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Why "Golden Brown" is better

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    • Why "Golden Brown" is better

      Found this the other day by mistake while looking for some information about re-using and storing cooking oil after my kid used all my peanut oil to fry Oreo cookies. Found it completely fascinating and worth a read on a subject we likely all take for granted, and try to achieve without really knowing why other than it taste great!

      getting things golden brown to perfection...The "Milliard reaction"


      The Maillard reaction (/maɪˈjɑr/ my-yar; French pronunciation: [majaʁ]) is a chemical reactionbetween amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned foods their desirable flavor. Seared steaks, pan-fried dumplings, breads, toasted marshmallows, and many other foods undergo this reaction. It is named after French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard, who first described it in 1912 while attempting to reproduce biological protein synthesis.[1][2]
      The reaction is a form of nonenzymatic browning which typically proceeds rapidly from around 140 to 165 °C (284 to 329 °F). At higher temperatures, caramelization and subsequentlypyrolysis become more pronounced.
      The reactive carbonyl group of the sugar reacts with the nucleophilic amino group of the amino acid, and forms a complex mixture of poorly characterized molecules responsible for a range of odors and flavors. This process is accelerated in an alkaline environment (e.g., lye applied to darken pretzels), as the amino groups (RNH3+) are deprotonated and, hence, have an increased nucleophilicity. The type of the amino acid determines the resulting flavor. This reaction is the basis of the flavoring industry. At high temperatures, a potential occupational carcinogen called acrylamide can be formed.[3]
      In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds, in turn, break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. It is these same compounds that flavor scientists have used over the years to make reaction flavors.

      for entire article read here.
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction
    • socks wrote:

      Found this the other day by mistake while looking for some information about re-using and storing cooking oil after my kid used all my peanut oil to fry Oreo cookies. Found it completely fascinating and worth a read on a subject we likely all take for granted, and try to achieve without really knowing why other than it taste great!

      getting things golden brown to perfection...The "Milliard reaction"


      The Maillard reaction (/maɪˈjɑr/ my-yar; French pronunciation: [majaʁ]) is a chemical reactionbetween amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned foods their desirable flavor. Seared steaks, pan-fried dumplings, breads, toasted marshmallows, and many other foods undergo this reaction. It is named after French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard, who first described it in 1912 while attempting to reproduce biological protein synthesis.[1][2]
      The reaction is a form of nonenzymatic browning which typically proceeds rapidly from around 140 to 165 °C (284 to 329 °F). At higher temperatures, caramelization and subsequentlypyrolysis become more pronounced.
      The reactive carbonyl group of the sugar reacts with the nucleophilic amino group of the amino acid, and forms a complex mixture of poorly characterized molecules responsible for a range of odors and flavors. This process is accelerated in an alkaline environment (e.g., lye applied to darken pretzels), as the amino groups (RNH3+) are deprotonated and, hence, have an increased nucleophilicity. The type of the amino acid determines the resulting flavor. This reaction is the basis of the flavoring industry. At high temperatures, a potential occupational carcinogen called acrylamide can be formed.[3]
      In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds, in turn, break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. It is these same compounds that flavor scientists have used over the years to make reaction flavors.

      for entire article read here.
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction
      I need an interpreter.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      socks wrote:

      Found this the other day by mistake while looking for some information about re-using and storing cooking oil after my kid used all my peanut oil to fry Oreo cookies. Found it completely fascinating and worth a read on a subject we likely all take for granted, and try to achieve without really knowing why other than it taste great!

      getting things golden brown to perfection...The "Milliard reaction"


      The Maillard reaction (/maɪˈjɑr/ my-yar; French pronunciation: [majaʁ]) is a chemical reactionbetween amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned foods their desirable flavor. Seared steaks, pan-fried dumplings, breads, toasted marshmallows, and many other foods undergo this reaction. It is named after French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard, who first described it in 1912 while attempting to reproduce biological protein synthesis.[1][2]
      The reaction is a form of nonenzymatic browning which typically proceeds rapidly from around 140 to 165 °C (284 to 329 °F). At higher temperatures, caramelization and subsequentlypyrolysis become more pronounced.
      The reactive carbonyl group of the sugar reacts with the nucleophilic amino group of the amino acid, and forms a complex mixture of poorly characterized molecules responsible for a range of odors and flavors. This process is accelerated in an alkaline environment (e.g., lye applied to darken pretzels), as the amino groups (RNH3+) are deprotonated and, hence, have an increased nucleophilicity. The type of the amino acid determines the resulting flavor. This reaction is the basis of the flavoring industry. At high temperatures, a potential occupational carcinogen called acrylamide can be formed.[3]
      In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds, in turn, break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. It is these same compounds that flavor scientists have used over the years to make reaction flavors.

      for entire article read here.
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction
      I need an interpreter.
      I here ya! maybe one of our resident scientists will chime.

