Techniques: Sauté

A lot of people ask me about certain techniques of how to cook properly.  I figured i'd start writing a few articles/posts about proper cooking techniques.  To kick it off, here is how you are supposed to properly Sauté.

The dictionary defines Sauté as such:

Sauté – [soʊˈteɪ - soh-tey] :
adjective            
1. cooked or browned in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.
verb (used with object)
2. to cook in a small amount of fat; pan-fry.

The literal translation of sauté is “to jump.” This is a technique that is a relatively easy concept but is often executed poorly. I often have to demonstrate this technique to my cooks. When sautéing always remember there are 3 simple principles to follow:

·         Always use high heat

·         Use a small amount of fat

·         Keep the product moving

To Sauté, follow this process:

1.       Heat the pan until it is extremely hot

2.       Heat the fat to just the smoking point

3.       Add the product and cook quickly (tossing in the pan – jumping the product)

The end result of sautéing is the caramelization of the product. Caramelization is the process of the products surface sugars browning, which often occurs around 310^oF-338^oF. This process is also thought as the Maillard Reaction. However, the process of caramelization and the Maillard Reaction are different. The key differentiator is the addition of an amino acid during the Maillard Reaction (ie caramel). That I can cover in a later article. In short, when sautéing, always remember the simple rules: Hot Pan, Hot Oil, Jump the Product. Happy Cooking!