Back in my early days, I thought timing every sear was key

When I first got into professional cooking, everyone stressed timing everything perfectly. I used a timer for every piece of meat and fish, scared to mess up. After watching some old school cooks just poke and look, I gave that up. Now I go by feel and sound, which felt risky but paid off. My proteins come out juicier because I'm not rigid with the clock. It also lets me handle multiple pans without panic. Last rush, I nailed a dozen steaks by touch alone, and the tickets flew out. Letting instinct take over really changed how I handle the line.

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3 Comments

paigesullivan7mo ago

Disagree, timers are crucial for nailing every sear.

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the_nora7mo ago

Actually, I find a good timer gives me the freedom to focus on other things without watching the pan like a hawk. It removes the guesswork for me so the result is the same every single time. What kind of timer do you usually use?

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piper_moore7mo ago

Ever tried just watching the meat instead? I used to rely on timers religiously, but I kept getting mixed results because every piece of meat is a little different. Now I just watch for the color change up the sides and go by feel, and my sears are way more consistent. I get where you're coming from, @paigesullivan, a timer feels safe. For me though, putting the timer down and learning to watch for visual cues was a total game changer. It just takes a bit of practice to trust your eyes over a beep.

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