Pat dry

"Pat dry" means press paper towels or a clean kitchen towel against food to soak up the water on its surface. You do it to meat, fish, tofu and washed vegetables right before cooking. A dry surface browns much better, holds seasoning, and splatters less in hot fat. It is one of the simplest steps that makes a big difference to a sear.

How to do it

1. Take the food out of its package or marinade. Let excess liquid drip off.
2. Lay it on a plate or board lined with a double layer of paper towels.
3. Lay more towels on top and press gently all over. Do not rub, which can tear fish skin or strip off seasoning.
4. Turn it over and repeat if it is still wet.
5. Season and cook right away, or leave it uncovered in the fridge for an hour or more for an even drier surface.

For leafy greens and herbs, a salad spinner does the job faster.

How to tell it is done

The surface feels tacky or just damp, not wet. A fresh paper towel pressed on it comes away with almost no moisture.

Why it works

Browning, the Maillard reaction, needs surface temperatures well above the boiling point of water. As long as there is water on the surface, the heat goes into turning it to steam, and the food steams instead of browning. Water dropped into hot oil also turns to steam at once and makes the oil spit. In deep-frying, wet food can make the oil foam and bubble over.

Common mistakes

• Skipping it for meat straight from the package. The pan fills with liquid and the meat turns gray.
• Rinsing raw chicken before patting it dry. Rinsing spreads bacteria around the sink. Just pat it dry. See cross-contamination.
• Reusing a towel that touched raw meat. Throw paper towels away and wash cloth ones on a hot cycle.
• Patting dry and then letting the food sit covered in a warm kitchen. Moisture comes back to the surface.

In recipes

"Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season generously" is a very common first step for searing. A dry brine uses the same idea over a longer time.