Mr. Maillard
The Focus
Level: Intermediate
Objective: To troubleshoot soggy and bland looking proteins
Reading Time: 12 Minutes
Chapter 1 | What is the Maillard Reaction?
The word of the day is Maillard! Pronounced like: “my yard.” This chemical reaction is the reason caramel tastes better than sugar, or toast is favored to plain bread. It is responsible for the beautifully browned lining on a perfectly seared steak or the crispy edge of a buttery pancake.
But, do you wanna know a secret? You’ve actually already been introduced to the science behind this culinary chemistry! That’s right, last week when we roasted our veggies the Maillard Reaction came into full play. Although it wasn’t dramatically browned in a sizzling pan, or flung to the mountaintops via toaster, we did use heat to change the physical properties of the vegetables. This affected the flavor, texture, and appearance of a once very bland batch of Brussels sprouts. This week, we’re going to do the same thing, with chicken!
So let’s keep rollin’ and see what all the fuss is about.
The Science of The Maillard Reaction
It was way back in 1912 when Louis Camille Maillard was conducting an experiment that would single handedly change our perception of cooking as we know it.
Have you ever been trying to saute something and as the cooking progresses, it slowly begins to turn into a bubbling pan of “who done it?” It may become dull looking, soft, or watery, and taste equally as such. There’s a reason for your struggles, and it starts with science.
As stated, our example of the day is chicken! But what is it in chicken that changes so much when it’s introduced to high heat? Well, after some research from my good friends at The African Journal of Biotechnology, it turns out that the majority chemical make-up of chicken meat are compounds consisting of proteins, fats, and of course, H2O. These compounds all react and morph under extreme heat. It is the reaction between the heat and the meat’s various compounds that results in brand new (and flavorful) compounds being created!
What is essentially happening when you “brown” meat is the natural flavor of the meat is becoming more concentrated. The intense heat combined with the loss of moisture leaves your taste buds with fewer, but stronger detectable flavors!
Not too bad of a breakdown for a marketing major huh? 😏
Check for Understanding
To help make things a little more simple, let's simply look at water as the enemy when it comes to intensifying flavor and achieving crispy textures. Ever noticed that dehydrated fruits taste so much sweeter than standard fruits? Why? Because all the water is gone! Yet the sugars remain. Toasted bread is stiffer than untoasted bread why? Because all the moisture is gone!
This simple logic applies to meat, fish, vegetables, and anything edible. Now, let’s move forward from the why to the how.
Chapter 2 | In the Lab
Last chapter we talked a lot about how this reaction affects flavor, and the reason is because when it comes to food, flavor and the overall eating experience should always prioritized. Prime example: have you ever seen those obnoxious food videos with the exploding cheese, and oversized portions?
Nonetheless, I have to say that seeing the golden brown shine of a roasted veggies, or feeling the contrasting texture of crispy skin against succulent meat does major things to my appetite. So it is only right that I pass this valuable information down to you.
Below I have 4 tips that will help you achieve the most flavorful and pretty looking chicken for our recipe of the week! Keep on scrolling to get cookin:
Cook at a higher temperature:
There's something about passing the medium heat threshold of a kitchen stove that threatens home cooks. When it comes to meat, cooking at a high temperature induces the fear of a burnt or dried out end product. This is unfortunate because there are different cooking techniques at your disposal that help prevent that.
For example: In our recipe of the week, we will be sauteing chicken thighs to develop the exterior of the meat then tossing the chicken into the oven and roasting it to finish cooking. This creates intense flavor while retaining the natural moisture on the inside of the meat.
Start with the right ingredients:
NO frozen proteins: Frozen fish, frozen fajita chicken, frozen steaks, I’m shaking my head at all of it.
These ingredients all come massively encased in an inseparable frost, which when cooked, melts and turns into excess water. Most frozen food companies will instruct you to cook directly from frozen to avoid any health violations. However, doing so will pretty much steam your meat before it ever gets the chance to cook properly.
Also, I advise using ingredients with the bones still attached where applicable. Boneless cuts of meat can be difficult to brown properly without drying out the end product.
Make sure there is little moisture
Pat your meat DRY! Developing flavor, and achieving the proper texture in food go hand in hand. It is essential that you pat dry the product you will be working with; using paper towels for meats, and kitchen towels for veggies (you know, to save the planet). There are some exceptions to the rule if you will be marinating anything, but we’ll save that for next semester!
Season liberally
Salt and sugar are the 2 most popular ingredients used to enhance the browning effect on meats. Salt pulls any excess moisture away from the ingredient it is attached to (kosher salt is best at this btw). Sugar is different; it caramelizes at a lower heat than any other seasoning or spice you may encounter. Use in small doses though, you don’t want to use the sugar for its sweetness, only to manipulate the exterior of your meat. Together, they can do some real damage and be the building blocks to a very flavorful crust on your chicken!
Check for Understanding
I think you all now have a solid baseline about the concept of flavor development. If nothing else, the word Maillard should now be a permanent part of your vocabulary. He is the man, the myth, and the legend all in one.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free to leave them below! Until next time peeps.
Chapter 3 | Recipe of the Week
To practice your new knowledge, try out my recipe for Salt and pepper chicken thighs. Sautéed to a golden crisp, these guys are juicy, flavorful, simple, and versatile. Try them with roasted veggies and rice, or shredded into a nutritious salad. This recipe sounds absurdly simple. but trust me, the flavor is classically delicious.
Citations:
Bogosavljevic-Boskovic, S., Mitrovic, S., Djokovic, R., Doskovic, V., & Djermanovic, V. (2010). Chemical composition of chicken meat produced in extensive indoor and free range rearing systems. African Journal of Biotechnology.