Short answer
Pat meat dry, preheat a heavy pan until properly hot, and cook in batches. Wet surfaces and crowded pans boil instead of browning; leave space for contact heat. A thin oil film helps heat transfer; flooding the pan cools it. Flip once the first side releases cleanly. This is Maillard literacy from the atlas, not a restaurant secret or inspection mark.
Step by step
- Dry the surface — Blot with paper towels. Surface water turns to steam and greys the crust.
- Preheat the pan — Use a heavy pan. Wait until a drop of water skitters or the oil shimmers — then add meat.
- Give space — Cook in batches. Crowding drops pan temperature and steams the meat.
- Flip once it releases — When the crust sets, it releases. Forcing an early flip tears grey fibres.
Local note
Home electric hobs often need a longer preheat than restaurant burners — wait for real heat before the first piece.
Frequently asked questions
Does salt cause a grey sear?
Wet brine left on the surface can. Pat dry after salting, or dry-brine early so the surface re-dries.
Is grey meat unsafe?
Grey crust is a browning failure, not a safety rank. Use a probe for doneness; see chicken-safe and color-not-doneness seeks.
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