The chemistry of cooking can be complex (and boring for some of us!), but the unexpected truth is that most techniques come down to one or two essential and simple steps. Are there tiny details that can make something marginally better (or marginally worse)? Yes, there are hundreds of miniscule details you can consider when cooking a steak, for example—from the type of salt used to season or the variety of charcoal in your grill. But for everyday cooking, it’s helpful to know the highlights.
When it comes to searing anything (meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, noodles, even cheese sometimes) there are two essential requirements for getting it right: food will only brown properly when 1. there is very little moisture left on the surface of the item, and 2. the cooking surface is quite hot.
That’s it. Your ingredient should be dry, and your pan should be hot. The chemical process that browns most of our ingredients is the Maillard reaction, which occurs when the proteins and sugars on food are transformed by heat, altering the flavor, aroma, texture, and appearance. In short, the Maillard reaction is the savory equivalent of caramelization—and sometimes it’s referred to that way, even if not exactly accurate. Most ingredients possess some level of moisture, some very high and some very low, which will start to draw out of the item as it’s being cooked. If the pan is not hot enough, that moisture will—at the very most—come to its boiling point and continue at that stage as more moisture is drawn from the item. Since water boils at 212°F and the Maillard reaction doesn’t occur until 280°F or higher, this leaves too much moisture for the steak to get hot enough and dry enough to brown. It is for this same reason that additional moisture on the food is detrimental to the process.
Of course, as interesting as the “why” is, what we need to know is how to make sure this process goes smoothly every time.
Drying Food
Food that will be seared (or sautéed, roasted, grilled—any technique where the goal is exterior browning) doesn’t need to be completely and totally dry. There will be moisture in the pan, since browning requires some small level of moisture anyway. They key is to avoid extra moisture. This can come from marinades, brines, simple salting, and as an impact of packaging from the grocery store.
Manually, you can simply pat the food dry with a paper toweling. Easy and impactful. For more impact, like on a beautiful steak or a holiday turkey, you can place your item on a baking sheet and refrigerate it overnight, uncovered. The air in the refrigerator will dry out the surface of your item, preparing it to get nice and hot, and therefore nice and brown.
Salting your food before cooking is also helpful, since it draws moisture out of the item. We recommend doing it a few hours before cooking (or, overnight, if you like), to allow enough time to bring moisture to the surface. This doubles as a short salt brine, since the moisture mixes with the salt. Some stays on the surface, but some inevitably returns to the item and seasons it from within. Just before cooking, pat dry all sides of the food before adding to the pan.
Heating the Cooking Surface
First, don’t be afraid of a hot pan or grill, especially if you’re searing something that is relatively quick-cooking, like steaks or chicken breast. The goal is for the exterior to get deeply browned before the center over-cooks. This is what happens when you cook at too low of a temperature: in the time it takes for the food to brown, the center is already fully cooked and at risk of drying out and becoming tough.
Always start with what many in the industry refer to as a “screaming hot pan.” Heat your pan, preferably a heavy pan or cast-iron skillet with low sides. High sides trap water as it is evaporates, returning it to the surface of the item. After the pan has heated for a few minutes, perform a water test.
Drop a pinch of room temperature water into the pan. If it takes some time for it to begin sizzling, the pan is not yet hot enough. If the water spits and evaporates as soon as it hits, that pan might be a little too hot. Turn it down and wait a minute before trying again.
If the pan sizzles when the water makes contact and forms droplets that dance around the pan, this is a nice, hot pan. Add your cooking fat and give it 30 seconds or so to get hot. This will help distribute the heat of the pan to the food. Then add your dry ingredient.
Allow time for the pan-side to brown fully. As a rule, if it feels stuck to the pan, it’s not ready, so don’t force it. For smaller items, turn them to check the underside and rotate or flip as needed until all the sides are browned. Like always, it’s important to keep an eye on the pan and adjust the heat as needed. And don’t forget to embrace the color. In food, color = flavor, and a nice, dark (but not burnt) exterior means lots of savory umami flavor that makes the effort worthwhile.
