Although many think searing is a cooking method that results in a raw piece of fish or meat, this does not have to be the case! Stovetop Searing is a great way to cook your fish. However, searing is not the method to use if you want to cook meat well done.
I especially love to use this stovetop searing method when I am cooking tuna or salmon. Both these fish I like to prepare rare to medium. Tuna, especially, can become dry after cooking, but searing really seals in its juice, keeping tuna nice and moist.
Many times I cook the piece of fish quickly in the hot pan, and after removing it, give the pan just a quick wipe with a paper towel—then continue making the sauce in the same pan. It sure makes cleaning up a breeze, and the pan adds flavor to the sauce. I wipe the pan just enough to remove any burnt particles that sometimes appear because these not only are bad for health but detract from the appearance of the sauce.
I also avoid using non-stick pans for health reasons. A stainless steel pan works fine�just allow it to get plenty hot. The fish has less tendency to stick when the pan is good and hot. This method also allows us to have a perfectly seared piece of fish without heating oil to cook it. However, your piece of fish or meat should not be more than 1-inch thick. Searing is not the best method of cooking to use for thicker cuts.
How To Stovetop Sear
Heat a stainless steel pan over medium high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Season your meat or fish and place in the hot pan. When the pan is nice and hot, it will seal in the juices of the fish or meat and cook it rather quickly. Once the fish or meat has sealed, you may want to turn the heat to medium, so it doesn�t burn while cooking the inside. After a couple of minutes, turn the meat or fish and cook on other side.
Following are some of our quick recipes the use Stovetop Searing: