Rouxbe

In the Adding the Food section, when the oil is poured in it begins to smoke immediately. In the Pan Frying lesson, it said that this means the pan was too hot and to start over. Should it smoke immediately like this if you are sauteing rather than pan frying?

Also, when cooking with butter, do you use the same water test method or would a pan that hot burn the butter?

Sautéing involves higher heat than pan frying because it is a quick cooking method. A bit of smoking is ok, as long as your mise en place is organized and you are immediately ready to cook. Once the food is added to the pan, the temperature will drop. However, if the oil smokes profusely, it's best to start again.

Using butter can be a bit tricky when cooking over higher heat. A high-smoking point oil will need to be added with regular butter to prevent it from burning. You can also use clarified butter, but keep an eye on it. While it can withstand higher heat, it still smokes around 400 degrees Fahrenheit.