Searing

Purpose

Apply brief, intense direct heat to form a browned exterior while keeping the interior at its intended doneness.

Controls

Control surface dryness, contact heat, duration, and resting temperature; use short exposure to limit overcooking.

Process

1. Dry and season the food, heat the cooking surface, sear each side briefly, then rest or finish as required.

Failure Modes

Symptom	Likely cause	Corrective action
Grey band	The food spent too long over high heat.	Increase surface heat and shorten the sear.