Science of Cooking Part 3! Today we’re talking the Maillard (my-YAR) Reaction – amino acids (protein) + sugar + heat = browning effect in your food. Seared steak and the crust on bread are two very obvious examples of this in the kitchen.
The example I use here is a toasted marshmallow, because it is a great example of a food that undergoes both caramelization (part 2 of this series) and the Maillard reaction!
A marshmallow contains gelatin, a collagen derived protein. This gelatin, when placed over a flame, interacts with the sugar in the marshmallow to produce that beautiful light golden brown color! The Maillard reaction occurs at lower temperatures than caramelization so the longer you heat the marshmallow, the more likely the browning is due to the breakdown of just the sugar (caramelizarion process).
The next time you notice any of your protein-containing foods browning when you cook them, you have the Maillard reaction to thank!
Happy Toasting!
Posted on Instagram on February 10, 2021.