IDEAS IN FOOD: Tips For An Even Sear

Chops, steaks or fish fillets are perfect for a quick meal, as long as you cook them properly. Pan searing is one of our favorite cooking methods and once you master it, you're never far from a good meal. You need to start with a good, heavy bottomed pan and give it a nice coating of oil. Don't freak out abut the oil, most of it will stay in the pan. Keep in mind that if the surface of the meat or fish is not in contact with the oil it won't brown properly. Set the pan over medium high heat and when it just starts to smoke, add your protein. It should sizzle. After 30 seconds or so, flip your chops/steaks/fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Many people leave the heat too high and that causes the protein to char at the edges, You're looking for a nice golden brown crust over the entire surface and it's imperative that your heat is just high enough to sizzle and not smoke and burn. Flip every 30 seconds or so, until you have a beautiful crust on both sides of your protein. Once everything is a deep golden brown on both sides, add a knob of butter and some fresh herbs and baste until the butter melts and the herbs brown slightly but do not burn. Use a spatula to transfer your protein to a warm plate and let it rest. If your proteins are on the thicker side, cover them loosely with an inverted plate to encourage a little extra carry over cooking, if they are on the thinner side, just make sure the plate is in a warm spot so they don't cool off too much before you're ready to serve them. It's been my experience that using this method, once a perfect sear is achieved, things are pretty close to perfectly cooked. (Yes that's a little magical but it really does work.) Pour out the excess fat and add vegetables to saute and serve alongside or make a pan sauce to serve over the top. I usually do vegetables instead of sauce because then I have a one pan meal. Quick, easy, and super-delicious.

Years Past

January 31, 2007 (2)

January 31, 2006