Sauté and brown

Sauté and brown

Stir quickly and often to cook while retaining crunch

The technique

A wide skillet or a wok, a little very hot fat. Cut the ingredients into even pieces so they cook at the same rate. Stir often, shake the skillet, or use a spatula so nothing sticks. The pieces must always be in motion, never piled up.

When to use it

For vegetables, strips of meat, or shrimp that you want to cook quickly while retaining crunch and color. Ideal for a wok, a quick side dish, or a garnish before plating. It replaces a long cooking time when you are short on time or want to preserve texture.

Common mistakes

• Too many ingredients at once: the skillet cools down and everything simmers instead of sautéing.
• Not stirring enough: some pieces burn while others remain raw.
• Cutting pieces into different sizes: cooking becomes uneven.
• Adding sauce too early: the vegetables release their moisture and lose their crunch.

The cue

Vegetables remain glossy and slightly firm to the bite, never mushy or gray. The skillet should sizzle continuously: if the noise stops, the temperature has dropped and you need to turn up the heat.