14 Types Of Meat That Benefit From Pan Roasting

Looking to cook a piece of meat that's perfectly seared and crisp on the outside and juicy and tender when you cut into it? Then you need to try pan roasting. Pan roasting is a culinary technique that starts with searing in a hot pan on the stove and then transferring it into the oven. This method can be applied to a whole variety of different proteins, including fish, meat, and poultry.

There's nothing like the rich, decadent taste of a piece of meat that's been seared. For this, we have the Maillard reaction to thank, which is a chemical process responsible for the caramelization of meat. But how does the Maillard reaction actually work? When a piece of meat is heated, the naturally occurring sugars and amino acids in the meat react with one another, which produces a delicious compound. Hooray, science! So fire up your stove and preheat your oven, because we're going to tell you about the absolute best meats to pan roast.

There's nothing like hearing the sizzle of a steak hit a hot pan. As the sugars and amino acids in the steak heat up, they caramelize, giving the outside of the steak a meaty, complex flavor profile. 

Ribeye is known for having a lot of marbling, a term that refers to the type of fat that is distributed within the muscle (and sort of looks like the pattern you might see in actual marble). Marbling is part of what makes ribeye one of the best meats for pan roasting and it's also why overcooking a ribeye steak usually won't ruin it. When you place the meat in the hot pan, the marbled fat renders and covers the steak meat, infusing it with a velvety richness that makes the steak melt in your mouth. Pan roasting is perfect for ribeye because, unlike some other cuts of meat, ribeye should be cooked at least medium-rare so that all of the fat has a chance to melt to give the inside of the meat the juiciest possible texture to balance out the caramelized exterior.

While veal may be the most controversial cut of meat on this list, we would be remiss if we didn't include it. Veal medallions are cut from the tenderloin of the cow, which is one of the leanest, most tender cuts available, and they don't have the dense connective tissue that can make some other cuts less appetizing. This makes veal medallions a perfect candidate for pan roasting, which is a quick way to crisp up the exterior of the meat before you cook it all the way through.

Medallions take the form of small, irregular circles that are usually cut about an inch thick. Place them in a hot pan until the surface gets golden brown, invoking our beloved Maillard reaction to allow the veal's naturally umami flavor to soar to new heights. If you're looking to add some depth to your pan-roasted veal, try adding mushrooms, which pair perfectly with the robust flavor of the meat. 

From a moral and ethical standpoint, there are questions about whether or not veal is okay to eat. That said, the process of raising calves for veal has come a long way in the United States, where most are raised in large pens or pastures.

Few things appear more appetizing to a serious carnivore than a plate of lamb chops. Just the image of thin, roasted bone jutting out from a steaming cut of lamb is enough to make your mouth water. When you're cooking lamb chops, it's important to preserve the natural juiciness of the lamb's tender interior while giving the exterior of the meat a slightly caramelized char, which is why they're perfect for pan roasting. When they're done searing in the skillet, transfer your chops to a 375-degree Fahrenheit oven and let them continue to cook up for a few minutes — the amount of time, of course, depends on how rare you prefer your lamb. 

Lamb has a naturally earthy flavor that pairs well with a whole host of herbs and spices. Rosemary is a classic choice because of its strong, fragrant, aroma that perfectly compliments the natural flavors of lamb. They're delicious on their own or paired with a side of vegetables.

Pork tenderloin is a culinary gem that shines when it is pan-roasted. This tender and juicy cut usually has some marbled fat that renders into the pan when you sear it and allows the pieces of pork to be cooked in their own fatty juices. Pork tenderloin sometimes comes with some connective tissue that needs to be removed before cooking, so be sure to use a small, sharp knife to trim your loin, leaving only the nice, juicy part.

Pork has a more mild flavor profile than most red meats, and it's arguably the most versatile of meats. So when you pan-roast it, you can use a variety of seasonings depending on what kind of flavor you're looking for; anything from salt to paprika to brown sugar can work well. What's more, pork packs some health benefits. According to Livestrong, pork tenderloin is full of B vitamins, protein, and more. 

Swordfish is an especially hearty fish, which makes it ideal for pan roasting. While other fish might fall apart in the pan, swordfish holds up exceptionally well when you cook it. As it sears in the pan, the exterior of the swordfish lightly caramelizes as the fat seeps out of the fish. After a quick toast on either side, you can transfer the swordfish to the oven to finish cooking it.

Although swordfish tastes amazing with a simple salt and pepper seasoning, you can level up your pan-roasted swordfish with herbed butter or tangy sumac. Swordfish doesn't dry out easily, so you won't have to worry about overcooking as much as you would with other types of fish. And as Healthline points out, it also happens to be a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and selenium. On top of that, swordfish is high in protein and low in fat. 

When in doubt, you usually cannot go wrong with chicken breasts. It is a lean part of the chicken, making it a good source of protein, but also means it's easy to overcook and dry out. Pan-roasting chicken is undoubtedly one of the best chicken breast recipes because it keeps the flavors and moisture locked into the breast meat so that you don't end up with dry, tough chicken meat. We recommend that you choose chicken breast with the skin on it because chicken skin contains fat, which renders into the pan when you sear the breast and coats the meat with a whole lot of flavor.

The mild taste of chicken breast makes it a blank canvas that can take on a huge variety of flavors. You can keep it simple with salt and pepper or dress it up with herbs and spices to tantalize your taste buds.

If you want to build a meal around poultry, but you're tired of your standard chicken or turkey dinner, you might want to try a Cornish game hen. These birds are small, so you can pan-roast the entire bird to bring out its juicy, tender texture and robust, slightly gamey flavor. After you rub your Cornish game hen with oil, place it in the pan skin side down to get the fatty skin nice and crisp.

After your hen cooks in the oven, you can use the drippings to make a delicious, savory sauce. Deglaze your pan with some dry wine and add broth, herbs, spices, and butter and reduce it. You can then use this sauce to cover your hen to give it an added depth of flavor. Cornish game hens cook much more quickly than other chickens because of their smaller size, and they have an elegant, refined look, especially when pan-roasted and garnished with herbs.