Part of the Kitchen Foundations track. Lesson 5 of 10.
Prerequisites: Modules 7, 12.
The sequence
Preheat.
Dry the product.
Do not crowd.
Listen.
And let it recover.
The decisions
How much goes in. Less than fits.
Because a crowded pan produces gray wet product regardless of the setting — the product releases water faster than the pan can evaporate it, and liquid holds everything at boiling, per Module 23.
And whether the pan is ready. A sharp immediate sizzle is right. A low bubble means it is not.
And whether to add heat when something is not browning. Usually no — if there is liquid in the pan, more heat does not help, because the pan cannot exceed boiling while liquid is present.
What you are reading
The sound. This is what a new cook should be trained on first, because it is the earliest available signal and it costs nothing.
A sharp steady crackle is right. A drop in pitch within fifteen seconds is the pan losing.
And standing liquid — the moment it appears, browning has stopped.
What goes wrong here
Crowded.
Wet product in.
And heat added to a pan that is boiling.
Verification
Cook the same thing at full and half load and compare.
The boundary
Cooking temperatures with a safety dimension are governed by the local health authority.