ASK THE PLUCKEMIN
INN CHEF DAVID C. FELTON
This month's food question comes
from Amanda Boston of Somerville. She
writes:
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| "Hi Chef. Can you tell me what pan-seared
means? I see it in a lot of restaurants,
but I’m not sure I get it. Isn’t
it the same thing as fried or sautéed? |
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| Hi Amanda. Thanks for your question. Actually,
it’s slightly different. The term
“sear” is a general term that
means to expose a meat or fish to very high
heat for a short period of time. This method
seals in that meat’s juices, and cooks
it very quickly. Searing can be done in
a pan, or in a broiler. Sauteed foods are
specifically referring to foods cooked in
a pan, with some kind of heating or lubricating
agent, like olive oil. The level of heat
is high, but not as high as with searing.
Also, some foods can be submerged entirely
in oil, either in a pan or a deep fryer.
Searing is mostly a dry method, although
in some cases, a lubricating agent may be
employed, or the meat’s natural juices
may form some liquid in the pan. Hope this
answers your question. |
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