Josh wrote:Isn't the general consensus of opinion (backed up by experimentation) that searing meat does not lock in any moisture. Googling 'searing meat moisture keep myth' certainly says it is. It does add a nice flavoured crust though.
Back to the topic of curing pork loins it's something I'm keen to try so if anyone wishes to post a recipe they've had success with I'd be most appreciative.
Cheers
Hi Josh.
How moist meat will turn out depends a lot on what cut of meat you use but also how the animal has been raised and finally what breed of animal the meat comes from.
A pice of meat which is trimmed of all fat and comes from a cut which is sheer meat such as the denderloin will sertainly be drier than a cut from the neck or shoulder.
If the animal has been grown naturally and given time to fatten up all the meat will be more moist after cooking than the meat of an animal that has been "pumped" up in a couple of month.
With all respect to science, but I always treat it with caution. Never noticed that scientific result can be read the way so it pleased all? The vegetarians use science to prove that meat is NOT healthy. The butcher trade uses the same science to proof that meat IS healthy. And so I could go on about many subject.
However, personally I always relay on commensense and experience which come from the facts and not experiments.
It is a fact that when you sear meat that the outer layer closes its cells due to extreme heat (it shinks). Do do so the pan or grill has to be extremly hot and the searing has to occur within seconds on all sides.
If you, as I read once in a cook book, sear meat by leaving it several minutes on one side and then turn the meat over, it will be useless. The reason is that the meat will heat from one side and push the moisture out the other side, a bit like squeezing out a sponge.
To sear meat properly the searing has to happen fast, shoking the meat. Searing has to happen on all sides within seconds. As soon the searing is done turn down the heat to a normal cooking temperature. The meat has to be constantly turned so it can cook on all sides equal. Cooking the meat first on one side and then on the other is not good.
I have been grilling steaks for more years then I care to count and never had I dried out steak, pork or beef.
I am fanatic about meat and concidered a huge meat lover but it has to be done right to take my fancy and one way for me proven by experience has been to sear the meat first.
Regards
Othmar