Master the Art of Searing Meat for Ultimate Flavor

Get serious about your sear.

Searing is a crucial step for achieving the most flavorful meats, including roasts, steaks, chops, and more. The process caramelizes the natural sugars and browns the proteins, creating a deep, flavorful crust that enhances the savory taste of the dish. The outcome? Steaks become extra juicy, stews and pot roasts gain richer depth, and chicken develops a perfectly crispy golden skin.

We'll guide you through the process of perfect searing with a step-by-step tutorial, using a Roast Beef Tenderloin recipe as an example. Once you master this technique, you can apply it to all meats, poultry, and even seafood.

Recipe: Roast Beef Tenderloin

A beef tenderloin is pan-seared to create a rich, caramelized crust, then slow-roasted atop a flavorful mushroom pan sauce for a simple yet sophisticated meal. Watch the video to see how Chef John seasons and sears the meat before preparing the sauce and finishing the roast in the oven.

Top Searing Tips for Perfect Meat

1. Warm it up. Take the meat out of the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for a short time before searing. This helps the meat relax and reabsorb its natural juices, rather than letting them stay trapped between the fibers. If needed, dry off excess moisture with paper towels.

2. Season generously. Season your meat with salt (and optional pepper). The moisture on the surface helps the seasoning adhere, and as the meat cooks, it forms a delicious seared crust. Note: If your meat is brined or marinated, skip the extra salt. Be mindful if the marinade is sweet or sugary, as the sugars can burn quickly. Pat the meat dry with paper towels to remove excess marinade before searing.

3. Get the pan hot. Ensure the pan you're using for searing is extremely hot. If the pan is too cool when you add the meat, it may stick and tear as you try to flip it.

4. Consider the fat content. Depending on the amount of fat in the meat, you may not need to add extra fat to the pan. For lean cuts, such as pork tenderloin, chicken, or lean beef, add about two tablespoons of vegetable or peanut oil to the pan. (Avoid olive oil or butter, as their smoke point is too low.) Heat the oil on high until it begins to ripple, then add the meat. Note: If searing meat cubes for a stew, don’t overcrowd the pan; doing so will cause the meat to steam instead of searing. It’s better to sear in batches to ensure proper browning.

5. Begin the sear. Place the meat in the pan with the fattiest side down, or add chicken pieces skin-side down. Be cautious, as the hot oil may splatter. Let the meat sear undisturbed for a few minutes (longer for larger cuts, shorter for cubed meat or steaks) before turning it. If the pan was sufficiently hot and the meat seared long enough, it should lift easily from the pan without tearing.

6. Sear the other side. Once one side is nicely seared, flip the meat to sear the other side.

7. Don't overlook the ends. To sear the ends of a roast, take extra care. If the meat tips over, it could splatter hot grease. Use tongs to hold the meat upright if needed. Round roasts tend to roll around, so try leaning the meat against the pan's edge for support while you brown each side.

9. Finish cooking the meat. While the exterior may be beautifully browned, the inside could still be raw. Complete the cooking by roasting the meat in the oven, simmering it on the stove, or adding it to your slow cooker, depending on the recipe you're following.

10. Don't throw away the flavorful bits. Seared meats leave behind tasty pan drippings, known as fond, which can be turned into a rich pan sauce by "deglazing" the pan with a splash of liquid.