sears
v.v. to burn the surface of something with very high heat. You usually do this to meat to give it a brown color and keep the juices inside.
v. to burn or scorch the surface of something with a sudden, intense heat. Often used in culinary contexts to describe browning meat quickly to develop flavor through the Maillard reaction.
The chef sears the steak over a high flame.
To get the best flavor, you should sears the roast in a hot pan before putting it in the oven.
The intense heat sears the exterior of the tuna almost instantly, creating a crisp crust while leaving the center perfectly rare and tender.
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object; it can also be used metaphorically to describe intense emotional pain.
He sears the meat for twenty minutes.He sears the meat for two minutes.Searing is a very fast process using high heat; cooking for a long time is roasting or stewing.