THE SECRET TO BROWNING MEAT
‘Top Chef’ alum Grayson Schmitz explains how to brown meats perfectly
I’ve never been very good at browning meats, and I blame it on one of my few cooking vices, which is that I love to touch. Whether it’s grilling, sautéing, or stirring, I constantly have my cooking utensil in hand and am touching the food. With browning, I flip the meat after only a few seconds of it searing in the pan, resulting in soggy, dull brown meat that is less than subpar. Canola Oil: A fat like canola oil or vegetable oil is the best to brown meats in because it has the highest burning point, making it easy to brown your meat at high temperatures without giving it a black char. High, High Heat: I think the expression Schmitz chose to use that day was “whooping hot,” and she was right. Don’t put your meat into the meat until the oil is at least 375 degrees. Give It Four Minutes: Schmitz gave me a time to go by so that I wouldn’t give into my weakness of touching the meat, and it was four minutes. As soon as four minutes was up, she allowed me to at least poke under the hood and see if the meat was ready to turn. thedailymeal.com