26
votes
How to fry ground beef so it is well-browned
Use a bigger pan...or much less beef in the pan. Stop stirring. If you over crowd the pan, nothing will brown. It will steam, then braise because the water can't evaporate fast enough. Secondly, ...
- 73.8k
11
votes
Frying in a microwave?
While creative, this sounds like an especially poor idea, fraught with disaster.
If the water turns into vapor at 100 C, it certainly would not transfer all that heat to the surrounding oil before ...
- 3,634
11
votes
Accepted
Does oil promote browning of foods?
The Malliard reaction is quite complex. The article I linked defines it as
many small, simultaneous chemical reactions that occur when proteins and sugars in and on your food are transformed by ...
- 73.8k
11
votes
Should I cook mushrooms on low or high heat in order to get the most flavour?
I am with Bon Appetit on this one, or even more extreme - I always pan-fry mushrooms on the highest heat setting.
For me, the keys for nice, browned mushrooms on a domestic stove are:
Use very high ...
- 136k
10
votes
Should I cook mushrooms on low or high heat in order to get the most flavour?
While I often cook mushrooms the way @rumtscho does, I wouldn't discount the advice of Harold McGee (refer to top right, p. 346). If you are looking to maximize flavor, it might be worth ...
- 73.8k
9
votes
Accepted
When you caramelise an onion are you really caramelising the sugars?
If I understand your question correctly, you're asking:
Does "true" caramelization happen when browning onions?
Does starch pyrolysis take place when browning onions?
Ad 1) I think it's ...
- 3,518
6
votes
How to fry ground beef so it is well-browned
If you get a lot of liquid from the meat, whether water or fat, removing some of it helps (spoon or pour). You don't need to add much fat to start with, just enough to stop it sticking.
Cooking it in ...
- 43.7k
5
votes
Does black interior of a cocotte/dutch oven such as Staub create problems with accidentally burning ingredients/fond?
I avoid dark-colored pans when I want to watch the color of a transparent or translucent mixture, such as cooking down fond or making caramel. (Situations where I need to make a split-second decision ...
- 26.9k
4
votes
Frying in a microwave?
It won't work. Water doesn't heat past 100C for one thing, which it too low for frying. Yes, if water boils it can impart a lot of energy due to the latent heat of boiling, but it's also going to want ...
- 75.4k
4
votes
Accepted
Cooking meat/fish without Maillard reaction(a.k.a. browning)
I agree with Joe: wet methods are generally good for preventing browning.
The general policy is just to use temperatures which are as low as possible (while ensuring food safety and cooking until "...
- 32.1k
4
votes
Accepted
Does black interior of a cocotte/dutch oven such as Staub create problems with accidentally burning ingredients/fond?
The color of the interior of a pan isn't going to effect how food cooks, but you are right that a dark pan does contrast differently from a light or metal pan. My own experience with pans of many ...
- 75.4k
3
votes
Does oil promote browning of foods?
Butter, specifically the milk components (sugars and proteins), turns brown and flavorful when cooked. Clarified butter doesn't have nearly the same effect.
Fat on vegetables also slows evaporation ...
- 1,230
3
votes
How to fry ground beef so it is well-browned
So if you aren't concerned with cooking the meat until it's well done, you can continue with your current approach and evaporate all the water off, and then at that point turn the heat down to low or ...
- 141
3
votes
Accepted
Does adding baking soda to steam sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker help with caramelization?
The need for contact is correct, but not really the issue here (else you could have pre-rubbed your potatoes). Both caramelization and Maillard reaction (which are different things) require rather ...
- 136k
3
votes
Is bolognese better cooked with the meats being seared or just simply sweat without being seared?
"Better" is a matter of opinion. Recipes for bolognese vary widely. Both methods are possible. Try it both ways, see which one you prefer. My practice is that the meat is not seared. Because of ...
