Searing meat helps seal in its juices

The origin of the "searing" myth

The belief that searing meat "seals in the juices" is widespread and still often repeated. This theory was first put forth by Justus von Liebig,^[2] a German chemist and food scientist, around 1850. The notion was embraced by contemporary cooks and authors including Auguste Escoffier.

Simple experimentation has tested the theory

Simple experimentation can test the theory: cook two similar cuts of meat, searing one first and not the other. Weigh the end results to see which loses more moisture. (The Food Network program Good Eats carried out such a test in episode EA1H22, Myth Smashers.) As early as the 1930s, such experiments were carried out; the seared roasts lost the same amount of moisture or more. (Generally more, since searing exposes the meat to higher temperatures.)

In short, the meat created by searing is in no way waterproof. Moisture in liquid and vapor form can and does continue to escape from a seared piece of meat. For this reason, searing is sometimes done at the end of the cooking process to gain the flavor benefits of the caramelization as well as the benefits of cooking for a greater duration with more moisture.

While searing does create more flavor, both in the browned meat and the pan juices, it doesn’t actually “seal” the juices in.[3]

Sources:

1. Separate the myth from the facts
2. McGee, Harold (2004). On Food and Cooking (Revised Edition). Scribner. ISBN 0-684-80001-2.  Page 161, "The Searing Question".
3. Wired.com Kitchen Fact vs. Fiction
4. Does Searing "Seal In" Juices? A Contrary View (About.com)

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