One of the most common cooking methods found in kitchens may just be sautéing. From preparing meats to veggies, sautéing is versatile and quick when dinner time is approaching.
Here, we’ll share all about what the cooking technique of sautéing is, how to sauté, and helpful tips to use this method with ease.
What is Sautéing?
Sautéing is a dry-heat cooking method that utilizes olive oil (or butter) in a hot pan. The word “sauté” is a French word meaning “jump”. So when sautéing, you’re tossing those ingredients in the pan.
How to Sauté
Sautéing is an easy cooking method that can be applied to a variety of ingredients.
To sauté,
- Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat on the stove.
- Drizzle in some olive oil.
- Add ingredients–vegetables, meat, grains, etc.
- Stir and toss ingredients frequently.
- Optional: when all ingredients are cooked, toss with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
Tips for Sautéing
While sautéing is perhaps one of the easiest cooking techniques to master, there are some helpful tips to ensure your sauté pan ends up delicious.
Start with a Hot Pan
A key to sautéing is to get your pan hot before adding in the oil and ingredients to cook up. This allows the ingredients to cook quickly and evenly while adding that treasured browned texture and flavor.
Embrace the Browning
A cool effect that happens with sautéing is the browning of the outsides of the ingredients. This creates a delicious texture that seals in the flavors. It also helps the ingredients develop a complex and savory flavor that makes the dish so delicious. But this browning only happens when you start with a hot pan with oil.
Stir, Stir, Stir
To ensure all ingredients get a fair opportunity to hang out over the heat source, it’s important to stir frequently when sautéing. This is where the “jumping” element of the sauté comes in.
Sweat it Out
In some cases, you may want to sauté your ingredients at a slower and lower temperature. This is called “sweating” and can also be a helpful cooking technique.
Opt for Small Meats
Sautéing differs from pan frying in that the ingredients are frequently flipped, stirred, and tossed. While pan frying also starts with a hot pan and oil, this technique is better for meats that aren’t flipped frequently, such as steak and fish filets.
Similarly, searing is when a meat is sautéed at a high heat and isn’t moved but rather allows a caramelized coating to form on the outside of the meat.
Sautéing is suitable for things like diced chicken or tofu that are easier to toss. In fact, it’s best if all ingredients in the pan are of a similar size to help with consistent cooking.
Give it Some Room
To allow each ingredient to get that nice browned texture and flavor, it’s important to not overload your sauté pan. Ingredients that are at the bottom of the pan, closest to the heat source, may heat up quickly, while the ingredients not touching the pan are cooler, bringing an unwanted difference in cooking temperatures. This can result in uneven cooking and lessens the effectiveness of that classic sauté.
Sauté Away!
Tossing up a pan of diced meat and veggies can be a quick and easy fix for the dinnertime rush. With this simple cooking technique, you’re on your way to creating delicious and savory meals in no time. Check out a wide range of recipes from Fustini’s Oils & Vinegars by visiting fustinis.com/recipes.