Browning

Browning is a technique we use frequently in the kitchen to add flavor and make food look more appealing, such as searing a steak in a hot skillet. One reason the seared steak tastes so good is the Maillard reaction, a reaction between the sugars in the meat and the amino acids, which make proteins. The Maillard reaction is responsible for that umami taste we all love—the blistered taste on naan and pizzas, the unique nutty flavor of Ghee, and the browned bits of red meat at the bottom of a pan that make a beef stew so good.