Culinary Demo 2: Proteins

In our culinary demo with proteins, we teach various techniques on searing chicken, fish, meat, vegetables and vegan preparations for protein replacement items such as tofu, tempeh, seitan and more. We will have you cooking like a Chef in no time after you’re confident in these new techniques.

How to Pan Sear Chicken: The basic cooking techniques for chicken or fish are all based on how hot to get the pan. This will depend on the coating you put on the protein:

• Breaded or battered: with flour, egg and sometimes bread crumbs
• Dusted: flour
• Seared: naked – nothing on it. 

The only difference is that you cook at different temperatures to add the right amount of what we call the Maillard Reaction, which describes the browning process. For breaded protein, use hot oil over medium heat. For dusted, use hot oil over high heat and for searing, use a smoking hot pan.

Step 1: For all three, begin with a saute pan and cooking oil.  

Step 2: Once you see the lower edge start to brown, flip the protein and brown. The protein needs to be finished in the oven.  With chicken a quick way to check if it is done is to make a small cut in the thickest part of the meat and see if it is white inside.

Step 3: The chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Rest for three to five minutes before serving for best results.