Moderately crowding the pan

[Shalmanese]

Virtually every cooking show admonishes you from crowding the pan when searing meat, claiming it causes the meat to steam instead. However, I've found an equally bad problem for me is undercrowding the pan. Nowadays, when I'm searing something, I aim for about 80 - 90% pan coverage to get a superior sear.

My hypothesis is that the parts of the pan not covered by the meat end up getting too hot which can cause the oil to break down and acrid flavors to come out. Furthermore, for the same quantity of oil, crowding the pan causes the oil to rise up further, giving you more of a shallow fry vs pan sear effect. It's true you could just use more oil with less food like restaurants do but it can get tricky dealing with the excess fat.

What do you find works best for you regarding how crowded a pan should be?

[Kerry Beal]

There is a sweet spot for sure - I'd say about 75 to 80% for most of the pans I like to sear in.

[Anna N]

I think that's why it is important to have a range of pan sizes. One size does not fit all when it comes to searing things. Love my electric skillet when I need a large surface area.

[gfweb]

I think the issue isn't crowding so much as cooling of the pan by more meat than the pan can handle. Cast iron is harder to crowd than aluminum.

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[Anna N]

I think the issue isn't crowding so much as cooling of the pan by more meat than the pan can handle. Cast iron is harder to crowd than aluminum.

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Your are right of course but the issue with cast iron is that it is very hard to determine when the frond is starting to burn because of the "blackness" of the pan. I prefer to use cast iron to sear when I can but I do know that the colour is a problem.

[emannths]

I think the issue isn't crowding so much as cooling of the pan by more meat than the pan can handle.

This has got to be the issue. Think of searing a steak or large fillet of fish. It sears perfectly fine even though the center of the cut is totally surrounded by meat. You just need a hot enough stove to be able to keep the juices leaking from meat from cooling the pan too much.

[dcarch]

By some degree of crowding, you significantly reduce surface of the meat exposed to air.

This will reduce radiant heat(sensible heat) loss, convective heat(sensible heat) loss and evaporative cooling (latent heat) of surface moisture.

dcarch

Edited October 21, 2011 by dcarch (log)

[Edward J]

For me, overcrowding means meat overlapping, heaped up high, etc. About 75% coverage of the pan works best in my opinion.

[andiesenji]

I probably do more "overcrowding" than most because in my many years of experience I have found that for my purposes a little crowding is not all that bad and for some meats is to be encouraged.

As long as I can see the bottom of the pan here and there, I don't consider it overcrowding.

One particular meat that benefits IMO from a little overcrowding is the pork chop. I think that they dry out too much when isolated in a pan.

But that's just me. One of my favorite (and most often requested) dishes is "smothered" pork chops and they certainly benefit from being crowded together in the pan.

Another is turkey medallions. I don't want the edges dry and curled up and this is what happens if they aren't crowded in the pan.

However, this is all an individual preference subject and I think everyone has to determine what works and doesn't work for them. If you like your meats or whatever cooked widely separated in a pan, like little islands here and there, by all means do so. There are no cooking police to cite you for doing it "wrong."

Edited October 21, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[patrickamory]

Interesting - I hadn't heard this. Julia Child always says to select a pan that will just accommodate the meat being grilled.

I usually sear my pork chops or veal chops in an All-Clad saute pan that just fits them - perhaps 10% of the pan is not covered - and have no problem getting a fine sear over a medium-high gas burner.