Does searing seal in a steak’s juices?

You may have heard that searing meat keeps its juices inside. Chef J. Kenji López-Alt tested the idea with two steaks: he seared one first and the other last, taking both to the same final internal temperature. The experiment did not support the idea of a juice-sealing crust. Searing still brings something valuable: the aroma and flavour of browned meat.

This was a chef’s comparative test. Both steaks reached the same final internal temperature to make the comparison meaningful. It is not a single cooking formula for every cut.