There’s a reason many recipes call for searing meat prior to braising it (as in our osso bucco recipe), caramelizing onions, and searing fish. Although the belief that searing “seals in the flavor/juices” has been scientifically discredited, it is undeniable that a nice brown sear increases the flavor of your food.
This browning is known as the “maillard reaction,” (or simply “maillard” to some chefs) which is defined as the caramelization of surface sugars. It deepens flavor (in fact awakening an entire new set of flavor compounds), softens some foods’ spicy bite (slowly caramelized onions are downright sweet), and leaves fond behind in the pan for you to deglaze into a flavorful soup or sauce. There are even recipes that call for blackening food (cajun spiced “blackened fish” being the most famous, but we have a blackened romanesco recipe).
So the next time you cook high quality meat or fish fillets, don’t be afraid to brown your food! Go for a nice flavorful crust! Just be careful not to leave the middle raw (more raw than you want it to be) or overcooked in the process.
Check out our posts on how to pan sear fish, pan roasting steaks, and pan roasted chicken for more tips and information.