Broiling Foods

Defined as cooking directly beneath a heat source, broiling is a high-heat, quick-cooking method that produces browned food with a juicy, tender interior. The intense heat causes the natural sugars in foods to caramelize more quickly. That’s why broiled steaks, poultry, and other meats are so flavorful. That’s also what creates the delectably brittle caramel atop creme brulee.

To choose foods for boiling, select lean, tender foods that are not too thick. Thin cuts of meat, such as chicken breasts, veal or pork cutlets, hamburgers, or steaks, and fish fillets are ideal. You can also get a crisp crust by using a broiler. If your oven-baked gratin is cooked through but the surface has not developed a crisp crust, put the dish under a hot broiler until the top is browned and crisp. You can also use the broiler to melt cheese on a pizza or fritata.

And to reduce the risk of flare-ups, trim all excess fat from meats before broiling. Instead brush or spray them with oil to prevent foods from drying out while broiling.

When broiling foods that take time to cook through, such as butterflied chicken, move them farther from the heat source by lowering the oven rack. This is to prevent burning thick foods.

If broiling something for longer than 5 minutes, there is no need to preheat the broiler. Just allow a bit more time for the top side of the food to cook. This will save some preheating time. For instance, a steak that broils for 7 minutes per side will take 8 minutes for the first side and 6 minutes for the flip side when placed under a broiler that has not been preheated.