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Browning the meat |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: London
Posts: 11,147
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Browning the meat
When I do a casserole I always follow the official rules and brown the meat first before adding the stock. My wife slings it in unbrowned and bloody. Which, if either, is the best method?
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street
Posts: 40,106
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It is better to brown it. Throwing it in raw might not get cooked.
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#3 |
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 30,072
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Quote:
It is better to brown it. Throwing it in raw might not get cooked.
OP, you've tasted both, which is best? |
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street
Posts: 40,106
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Quote:
Thats rubbish. Browning only changes the texture of the outside, the inside is still raw.
OP, you've tasted both, which is best? |
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#5 |
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Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,521
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I use my slow cooker for casserole and have never browned meat and it's always been lovely. It would just make more washing up for me!
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#6 |
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Irvine
Posts: 335
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Jamie Oliver has said that he used to always brown the meat first - however, he no longer bothers - if doing a stew or casserole he puts it in raw...
I've done both (on the hob and in the oven) and either way works - browning doesn't seem to make any difference in texture or flavour... |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Essex
Posts: 86,769
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Can't remember what chef it was, but he said if you brown the meat, it seals it, most of the juices will remain in the meat, but little will leech into the sauce, resulting in lovely meat chunks but a not-very-tasty sauce.
If you don't brown the meat, the juices go into the sauce, making the sauce rich but the meat less tasty. If this is true, would it be worth trying browning some of the meat, to get the best of both worlds? |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Irvine
Posts: 335
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Quote:
Can't remember what chef it was, but he said if you brown the meat, it seals it, most of the juices will remain in the meat, but little will leech into the sauce, resulting in lovely meat chunks but a not-very-tasty sauce.
If you don't brown the meat, the juices go into the sauce, making the sauce rich but the meat less tasty. If this is true, would it be worth trying browning some of the meat, to get the best of both worlds? And, I must admit, I like my beef stew meat to be melting and practically breaking up, rather than big chewy chunks... |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Fylde Coast
Posts: 8,103
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Quote:
OP, you've tasted both, which is best? ![]() I don't bother browning stuff for stews - any flavour which seeps from the meat goes into the dish anyway. |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 422
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Quote:
That's what I was thinking.
![]() I don't bother browning stuff for stews - any flavour which seeps from the meat goes into the dish anyway. ETA I do think that deglazing the pan that you browned the meat in does add significant flavour. |
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Fylde Coast
Posts: 8,103
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Quote:
I think the point of browning the meat is to caramelise the surface and enhance the flavour. It is a myth that it seals juices in. I do tend to brown meat before adding it to stews, etc., but I've never done a side-by-side taste comparison to see if there is a significant difference in flavour.
ETA I do think that deglazing the pan that you browned the meat in does add significant flavour. Though having tried both ways (although not simultaneous) with stews I can't say I've noticed much difference in real life. Or maybe I'm just being lazy.
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#12 |
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,579
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I've never browned meat for a casserole, never even thought to do it. Always tastes good to me and I never get any complaints, quite the reverse in fact, so why bother?
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#13 |
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
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A couple of articles on searing meat and the resulting Maillard Reaction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction |
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#14 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 9,588
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Quote:
Jamie Oliver has said that he used to always brown the meat first - however, he no longer bothers - if doing a stew or casserole he puts it in raw...
I've done both (on the hob and in the oven) and either way works - browning doesn't seem to make any difference in texture or flavour... |
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Irvine
Posts: 335
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Quote:
A couple of articles on searing meat and the resulting Maillard Reaction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction Gong by the last few paragraphs of the second link, it would seem to be more beneficial not to brown or sear (even although there are doubts the Maillard reaction occurs in the first place...).
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sitting at my PC
Posts: 9,434
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I always brown beef for stews etc. but some curry recipes I use don't say to brown chicken. Just add it raw. Chicken dansak for instance.
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sunny Manchester
Posts: 5,561
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but the little burnt on gungy bits must add some flavour? I always coat beef in mustard powder and flour as well before browning- something my mum always did.
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 15,471
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I always brown meat first, not just to seal it but to give it a lovely brown colour. If you don't, sometimes the meat is cooked o.k but looks an unappetising greyish colour.
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,562
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there is no such thing as 'sealing' in the juices. its codswallop.. BUT visually it looks better.
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 10,825
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I never brown the meat - I tried it once and the process of browning began to cook the meat at too fast a rate and some pieces failed to go tender as they were already cooked tough. Although the gravy turned out a better colour.
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#21 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Mid Wales / Canolbarth Cymru
Posts: 37,555
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Quote:
When I do a casserole I always follow the official rules and brown the meat first before adding the stock. My wife slings it in unbrowned and bloody. Which, if either, is the best method?
If you are doing a slow-cook casserole then the meat will definitely get cooked either way. |
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