Why dry steak/meat/chicken/fish before cooking on a stove?
For most recipes the instructions for cooking a steak on a stove say "pat the steak dry" then cook on the stove.
The drying instructions I have also seen for chicken and fish.
Why dry steak/meat/chicken/fish before cooking on a stove?
(I saw another question that was asking about how to dry the meat but not why.)
Best Answer
Because any moisture left on the surface will turn into steam upon touching the hot pan.
The steam will cause a lot of oil splatters (which is not only a huge mess, but can also hurt you), and if it can't evaporate fast enough, will interfere with proper browning, especially if you are overcrowding your pan or if your meat exudes a lot of moisture.
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Quick Answer about "Why dry steak/meat/chicken/fish before cooking on a stove?"
Tender cuts of meat, cooked by dry-heat methods, result in tender and juicy products. Less-tender cuts must be cooked for longer periods of time by moist-heat methods, to soften the connective tissue, prevent surface drying and to develop flavor.Why do you dry meat before cooking?
The idea is to get a nice caramelized skin or a crispier skin. Patting any protein like meat, chicken, fish, prawn, etc. correctly reduces the protein's overall moisture content. That means if you leave your protein as it is without pat drying it, it is going to release more moisture while you leave it to cook.Why do you dry chicken before cooking?
"If you correctly pat the chicken dry prior to cooking, you will get a crispier skin," Sidoti told INSIDER, adding that the goal of drying the chicken is to "reduce the chicken's overall moisture content. If the chicken is not dry, it will release more moisture while cooking."Why does steak need to be dry before cooking?
Dry that baby out. Why dry? You can't sear if you're steaming, and if there's water in or on your steak, then you ARE steaming until it's all evaporated. That's just science. So we remove the moisture beforehand, allowing the sear to get started ASAP.Should you pat dry meat before cooking?
This helps develop the crust while tempering the heat, which helps the meat cook evenly. Key step: Always start with a dry surface on the meat so you get a sear, not a steam. Even if you marinate the meat, pat it dry before cooking.How To Tenderize ANY Meat!
More answers regarding why dry steak/meat/chicken/fish before cooking on a stove?
Answer 2
To get a good sear (grill marks/browning)
If you don't, the moisture will generate steam , cooling the cooking surface and preventing it getting over 100deg C
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