Searing Meat

[Matonski]

I'm a beginning cook and I just started to enjoy the wonders of really searing my meat (steaks, roasts, meat for stew/braises, etc) to a nice deep brown crust. I'm getting pretty decent at doing it. My problem is when I have to do more meat than I can fit in the pan. The first batch comes out good, but then the little stuck bits from that batch start to get burned before I can finish the later batches. Of course, the bitter burned taste is not fashionable. So, is there any way around this without washing the pan between batches?

[SeaGal]

One solution is to remove the fat and deglaze the pan between searings. This actually gives you more lovely deglazed bits to flavor your final stew or braise. Then start with a freshly rinsed pan for the next batch.

*oops, edited to add that I just noticed that you don't want to rinse out the pan between searings. I guess you could have more than one pan going at the same time. Anyone else with ideas?

Edited January 26, 2005 by SeaGal (log)

[Wolfert]

Try heating the skillet over medium high heat

Then add the oil or fat

When the oil or fat is hot

Add the meat. Brown well on all sides.

Remove the meat ; pour off the fat.

Repeat with the second batch.

If the second batch is the last one, you can let it brown a little slower and develop debris.

Edited January 26, 2005 by Wolfert (log)

[JPW]

to add my 2 cents to Wolfert's

Things that prevent the stickies 1)make sure oil/fat has time to heat up 2)make sure that you're using enough oil/fat and that it has completely coated the pan 3) make sure that you leave some space between each piece of meat being browned

If there's a couple of little stuck-on pieces that look like they'll burn, do a quick scrape with a wooden spatula and remove.

[Toliver]

Use two pans?

[Luckylies]

all the ideas above are obviously good. since you are new to the game...perhaps remember not to futz with the meat. do not flip, wiggle, move or anything the meat, until it's good and seared or bits will stick when you check on it. I usually only get burned bits when I check on the meat too much.

good luck