What Is Searing?
Searing means cooking food's surface, usually meat or fish, over high heat until it develops a deep brown, flavorful crust, without necessarily cooking it all the way through.
More detail
The browning comes from the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction between proteins and sugars that only happens at high temperatures, which is why a hot, dry pan matters more than cook time. A wet surface, a crowded pan, or moving the food too soon all lower the pan's effective temperature and prevent a real sear from forming, food ends up steaming and graying instead of browning.
Where it's used
Used at the start of a braise (searing meat before it simmers for hours) or as the entire cooking method for a quick-cooking cut like a thin steak or fish fillet, where the sear itself is most of the cooking.
Substitutes
There isn't a real substitute for a hot, dry pan, a nonstick pan can be used but won't develop as deep a crust as stainless steel or cast iron.
FAQ
Why isn't my food browning even though the pan is hot?
Usually surface moisture, pat food very dry before it goes in the pan, since any water on the surface has to evaporate first before browning can start, which wastes the pan's heat and buys time for the food to steam instead.
Do I need to sear food all the way through?
No, searing is about the surface. Thicker cuts usually need to finish cooking through some other way, in the oven, at a lower stovetop heat, or by resting after a hard sear, depending on the cut.
