Tip of the Day - How to Sear Meat

by Sarah LeTrent, Posted Oct 16th 2009 @ 9:00AM

Not getting that brown, restaurant-quality crust on your protein? Learn how to sear food nicely with these tips.

Photo: jypsygen, Flickr.

Before searing, make sure the ingredients are completely dry. Pat everything down with paper towels to sop up excess moisture. Otherwise, the food will just steam in the pan.

Don't be afraid of high heat. Preheat the pan and add the oil of your choosing. When it just reaches the smoking point, the pan is hot enough to add the protein.

Once the meat is in the pan, don't micromanage. Pretend there's a "do not disturb" sign and let the heat go to work. After a few minutes, shake the pan, and if the meat releases easily, it's time to flip it. If it sticks, it means that the proteins aren't done melding.

For all the food nerds out there, the technical term behind this brown crust is the Maillard reaction -- when amino acids in the protein chemically react with a sugar or carbohydrate, causing them to turn brown. For a layman's example, think of what happens to bread in the toaster.

Got any other meat-searing tips? Share them in the comments.

Filed Under: Tip of the Day
Tags: beef, how to sear meat, HowToSearMeat, maillard reaction, MaillardReaction, meat, searing, searing meat, SearingMeat, tip of the day, TipOfTheDay