You’ve probably read that meat must be “sealed” before it can be properly grilled. It is important to sear the meat on both sides and then cook it at a lower temperature. Boiling meat should be done in the same way. First, soak the meat in boiling water. Then wait for the water to boil again before putting the meat back into the boiling water. For classic stew recipes, you should cook the meat over high heat. After that, reduce the temperature and let the sauce sit for several hours. This procedure is supposed to seal the meat’s juices and make it tender and flavorful. Does it work?
Sorry to disappoint you, the answer is no.
However, I do have some good news. This technique can still be used for other purposes if you move beyond sealing. Let’s first see what happens to our meat when we seal it. Sealing is done by quickly cooking a piece on a grill or frying pan at high heat. It is believed to “cauterize” the meat and close the pores that allow the liquid to escape. The Maillard reaction activates when meat is heated to a high temperature as we do every day. This does not seal the meat, as meat doesn’t have pores. Instead, it gives the meat a beautiful brown color and produces aromatic substances that appeal to the palate and nose. It has nothing to do if you sear the meat at 150°C at least before it is cooked. This is a significant difference!
It might be fascinating to learn that “sealing” meat dates back to 350 BC. It was first discussed by Aristotle. The parts closest to the fire get the most dry, and therefore are more dry. This causes the outer pores to contract, and the moisture inside the thing cannot be released but is sealed in by the closing the pores.” The fact that this process dates back over 2,300 years may lead some to question the scientific evidence. Justus vn Liebig was the inventor of the “bouillon cup” in 19th-century. Although he didn’t invent it, we will discuss that later. Liebig actually claimed that the meat’s juices could be extracted by placing it in cold water, then heating it.
Instead, Liebig claimed that the meat’s juices could be extracted by boiling the water and then placing it in a container. Experiments in serious laboratories have proven that sealing juices to preserve them is a fabrication. Not only that, sealing extracts liquids is also a myth. This is because the meat’s surface that has come in contact with high temperatures dries out. The salts then concentrate and the water flows from the meat’s inside to the outside by osmosis. This process takes longer and causes the meat to dry out more quickly. The juiciness and tenderness of T-bone steaks is determined by these factors. The temperature inside is what determines the juiciness of our T-bone steak. Higher temperatures will result in meat becoming dryer. Sometimes, it only takes a few words to disprove a myth.
