Sear vs Saute

Service Description

In this class, we'll explore: 1. Definition and Key Differences Searing: This technique involves cooking food at a high temperature with the goal of developing a rich, brown, caramelized crust on the surface. It’s often used for meats like steaks, chicken, or fish. Sautéing: This technique is performed over medium to high heat, typically with a smaller amount of fat, and is more focused on evenly cooking ingredients while developing flavor, often for vegetables, proteins, or smaller cuts of meat. 2. Temperature and Time Searing requires very high heat to quickly brown the exterior of the food without overcooking the inside. Sautéing usually involves medium to high heat and is a bit more controlled, allowing you to cook the food through while still achieving browning, but without the same intense crust. 3. Best Foods for Each Technique Searing works best for foods that benefit from a crust, like steaks, pork chops, and even fish fillets. It’s about flavor and texture on the outside. Sautéing is great for more delicate foods like vegetables, shrimp, or small cuts of poultry that don’t need that hard outer layer but still need proper cooking and flavor development. 4. Tools and Equipment Searing is best done in a heavy-bottomed pan, such as a cast iron skillet, which retains and distributes heat well. Sautéing is often done in a sauté pan with sloped sides, which makes it easier to toss and stir the ingredients for even cooking. 5. Fat Choices For searing, you’ll often use oils or fats with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or clarified butter, to avoid burning. Sautéing often uses butter, olive oil, or a combination, depending on the dish, and typically uses a moderate amount to coat the ingredients. 6. Results and Flavor Searing leads to a highly flavorful, richly browned crust that locks in juices. It creates complex flavors and textures. Sautéing brings out natural sweetness, caramelization, and depth in the food without the heavy crust. 7. Practical Exercises In the class, we will practice each technique with different foods—searing steaks and sautéing vegetables—and discuss how to adjust the heat and timing for the best results. By the end of the class, you’ll understand when to sear versus sauté to get the textures, flavors, and cooking results you desire. Ready to get started?