Plowboy
somebody shut me the fark up.
Anyone see the Good Eats episode where they addressed cookng myths? One was that "Searing locks in the juices". He did an experiment that showed that you lose more moisture when searing than oven roasting, etc.
From Wikipedia...
It is commonly believed that this acts to lock in the moisture or "seal in the juices" of the food. However, it has been scientifically shown that searing results in a greater net loss of moisture versus cooking to the same internal temperature without first searing. Nonetheless it remains an essential technique in cooking meat for several reasons:
[edit] Sealing in the juices
The belief that searing meat "seals in the juices" is widespread and still often repeated. This theory was first put forth by Justus von Liebig, a German chemist and food scientist, around 1850[1]. The notion was embraced by contemporary cooks and authors including Auguste Escoffier.
Simple experimentation can test the theory: cook two similar cuts of meat, searing one first and not the other. Weigh the end results to see which loses more moisture. (The Food Network program Good Eats carried out such a test in episode EA1H22, Myth Smashers.) As early as the 1930s, such experiments were carried out; the seared roasts lost the same amount of moisture or more. (Generally more, since searing exposes the meat to higher temperatures.)
In short, the crust created by searing is in no way waterproof. Moisture in liquid and vapor form can and does continue to escape from a seared piece of meat.
From Wikipedia...
It is commonly believed that this acts to lock in the moisture or "seal in the juices" of the food. However, it has been scientifically shown that searing results in a greater net loss of moisture versus cooking to the same internal temperature without first searing. Nonetheless it remains an essential technique in cooking meat for several reasons:
- The browning creates desirable flavors through caramelization and the Maillard reaction.
- The appearance of the food is usually improved with a well-browned crust.
- The contrast in taste and texture between the crust and the interior makes the food more interesting to the palate.
[edit] Sealing in the juices
The belief that searing meat "seals in the juices" is widespread and still often repeated. This theory was first put forth by Justus von Liebig, a German chemist and food scientist, around 1850[1]. The notion was embraced by contemporary cooks and authors including Auguste Escoffier.
Simple experimentation can test the theory: cook two similar cuts of meat, searing one first and not the other. Weigh the end results to see which loses more moisture. (The Food Network program Good Eats carried out such a test in episode EA1H22, Myth Smashers.) As early as the 1930s, such experiments were carried out; the seared roasts lost the same amount of moisture or more. (Generally more, since searing exposes the meat to higher temperatures.)
In short, the crust created by searing is in no way waterproof. Moisture in liquid and vapor form can and does continue to escape from a seared piece of meat.
