Can you skip the sear?
I was intrigued to read this recent article at ChowHound, because I got into an argument over this very subject on Twitter a few weeks ago. (Nothing is more frustrating than arguing on Twitter. I refuse to do it anymore.)
When it comes to slow cooking, if you're working with a big piece of beef, most of the recipes will tell you to sear it first. I was talking to someone who said this is what puts her off using the slow cooker: That extra step of browning the meat, with all of its time-taking and pan-dirtying. I agreed that it was a pain, which is why I never do it. And I'll tell you, all my stuff comes out fine.
Foodies will gasp at the thought, but it's true. And now I learn that I have Jamie Oliver on my side. Oliver says that he prefers the "cleaner" taste of braised meats which have not been seared first.
Critics of non-searing say that it results in a "pallid, unattractive dish." Which makes me think you may be doing it wrong. If you use too much liquid and too high a temperature (perhaps in an attempt to finish the job faster), what you end up with is boiled meat, not braised. And if you seal it too tightly, you end up with steamed meat, not braised. In both cases, the searing is basically just a crutch to help prop up an incorrect technique.
Braising is a slow, mostly dry process in which the collagen in the meat is gradually broken down by the low heat. It takes time, and it's the temperature that does the trick, not the liquid. Don't drown your meat!
This is my favorite recipe for roast beef. It takes some forethought, what with the 22-hour cooking time and all. And I usually leave out the soup mix in favor of minced onions, since otherwise it's too salty for my taste. But it doesn't require a sear, the meat turns out deliciously browned and fork-tender, and with only about a cup of liquid. Seriously, give it a try! If you are a sear fanatic, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Image courtesy Flickr/Dave Lifson