Concentration

The two types of concentration are direct and indirect. Direct concentration refers to the exposure of a food to direct heat, such as an open flame. This type of heating is closest to the process used by primitive man. The product is seared on the outside to preserve the cooking juices and flavor within. Searing quickly exposes the piece to high heat that causes surface proteins to coagulate, thus creating a thickened “crust” that concentrates the flavors within the interior of the piece. When this takes place in a dry atmosphere, this results in the “caramelization” or browning of glucides, a process that is often referred to as the Maillard reaction.