A golden-brown crust on meat – how to do it in carbon steel
Time: about 20 min
A deep golden-brown crust gives meat flavour and texture. In a carbon steel pan it comes down to three things: a dry surface, a properly hot pan and patience before you turn.
Short answer
Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper and heat the carbon steel pan slowly to a high heat with a little rapeseed oil. Lay the meat in with space between pieces and leave it untouched until it has formed a crust and releases by itself. Cook in batches so the pan does not cool down. For thin or curling cuts, a preheated grill weight keeps the whole surface in contact.
What you need
- Carbon steel frying pan
- Grill weight
- Kitchen paper
- Rapeseed oil and butter
- Tongs
- Oven glove
How to do it
- Take out and dry the meatTake the meat out of the fridge a while before cooking and pat it thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Moisture on the surface has to boil off before the meat can start to brown.
- Heat the pan and the weightHeat the pan slowly with a little rapeseed oil on a zone the size of its base, and raise it step by step to high heat. If you are using the grill weight, preheat it at the same time, for example in the pan or on a griddle, and lift it off with an oven glove before the meat goes in.
- Season and give it spaceSalt the meat just before cooking and lay it in the pan with plenty of room around each piece. If it is crowded, the temperature drops and the meat stews instead of browning – cook in batches instead.
- Press with the grill weightFor thin slices, chops or pieces that curl, set the hot grill weight on top so the whole surface lies flat against the steel. Use an oven glove, as the weight gets very hot.
- Leave the meat aloneDo not move the meat for the first few minutes. Once it has formed a crust it releases from the pan; if it still sticks, give it a little longer.
- Turn and finish with butterTurn when the underside is golden brown, lower the heat slightly and add a knob of butter towards the end for flavour. Butter tolerates less heat than oil and burns easily if added too early.
- Let the meat restPut the meat on a warm plate or board for a few minutes before slicing. The heat evens out and less juice runs out when you cut.
Common mistakes
- Putting wet meat straight from the pack into the pan, so it stews instead of browning.
- Crowding the pan so the temperature drops.
- Turning or tugging the meat before it has released.
- Starting with butter on high heat, so it burns before the meat has coloured.
Why the surface turns brown
The golden-brown crust comes from the Maillard reaction, when proteins and sugars on the surface of the meat are heated without water. Carbon steel holds heat well, and a slowly heated pan has even heat across the whole base, so the meat browns as well in the centre as at the edge. The grill weight keeps pieces flat against the steel so no part of the surface loses contact.
FAQ
Why does my meat turn grey instead of brown?
Usually the meat is too wet, or the pan is too cool or too full. Dry the meat, heat the pan for longer and cook in batches.
Butter or oil for frying meat?
Start with rapeseed oil, which tolerates high heat, and add butter towards the end for flavour.
When should I use a grill weight?
When the meat is thin or curls, such as chops, pork belly slices and thin steaks. The weight keeps the whole surface in contact and gives an even colour.
How long should meat rest after frying?
Let steaks and slices rest for a few minutes on a warm plate; larger pieces need longer. While it rests, the heat evens out through the meat.
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