Why and How to Sear Meat

 How to Sear Meat

• A hot pan is key to getting the caramelised crust you’re looking for – don’t use a non stick pan
• Add some oil to the pan and when it starts to bubble and smoke a tiny bit, you’re ready to  add your meat to the pan
• While you’re searing your meat, swirl the oil around the pan so it’s evenly coated and is making a continuous thin coating under the meat
• Just like cooking a steak – resist the temptation to turn! The meat needs a few minutes on each side to do it’s thing. You’ll notice that it will stick to the bottom of the pan when you first turn it to an uncooked side, but it will naturally come unstuck once it’s seared.
• If you’re cooking cut pieces of meat (e.g. to go in to a casserole), make sure you have a single layer with space in between each piece of meat. You may need to sear the meat in batches.
• You can test if it’s seared and ready to be turned by giving the pan a gentle shake. If the meat moves, it’s comes unstuck and is ready to be turned to another side.
• Once all sides are seared, transfer the meat to your roasting pan, slow cooker, or whatever method you’re using and continue the cooking process.