- 73.8k
3
votes
How to fry ground beef so it is well-browned
When I do ground beef I usually add the ground beef in the shape it arrives where I am (slightly prismatic block). If I got it at the butcher's as a "pile" - I'll manipulate it slightly into something ...
- 734
3
votes
Cooking meat/fish without Maillard reaction(a.k.a. browning)
Any wet method of cooking will keep the temperature down to prevent browning (which includes caramelization ... but that isn't what actually happens with meats):
steaming
stewing
braising
poaching
...
- 80k
3
votes
Accepted
If you coat meat with spices how do you prevent them from burning when frying or grilling?
The simple answer is you don't sear after rubbing, because you can't prevent spices from burning. You use a dry rub method for low to medium temperature cooking.
You are probably confusing maillard ...
- 75.4k
3
votes
Browning non-meat protein sources as the basis for pasta alla genovese
First, as a non-meat-eater myself, let me say that I would not choose Pasta Alla Genovese as a recipe to make vegetarian; it is very beef-centric. As such, I've never done this myself. That said:
You'...
- 61.2k
2
votes
How to prevent light-colored macarons from browning?
As well as the previous answers and if not already doing so, try using beet sugar (e.g. Silver Spoon in UK) rather than cane (e.g. Tate Lyle in UK)
as beet sugar takes a little longer to Brown.
- 29
2
votes
How to fry ground beef so it is well-browned
I actually saw a video on this recently. The reason that a lot of times ground beef doesn't get that browned look is because people take it out too early. You're supposed to let it cook until all the ...
- 21
2
votes
Does black interior of a cocotte/dutch oven such as Staub create problems with accidentally burning ingredients/fond?
I love my Staub dutch oven. I don't feel that the black color of the enamel is a problem. You express this concern:
I am worried that it would be very difficult to discern if it's starting to get ...
- 488
2
votes
Why do recipies require cooking meat with other ingredients? because of Maillard Reaction?
I wouldn't say that it is "because of the Maillard reaction", or at least not in the strict either-or sense you seem to assume in the question.
There are thousands of reactions which happen ...
- 136k
2
votes
If you coat meat with spices how do you prevent them from burning when frying or grilling?
Generally, I would try and avoid using delicate dry spices when searing with direct heat (in a frying pan/over a flame on a grill). When I want to impart the flavors of dry spices into meats that I ...
- 121
2
votes
Can you do the Maillard reaction in bulk, and store the result for later use?
There is a product called "browning sauce" which is used the way you want your "concentrated maillard" to be used. It's available in both homemade and commercial versions. However,...
- 61.2k
1
vote
Does black interior of a cocotte/dutch oven such as Staub create problems with accidentally burning ingredients/fond?
YES, the dark interior is an issue for me, for now.
I practically live for beautiful mailliard & fond, but am not an extremely accomplished cook. I went with Le Creuset pieces strictly because of ...
- 11
1
vote
Does adding baking soda to steam sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker help with caramelization?
An alkaline environment does indeed speed flavor reactions (enzymatic and non-enzymatic). You can create an alkaline environment with the addition of baking soda, as you point out. However there is a ...
- 73.8k
1
vote
What reactions require oxygen to impart flavour?
Oxygen will oxidize food, and oxidized food is a sign of degradation (brown bananas, brown apple ...)
The only thing that comes to mind with oxygen, is its use in wine making.
"In some wines, ...
- 20.5k
1
vote
Does oil promote browning of foods?
I'm pretty sure that I'll is not part of the Maillard reaction, which by definition happens between proteins and carbohydrates. But remember, browning is much more than only a Maillard reaction.
I ...
- 136k
1
vote
Does dairy-based marinade increase the amount of browning (Maillard reaction) in meats?
The answer to your question is "not really".
As you mentioned in the question, Maillard reaction begins with carbohydrates and aminoacids. Meat is rich in aminoacids, so you don't need to add it to ...
- 2,848
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible