Sautéing

Sautéing quickly cooks food in a small amount of hot fat, usually in a shallow pan. The food is often cut into small pieces and stirred or tossed for even browning.

Maillard reaction: A set of chemical reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars that creates browned flavors in heated foods. High pan temperatures produce the savory browning often associated with sautéed food.
Cooking oil: A liquid fat used to cook food and transfer heat. A thin layer of oil helps conduct heat and limits sticking during sautéing.
Sautéed vegetables: Vegetables cooked quickly in a small amount of hot fat in a pan. Their size and water content determine how quickly they soften and brown.
Shallow frying: A method that cooks food in a layer of fat deep enough to cover part of each piece. It uses substantially more fat than sautéing and often cooks larger pieces.
Heat transfer: The movement of thermal energy between objects or regions at different temperatures. Pan contact and hot fat transfer energy to food during sautéing.
Butter: A dairy fat made by churning cream, containing water and milk solids. Butter adds flavor but its milk solids can brown or burn at sautéing temperatures.
Sautéed mushrooms: Mushrooms cooked in a pan, often until their released moisture evaporates and their surfaces brown. They demonstrate why a crowded pan can steam food instead of browning it.
Deep frying: A method that cooks food submerged in hot fat. Full immersion in fat separates deep frying from sautéing’s thin coating.
Smoke point: The temperature at which a cooking fat begins producing visible smoke. Choosing fat with a suitable smoke point helps prevent scorching during high-heat sautéing.
Sauté pan: A wide, shallow cooking pan with a flat base and relatively straight sides. Its broad surface gives food room for contact with hot fat and quick tossing.

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