There is nothing quite like a perfectly seared chicken breast or scallop. That golden brown color is the hallmark of restaurant quality dishes. Getting that perfect sear is not easy. You need several things working in your favor all at once.
On a recent trip to Gordon Ramsay’s Academy outside of London, I picked up one special trick that can make all the difference. More on that in a minute. First, let’s go over what is essential for a good sear.
You need a good pan. You can use nonstick but they are not designed to get as hot as needed for a great sear. If you are just getting started in your cooking journey, you can use a nonstick pan to give you more confidence. However, the gold standard for searing is a stainless steel or cast iron pan. Heat the pan over medium high heat. Heat the pan dry with no oil at this point.
Whatever you are searing needs to be bone dry. If the meat, fish or vegetable is wet or even moist, it will steam and not sear.
To test if the pan is hot enough, add one drop of water. If the water quickly evaporates and dances across the pan, you are good to go. If it sits there a second and just barely bubbles it is not hot enough. If the water explodes quickly, the pan is too hot.
Once the pan is the correct temperature, place the food you want to sear on a plate or in a bowl. Add your oil to the food, not the pan. Make sure all sides are coated. This is the tip I picked up from Chef Ramsay. Adding the oil to the food and not the pan keeps oil from burning in the places on the pan where there is no food.
Place your oiled food to the pan. Do not move it around or try to turn it too soon. It needs that contact with the pan to form the crust. For some delicate foods like scallops, this will only take a few minutes. For beef or chicken, it may take 5-7 minutes. The food should release easily once the sear or crust has formed.
Turn the food once a golden brown sear has been achieved and cook the other side. If you have a large piece of meat or chicken, you can finish it in the oven to get the internal temperature correct.
Now you can impress your friends and family with a perfect sear.
Don’t miss another great blog: Subscribe Now