Broiling
The finishing move that gives oven-cooked food a restaurant-quality crust
Broiling is the perfect complement to roasting — a one-two combo that gives you evenly cooked food with a beautiful crust on top. Most people never use their broiler, and that's a shame, because it's one of the simplest ways to take oven-cooked food from good to great. And the best part? Your oven already has one built in.
The One-Two Combo
Think of broiling as the finishing move after roasting. The technique is simple: roast your food to a few degrees before it's fully done, then switch the oven to broil for about three minutes at the end. The broiler blasts heat from above — the opposite of how your oven normally works — and that intense, direct heat creates a crust on the top surface of whatever you're cooking. You get the best of both worlds: the even, gentle cooking of roasting for the inside, plus a nice sear and crust to finish.
A Sear Without a Pan
The crust you get from broiling is similar to what you'd get from searing in a hot pan, but without needing a pan at all. This is especially useful for things that are awkward to sear — a tray of chicken thighs, a casserole, vegetables spread across a sheet pan. You can't exactly press all of those into a cast iron pan, but you can slide the whole tray under the broiler and get that same caramelized, browned finish in a couple of minutes.
What Works Best Under the Broiler
Chicken thighs are the classic broiler finish — the skin gets crispy and golden in a way that roasting alone can't quite achieve. Anything with cheese on top is a natural fit — casseroles, nachos, open-faced sandwiches. Vegetables that benefit from a little char, like broccoli or asparagus. Even steaks can be finished under the broiler after a reverse sear approach. If you want a browned, caramelized top on something you've been roasting, the broiler is your tool.
Watch It Like a Hawk
Here's the one critical thing about broiling: it works fast, and the margin between perfect and burnt is small. Three minutes under the broiler can take food from pale to perfectly golden. Four minutes might take it to charred. Don't walk away. Don't check your phone. Stand at the oven, keep the light on, and watch it. You're looking for the color you want — golden brown, maybe a few darker spots — and as soon as it's there, pull it out. The broiler is not a set-it-and-forget-it tool. It's a finishing move that requires your full attention for a very short window.
Nothing Extra to Buy
Most ovens have a broiler built right in — it's usually the top heating element. Some older ovens have a broiler drawer at the bottom. Either way, there's nothing extra to buy, no special equipment needed. You might not have even known it was there. Check your oven's settings — you'll likely find a broil option you've never used. Make sure to position your oven rack close to the top so the food is near the heating element. The closer it is, the more intense the heat and the faster the browning.
Quick Tips
- ●Roast first, then broil for 2-3 minutes at the end — the one-two combo.
- ●Position the oven rack near the top for the most effective broiling.
- ●Never walk away from the broiler — it goes from perfect to burnt in under a minute.
- ●Works great on chicken skin, cheese-topped dishes, and vegetables that benefit from char.
- ●Your oven already has a broiler — check the settings and start using it.