Why Sear Then Bake?

[Richard Brownkatz]

I used to be a chef. I'm curious about why the progrtam recommends searing steak, burgers, chicken breasts, etc, in a fry pan and then baking.

[ShannonM816]

While there are recipes in the whole30 books and on the whole30 site, you never have to follow them. All whole30 really cares about is the ingredients you're eating, you can cook them any way you want to.

I haven't looked closely at every single recipe put out by whole30, but I've seen ones that don't sear first, so I assume that the ones that do either want the color from searing for appearance, or it's a way to ensure more even cooking or a way to make part of the cooking more hands off.

 

[SchrodingersCat]

It seals the juices in. If you bake from raw, the juices tend to leak into the pan and you end up with a drier result.

[laura_juggles]

Practically every cooking show I've ever watched does a hard sear to make the outside yummy and then finish in the oven so it cooks without obliterating the outside. 

Alternately, you could poach via sous vide and then sear. 

[AllyB]

Sear and then baking is good for bringing up the internal temp of the meat slowly.  Grass fed beef can be tough if you cook it too fast.  Bringing the temp up slowly will help it stay more tender.  Since grass fed beef often is leaner than corn fed, it can be pretty tough if not cooked carefully.