The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

(Nandana) #1

Score:



  • Commandment I: Perfect Crust? Negative

  • Commandment II: No Gray Zone? Check.

  • Commandment III: Full-on Juiciness? Unknown.


The Myth of the Sear
Jump back a couple of decades and the solution to my
dilemma would have been obvious. It was a commonly held
belief (and still is by many home cooks and professional
chefs alike) that in order to help a roast, steak, or chop retain
moisture, you should first sear it, creating a crust that will
“lock in the juices.” Now, anyone who has read their Harold
McGee or has ever seen juices squeeze out through the
seared side of a steak after you flip it over on the grill knows
that this can’t possibly be completely true. But what about

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