How to Sear

Here is how to sear. This may seem obvious. It is not.

1. Heat a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed pan over high heat until it is hot enough that you can’t keep your hand an inch above the surface for more than a couple of seconds.

2. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. You don’t want to fry your food, you just want the oil to conduct heat between the pan and the food. The small amount of oil should heat in a couple of seconds.

Note: Use a neutral oil that can get really hot without smoking, such as canola, soy, or vegetable oil. It is not a good idea to use olive oil, butter, and other super flavorful fats because if you get them hot enough to sear meat, they will burn. And your food will taste burnt, and you will probably set of your smoke alarm, especially if you live in a tiny New York apartment.

3. Put your food in the pan. If you are searing a bunch of stuff, everything needs a little room. Don’t just throw it all in — work in batches or get a bigger pan. If you crowd the pan, your pan will cool down too much, and your food will steam or slow-cook instead of searing.

Source: dish-delicious.com

 

The pan on the left is crowded; those mushrooms will NEVER brown, and will probably be mushy. The pan on the right is the one you want to mimic; see how those mushrooms are all touching the pan and getting nice and brown?

4. Let your food sit in the pan until the underside is completely browned. You can check after a few minutes, but try to move the food as little as possible. In order to create a good sear, you need constant contact between the surface of the pan and the surface of the food.

5. When you’ve got a good sear on the underside, flip food over and do the same on the other side (or rotate, if you’re searing something with more than two sides).