Pan-roast: sear, then oven
A pan heats one side at a time, so the crust browns but the middle lags and the bottom can burn. Hot oven air surrounds the food, so the center catches up while the crust stays put. Sear first, then move it to the oven.
Handle the hot pan, rest the meat
The handle stays scorching long after the pan leaves the oven, so drape a towel over it as a reminder. Rest the meat before cutting so the juices settle. The brown bits in the pan make a quick sauce with a splash of stock.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
Why finish a thick pork chop in the oven after searing?
Oven air evens out the heat around the chop. Hot air surrounds the chop, so the center catches up.
True or false: A pan that has come out of the oven is safe to grab bare-handed because it is off the burner.
False. An oven-hot handle stays hot for a long time; use a mitt.
What went wrong? You sear chops in a skillet with a plastic handle, then slide the whole skillet into a 220°C (425°F) oven.
The pan handle wasn't ovenproof and could melt. Plastic handles aren't safe at that oven heat.
Fill the blank: Searing first builds a brown crust through the ___ reaction.
Searing first builds a brown crust through the Maillard reaction. Amino acids and sugars react on a hot dry surface to brown it.
Why check a thick chop with a thermometer instead of the clock?
Thickness and heat vary, so time is a guess. A thermometer reads the center, which the clock can't.