maillard reaction produces hundreds of chemical compounds found in many foods (including meats). These compounds give foods their flavor and aroma. Since they are produced during cooking (not buying), these chemical compounds are what we call ‘flavor’.
The mouth-watering aroma from steaks seared on a hot pan is an excellent way to entice friends and family to eat more of your food.
Why Is Searing Important?
Searing meat is not just about making it taste better. It’s also about producing a consistent, evenly cooked piece of meat.
The Maillard reaction occurs on the surface of the meat, which means that if you sear enough meat at once, you’ll get a nice brown crust on all sides of the meat, but if you only sear a few pieces at once, you’ll end up with some pieces that are overcooked and others that are undercooked.
- Heat your searing pan on the stove over high heat.
- Add a little olive oil to the pan (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan).
- Add your meat and cook it in the pan, flipping it occasionally, until the surface of the meat is completely browned and caramelized.
- Remove from heat and transfer cooked meat to a plate or cutting board.
- Cover with a plate or lid (to trap all of that delicious browned crust).
- Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Conclusion:
A great way to add flavor to steaks is to sear them on a hot pan. The browned crust that forms on the meat is what makes a good steak great.
Searing is also a great way to cook meats in bulk, which means that you can get more bang for your buck when purchasing steaks.
Searing meat also tastes better than cooked meat cooked in the oven or on the stovetop.
FAQs
Q: Does searing meat in the oven or on the stovetop produce a similar result?
A: No. The reason that searing produces a better result than cooking steaks in an oven is that the high heat of searing creates a layer of flavorful browned crust on the surface of the meat.
Q: Why should I sear meat?
A: Searing improves the flavor of your meat and extends the time that you can cook it. You can also use searing to cook meats in bulk, which means that you don’t have to buy as many steaks or other cuts of meat.