Searing meat for stew is all about building deep, rich flavor.

 

Searing meat for stew is all about building deep, rich flavor. Here's how you do it right:

1. Pat the meat dry: Use paper towels to get the meat as dry as possible — moisture causes steaming, not searing.

2. Season generously: Sprinkle salt and pepper (and maybe a little flour if you want a thicker stew) all over the meat.

3. Heat your pot: Get a heavy pot (like a Dutch oven) really hot over medium-high heat, then add a little oil with a high smoke point (like canola or avocado oil).

4. Don't overcrowd: Sear the meat in small batches. If you cram too much in at once, it’ll steam instead of brown.

5. Leave it alone: Once you put the meat in, don't move it for a few minutes. Let it develop a nice brown crust before flipping.

6. Brown all sides: You don't have to fully cook it — just get a good sear on most sides for flavor.

Once all your meat is seared, you can build your stew right in the same pot, scraping up all the tasty browned bits at the bottom (that’s called “fond” — pure flavor gold).