Sautéing is a dry-heat cooking method that uses conduction to transfer heat from a hot sauté pan to the food. The heat then enters the food through conduction. High temperatures are used for sautéing, and the food is usually cut into thin or small pieces to promote cooking. To properly sauté food, start by heating a sauté pan on the stove, then add a small amount of fat. The fat should just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the fat to just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the fat to just enough to start smoking. The food to be cooked should be as dry as possible when it is placed in the pan to promote browning and prevent excessive splattering.
Remove excess surface moisture from the food using clean paper towels. Damp foods such as fish fillets or chicken pieces are best dipped in flour before frying. Place the food in a single layer in the pan. (The pan should be large enough to hold the food in a single layer; a pan that is too large can cause the fat to burn.) Adjust the heat so that the food cooks thoroughly. It should not be so hot that the outside of the food burns before it is cooked. The pan should be hot enough to quickly evaporate the moisture on the surface of the food.
The food should be turned or flipped periodically to produce the proper color. Large items should be turned using chef’s forks or tongs that will not pierce the surface. Small items can be sautéed by shaking the pan and using the sloping sides of the pan to flip the items over. When sautéing fried foods, keep the pan in contact with the heat source as much as possible to prevent it from cooling. Sautéing sometimes involves preparing the sauce directly in the pan after removing the main item.
When used in small amounts as a cooking medium, it can be a healthy way to prepare lean cuts of meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables. Using nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron cookware for frying foods reduces the need for additional fat.
Sweating
Sweating is related to sautéing. It is used to cook food in a pan (usually covered), without browning, over low heat until the food is tender and releases moisture. Sweating helps the food release its flavor more quickly when cooked with other foods. Chopped vegetables such as carrots, celery, mushrooms, or onions are often sweated before browning or added to soups and stews for additional cooking.
Procedure for Sautéing Foods
- 1 Chop, pound, or otherwise prepare the food for frying. Season it and, if desired, dredge it in flour.
- 2 Heat a sauté pan and add enough fat (usually oil or clarified butter) to coat the bottom of the pan.
- 3 Add the food to the sauté pan in a single layer, presentation side down. Do not crowd the pan.
- 4 Adjust the temperature so that the outside of the food is properly browned without burning and the inside is cooked through. To complete the cooking process, the heat should be high enough that the food begins to stew in its own juices.
- 5 Turn or flip the food as needed. Avoid splashing hot fat to avoid burning.
- 6 Cook until done. Doneness is usually determined by time or touch.
