How to Pan-Sear Greens
Leafy greens often land in a pot of water or a steam basket, losing their character to limpness. Pan-searing bridges the gap between raw crunch and mush, concentrating the natural sugars of the leaves against the iron of the pan.
Dryness is the enemy of the sear.
Wash your greens well ahead of time and spin them completely dry. Wet leaves will steam instead of brown, resulting in a swampy pan.
- Cast iron or carbon steel skillet
- Tongs
- Salad spinner
What goes in.
- 1 lbMustard greens, kale, or chard, tough stems removed
- 2 tbspGrapeseed or avocado oil
- 3 clovesGarlic, smashed and minced
- 1/2 tspKosher salt
- 1 tbspLemon juice or sherry vinegar
High heat, no crowding
If the pan is too full, the temperature drops and the greens release liquid. Work in batches if your skillet is smaller than twelve inches.
The method.
Heat the pan
Place your skillet over high heat. Add the oil and let it shimmer. It should look thin and move easily across the surface.
Introduce the greens
Add the greens in a single layer if possible. Let them sit untouched for 60 to 90 seconds until the edges touching the metal darken.
Toss and season
Add the garlic and salt. Toss vigorously with tongs for another minute. You want the garlic fragrant and the leaves barely wilted.
Deglaze
Remove from heat immediately. Pour the lemon juice or vinegar over the greens and toss one last time to pick up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Other turns to take.
Spicy
Add a teaspoon of red chili flakes to the oil just before adding the greens.
Nutty
Finish the dish with a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil instead of lemon juice.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Discard the thickest woody stems of kale or chard; they take too long to soften and will remain leathery.
If using a thin-bottomed nonstick pan, keep the heat at medium-high to avoid damaging the coating.
The greens are done when they lose their raw rigidity but still retain a bright, vibrant color.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use butter for this?
Butter has milk solids that burn quickly at the heat levels required for searing. If you want a buttery flavor, stir a knob of butter in at the very end after taking the pan off the heat.
My greens became soggy, what happened?
The pan wasn't hot enough or you put too many greens in at once. This traps steam and cooks the leaves in their own juices.
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