The Culinary Works

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Sauté is the French word for “jump”  and it is also basic cooking technique that uses a small amount of fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat.    The goal of the sauté is to quickly cook diced or chopped foods so that food is lighly browned and thoroughly cooked, while preserving the foods texture, flavor and moisture.  sautéing is sometimes confused with the pan-frying method. These are two different methods that are similar in technique, but achieve different results.

 

I believe it is important to rememeber that you will normally sautéingredients, not a whole dish.  You might sauté some mushrooms or onions to add to a sauce.  Or, you might sauté some zuchinni or carrots as a side dish.   You might even sauté small pieces of meat or fish; but you will rarely if ever make a whole meal in the same sauté.

So before we learn how to do it, lets talk about what makes a good sauté.

A successful sauté depends on

 

Making the the right cut

Getting good results from a sauté starts with the right cut.   Since sautéing is a quick cooking method over high heat, you wont get great results if you attempt to sauté really big chunks of food.  If you are sautéing meat or fish, you will want to be sure that you have cut the food into small pieces, unsually no larger than half an inch or so thick.  For vegetables, I find I get the best results with the standard like julienne, battonet and small dice; but feel free to experiment with other shapes and sizes, just remember to keep an eye on the thickness. 

 

You can, for example, sauté a whole fish fillet IF it's around 1/2 inch thick.  Meat any thicker will require a different cooking method, such as pan roasting.

The second aspect of a good cut is consistecy. Food cut to a uniform size will cook evenly; food cut to random sizes will cook at different rates.  It is kind of a Three-Bears and Goldilocks scenario: some bits will be over cooked, some will be under cooked and some with be just right.  Once you start paying attention, you will really start to notice the difference in the taste and texture of foods and unevenly cooked food will really stand out on your pallet.

The right sized pan

A sauté pan must be large enough to hold all of the food in a relatively thin layer so that the food can cook evenly.  A thin layer is also important so that you allow steam to escape from the pan instead of trapping it: otherwise, your ingredients end up sweating or stewing.

A large, thick pan is also desirable to retain heat. When you add food or liquid to a pan, it cools down the pan. A large, heavy pan will retain more heat than a smaller, light pan.  A good sauté pan will have a wide flat base with low, rounded  sides. It will also have a thick bottom and should feel heavy. 

 

If your pan has straight, vertical sides, then you are probably holding a sauce pan.

For the most part, you will only get a good fond (more on fond in a bit) if you use traditional cookware. I admit, non-stick coated pans are easier to use, but they make it difficult in when preparing a fond-based sauce. Feel free to use what works best for you.

The right amount of fat

Ok! The right amount of oil. Don't be afraid of the term FAT. Canola oil, olive oil, butter, margarine, vegetable shortenings are all fats. It is just a name for a family of food products. Some are good for you and some, not so much. You have to use some type of fat to sauté.

The good news is that you only need enough fat to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Too much fat causes the food to fry, which is not our objective. Too much fat also inhibits the development of  fond.  Fond is the French word for "base" and it refers to the crispy browned and caramelized bits of food stuck to the bottom of a pan after cooking. The fond at the bottom of your pan contains a great deal of flavor and is the basis of many classic pan sauces.

For the most part, you will only get a good fond if you use traditional cookware. Non-stick coated pans are easier to use, but they make it difficult in when preparing a fond-based sauce.

Flip or stir

You don't have to master the pan flip to be a master at this technique. Your results will be just as good if you use a spatula or other kitchen tool. The last key to successful sauté is to keep the food moving. You don't want to move the food constantly, instead you want to let it sit and sizzle for a little while.  To much motion in the pan causes the pan to cool down and increases your cooking time.

The pan flip technique involves gripping the handle of the sauté pan firmly, and using a sharp elbow motion to rapidly jerk the pan back towards you. The curve of the sauté pan is what does the flipping. Tossing or stirring the items in the pan by shaking the pan too often, however, can cause the pan to cool faster and make the sauté take longer.

Definitely don't turn you back on your pan for too long and heaven forbid, DON'T GO CHECK SOMETHING ON YOUR COMPUTER!

 

Here is a step-by-step on how to sauté:

• Begin by dicing your vegetables or meats in uniform sizes. Remember, this makes your food cook uniformly.
• Select a heavy sauté pan with high, rounded sides.
• Check your ingredients for moisture.  If your vegetables are wet, give them a shake in a colander or pat them dry.  Do the same with meats.  Adding wet food in a sauté will usually result in steaming instead of sautéing.
• Set the heat under you pan to medium. You can start on high later, just get used to the technique first. 
• Add your fat. Fat should always be added to a pan that is allready hot.  Pick one with a high smoke point and combine with olive oil or butter for added flavor. Look for ripples appearing in the oil. When that happens, it's hot enough to add the food.
• Turn heat to high and add your food. It should start sizzle right away. Let the pan sit until the bottom layer of your food sizzles loudly.  At this point, you can lower the heat, but keep the sizzle going.
•  Stir or pan flip, but not too often.
• sauté vegetables until they are hot and gently browned; sauté meats until firm and browned . If following a recipe, check it for additional directions  Pork and beef can be slightly pink in the middle, but chicken should be sautéed until all the red, or pinkness is gone.
• Not all the ingredients go into the pan at the same time. Some ingredients cook faster than others. I you are not sure, sauté the harder and denser foods like potatoes and carrots longer than softer and lighter foods like mushrooms and squash.

Get into the kitchen

Ok, so you probably want to go and try this out? One of the easiest and most practical sautéed foods are onions. Add them to a sandwhich, mix them in pasta sauce or top a steak. Onions will provide an easy, inexpensive, forgiving and delicious subject for your first sauté.  Go for it!

m!

 

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