Sautéing should not be confused with frying. Frying is cooking something in fat, meaning total immersion in the hot fat. Sautéing is cooking with the direct heat of the pan, only lubricated with fat.
Meats that we sauté are only the tender and quick-cooking cuts, no more than 2 inches thick at the most.
The basic rules for sautéing are:
Make sure the pan is very hot.
Lubricate the pan lightly with fat.
Dry whatever is to be sautéed just before putting it into the pan.
Never crowd the pan (crowding causes steaming), or use a pan that is too large (which allows fat and juices to burn).
Never cover the pan or you will steam the meat.