      TrafficJam wrote:

      socks wrote:

      Anyway, what made me think of this was reading TJ's "Apple Pie Crust" recipe, it uses Vinegar...why Vinegar? is it to neutralize the alkaline, or is it just for flavor...the article may shed some light on this.
      I was told the Cider Vinegar is a must for texture or flakiness or something similar, not flavor.
      good to know.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      socks wrote:

      Anyway, what made me think of this was reading TJ's "Apple Pie Crust" recipe, it uses Vinegar...why Vinegar? is it to neutralize the alkaline, or is it just for flavor...the article may shed some light on this.
      I was told the Cider Vinegar is a must for texture or flakiness or something similar, not flavor.
      the vinegar shortens the gluten strands which allows the dough to be flaky.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • Rasty wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      socks wrote:

      Anyway, what made me think of this was reading TJ's "Apple Pie Crust" recipe, it uses Vinegar...why Vinegar? is it to neutralize the alkaline, or is it just for flavor...the article may shed some light on this.
      I was told the Cider Vinegar is a must for texture or flakiness or something similar, not flavor.
      the vinegar shortens the gluten strands which allows the dough to be flaky.
      rasty just channeled his inner alton brown!
      2,000 miler
    • Rasty wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      socks wrote:

      Anyway, what made me think of this was reading TJ's "Apple Pie Crust" recipe, it uses Vinegar...why Vinegar? is it to neutralize the alkaline, or is it just for flavor...the article may shed some light on this.
      I was told the Cider Vinegar is a must for texture or flakiness or something similar, not flavor.
      the vinegar shortens the gluten strands which allows the dough to be flaky.
      I did this on my last pie, so much better with vinagar! But how much, I just winged it, two cap fulls.
    • Just found this thread. Woo hoo, chemistry. I will try the vinegar in the next pie crust. I was going to try some baking powder in the dry rub for today's baked chicken wings. The alkaline (basic or high pH) conditions supposedly helps you get crispy wings from the oven without deep frying. Probably some Maillard reaction going on. Acid in vinegar breaking down gluten would be a different reaction. There was a story on the news this week stating that coffee shops in CA have not been obeying the prop 65 mandate to inform customers about acrylamide in coffee that forms from Maillard reaction when roasting coffee beans. The problem I have with all these types of regulations is they don't do a cost benefit analysis. There are lots of beneficial substances in coffee. If the amount of acrylamide is inconsequential, then posting warnings will lead people to make poor choices. It is like someone who says I won't go hiking in the woods because I might get attacked by a bear. We know the bear risk is insignificant, but the physical and mental health benefits benefits are huge. People suck at risk assessment.

      p65warnings.ca.gov/fact-sheets/acrylamide
    • odd man out wrote:

      Just found this thread. Woo hoo, chemistry. I will try the vinegar in the next pie crust. I was going to try some baking powder in the dry rub for today's baked chicken wings. The alkaline (basic or high pH) conditions supposedly helps you get crispy wings from the oven without deep frying. Probably some Maillard reaction going on. Acid in vinegar breaking down gluten would be a different reaction. There was a story on the news this week stating that coffee shops in CA have not been obeying the prop 65 mandate to inform customers about acrylamide in coffee that forms from Maillard reaction when roasting coffee beans. The problem I have with all these types of regulations is they don't do a cost benefit analysis. There are lots of beneficial substances in coffee. If the amount of acrylamide is inconsequential, then posting warnings will lead people to make poor choices. It is like someone who says I won't go hiking in the woods because I might get attacked by a bear. We know the bear risk is insignificant, but the physical and mental health benefits benefits are huge. People suck at risk assessment.

      p65warnings.ca.gov/fact-sheets/acrylamide
      Nice, my wings are already in the oven, but next time I’ll try that as well...I think I remember hearing about this for ground beef as well, hard to brown when it’s full of water, so a pinch would change the PH, gotta love science!

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Socks ().