| 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 |
| 1 | 103 | 205 | 308 | 410 |
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combination of microwave and convection heat ovens. The microwaves only partially activate
the flavor-producing chemical reactions of the browning reaction and caramelization.
Uneven heating is also a problem when cooking meat in the microwave. Pre-cooked and
processed meats, however, do well with this method.
To sear or not to sear
The question of searing meat before roasting has been debated for centuries, and
professionals are still divided on this issue. Those who sear before roasting a chunk of meat
swear it seals in flavor. Others feel that you end up with drier meat because the high heat means
more moisture loss. Harold McGee, a food and cooking guru, conducted an experiment (in 1990)
on one-inch-thick (2½-cm) lean steaks, cooked to medium-rare at an internal temperature of
1
40°F (60°C). This is the moisture loss he measured in the various steps:
While cooking
moisture loss of unseared steaks
moisture loss of seared steaks
While cooling on plate
14%
18%
moisture loss of unseared steak
moisture loss of seared steak
22%
25%
The less moisture your steak loses, the juicier, more tender is the meat, so unseared steaks
are clearly the best method of cooking. McGee found that the degree of browning and the eye
appeal were the same in both methods.
Ever watched an amateur outdoor cook grilling over the barbecue (usually a male)? This
cook’s main tool is a sharp-pronged fork which he or she uses to repeatedly poke and stab what
will end up on your plate as a steak. He flips it again and again and pokes some more holes in it.
The meat juices drip into the fire, smelling delicious and creating billows of smoke (while the
neighbors wonder if they should dial the fire department), but all that aroma should stay in the
meat along with the juices. By the time this “weekend chef” takes the meat off the fire and slaps
it on your plate, it is as dry and flavorful as leather.
Never use any instrument to manipulate the meat that can pierce the surface. Each
piercing results in more loss of moisture and flavor. Flipping the meat over and back again a
number of times serves no purpose. For ideal results, place the meat on a hot babecue and turn
once when the first side is done. This makes pronounced grill marks on the first side, the side
that should be facing up on the plate. Once you move the meat even a little bit, the grill marks,
which add so much eye appeal, disappear. A single flip has the advantage of minimal handling,
too. The less you handle the meat, the less chance of juice loss.
Recipes that advocate searing roasts start the process in a very hot oven, then reduce the
temperature to low for the remainder of the roasting time. If the meat is a manageable size,
browning in oil on top of the stove is also a good way to develop full flavor. One disadvantage
for searing in a high-temperature oven is the spattering. The beginning high temperature causes
the fat to sizzle vigorously and spatter all over the oven surface. The smoke coming out of the
oven and setting off the smoke detector tells you that you can expect more cleanup than you
deserve. Roasting on a constant low heat reduces the mess in the oven. From the test with steaks
above, searing is not a good idea anyway.
TASTINGS Weight loss at varying internal meat temperatures
play © erdosh 65
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