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By Root 588 0

Some cuts of meat are quite tough and require prolonged cooking in order to break down connective tissues. Stew meat, lamb shanks, and chuck roast, for example, can be seared to add that “browned” flavor, but then should be slowly braised or simmered until done.

BIG RED BOOKO’ BLUE

I like filet of tenderloin steak as much as the next guy. A good one is at least 1 ½-inches thick, though, and if you try to sear it to doneness (meaning medium-rare, of course) the outside will look and taste like a meteorite.

The solution: butterfly it. Lay out the meat and find the edge that’s kind of flat. Pick up your boning knife and turn the steak so that the flat side is facing away from the knife. Carefully slice the steak horizontally through the center, cutting through to the flat edge. Then open it like a book.

Liberally season the steak and sear one side. Flip and repeat. Now just look at what you’ve done. You’ve doubled the flavor by doubling the seared surface area (and how about adding a bit of blue cheese in the center, too?)

THE TROUBLE WITH SEARING

Doneness is a big issue. If the meat is thin enough, by the time the first side has earned its golden crust the interior will have cooked halfway through, so you flip. By the time the second side reaches maximum crustage (a minute or two longer than it took the first side, since the pan isn’t as hot) you should have a perfectly cooked piece of meat.

However, the great majority of the meats that present themselves to the cook are not the perfect shape or size and therefore will not be done on the inside by the time the outer surfaces have reached golden brown and delicious status. The way I see it, you’re left with three solid choices:

1. Change the thickness of the food.

2. Sear to attain a yummy crust then finish cooking by another method.

3. Stick with foods that are natural-born searers.

Master Profile: Searing

Heattype: dry

Mode of transmission: 100-percent conduction

Rate of transmission: very high

Common transmitters: metal pans and griddles

Temperature range: the widest range of any cooking method, from very low to very, very high

Target food characteristics:

• low surface-to-mass ratio

• wide, flat shape

• high-protein foods that profit from a contrast between surface and interior doneness: beef steaks, tuna steaks, scallops

• starchy batters: pancakes, crepes, and so on

Non-culinary use: branding cattle (and in some cases, fraternity members)

SEARING: THE SHORT FORM

1. Decrease the difference in temperature between refrigerated meat and your oven before starting the process; counter the meat for up to 30 minutes, depending on the size.

As long as you’ve read the section called cleanliness is Next to. . . and put safe habits into practice, that is.

2. Don’t be afraid to let the pan get hot. Heat the pan over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes if the food is small (a single duck breast) or 5 minutes if the food is large (a flank steak). Consider several small pieces (four duck breasts) to be one big piece.

3. Season the meat with salt as soon as you put the pan on to heat.

4. Double-check everything before you start because once the food hits the pan, there is no turning back.

5. Examine both sides of the target food—whichever side looks best goes down first. When you turn the food, the pan isn’t as hot as it was when you started, so the second crust doesn’t form as quickly. This means it probably won’t look as gosh-darned delicious as the first side, which is why you cooked the handsome side first.

6. When you place the food in the pan there is going to be noise and maybe some smoke. Many people who cook respond to this by grabbing the food and moving it around. This is not a good thing to do.

7. The food is hot, it’s juicy, the kitchen smells great, the table’s set—time to dig in, right? Wrong. Heat is still applying pressure to the meat, and any slicing or poking will result in a rapid exodus of juicy goodness. Place seared meat on a resting rack,