Wednesday, June 5, 2013

How to get a perfect sear on meat

Cooking meat well is something that takes practice.
While a nice color on a piece of meat looks inviting, more importantly, that color means flavor.
When you sear a piece of meat, the sugars in the meat are caramelized. 
The result is delicious and that sear on the meat also helps to keep the moisture inside.
The good news is that searing meat is easy and it involves few steps.
How to get a perfect sear on pork, red meat or chicken:
  • Take the meat out of the refrigerator and

     bring it to room temperature before cooking it. 
    Don’t leave it out more than an hour.
  • With a paper towel, pat the meat dry to remove any moisture from the surface. That moisture can interfere with the searing process.
  • Drizzle the surface of the meat with a small amount of olive oil and season with pepper and sea salt 
    (I also use other spices and garlic)

     Give the meat a nice little massage so the surface is evenly coated.
  • In a pan, heat your olive oil. 
    Tip: when a drop of water sizzles when it hits the surface of the pan, you’re ready to add your meat.
  • Put your meat in the pan 
    (fat side down if applicable).
  • Don’t flip your meat too soon.
     Leave the surface of the meat on the hot pan until the meat is deeply colored, and it doesn’t stick when you move it. 
    Sear both sides of the meat.
  • For a steak, searing a steak properly may cook it enough for your preference if you like a rare steak. Leave it in the pan a little longer if you like it cooked more, or finish it in the oven at 400 degrees.
  • For pork chops, searing alone probably won’t cook the meat thoroughly. Finish in the oven at 400 degrees or keep it in the pan until it’s done.
  • For chicken, put the meat in and keep the surface of the chicken in contact with the pan until it’s nice and brown. Do not flip it before it’s ready! When a crust has developed and the meat no longer sticks, flip it over.
  • The searing process won’t necessarily cook the chicken through, so if you need to give it more time in the pan, turn the pan to low and add a little bit of liquid (wine is a great choice) before covering the pan. That heat will continue cooking the meat without burning it or drying it out. You could also finish it in the oven at 400 degrees.
Practice makes perfect!

Stay Frugal,
Daniela

Linking to
Savvy Southern Style
twelveOeight

8 comments:

Amy of While Wearing Heels said...

I have been cooking serious since I got married and no one has ever explained this to me like this. I think I knew most of it but now it kind of all makes sense. Thanks!

Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder said...

Dearest Daniela,
That's exactly how I do sear our meat. For Monday when I cooked for 10 guests (+both of us = 12), I seared 6 pork tenderloins from Trader Joe's. To the olive oil I add just a little bit of unsalted butter (both from Costco) and that gives always a great result. When it still was rosé inside I had Pieter cut it into slices and with the juices I let it become tender inside the oven. That way it also is warm before serving. I also did sear my boiled potatoes, after cutting them up, the same way and placed them in the oven after I got them done. Cleaning up the cooking top and having the kitchen looking tidy before guests arrive. Veggies in the microwave and salad on the plates... Dessert made the day before and also on plates in the fridge.
LOVE to cook as you can stay on top of healthy eating.
Hugs,
Mariette

Revi said...

I saw Julia Child dry her meat, before that I didn't know about it. Daniela, I still want to come over for dinner...:)
-Revi

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the simple guidelines to all these meats in one place! It'll save a lot of time for my hubs, now cook.
Janet

NanaDiana said...

For a young girl you sure know a lot about cooking! You are a smart girl..and I always sear my meat, too. xo Diana

Mindi@MyLove2Create said...

I appreciate this! I sear my roasts but I haven't done it with chicken....Great as usual Dani! I know my husband will like this too! Pinning!

Mindi@MyLove2Create said...

I appreciate this! I sear my roasts but I haven't done it with chicken....Great as usual Dani! I know my husband will like this too! Pinning!

Unknown said...

You are so right, this makes a huge difference and I wish I would have known how to do this starting out! Stop by later to see your post featured :)

xo, Tanya
http://twelveoeight.blogspot.com/