Cooking Tips: Browning, Frying, and Sautéing

1. Brown red meats quickly over high heat, uncovered. Brown poultry slowly, covered or uncovered.
2. Never pierce meats when browning them; the juices will escape and the meats will become tough and dry. Use tongs, not fork, for turning them over.
3. In stir frying and sautéing, always get your pan hot first (preheat pan on medium high for about 1 minute before adding the oil) and heat oil or butter for 15-30 seconds before adding food so it won’t stick to the pan.
4. When frying several pieces of food at a time, never let the pieces touch each other as they cook or they will stew instead of sauté and end up tough.
5. Keep fried foods warm in a 250ºF oven for 10 minutes.
6. When sautéing with garlic or ginger, always brown them in oil after salt has been added to the oil but before any other ingredients. This will bring out the full flavor of these ingredients.