Browning a steak or other meat with help of baking soda?

[Anonymous Modernist 11055]

I have wondered about this subject for quite some time: why not use baking soda to increase the maillard reaction when browning a sous vide steak for example? Is there a reason why not to do so?

[Anonymous Modernist 10299]

I've read that baking soda can be used as a meat tenderizer, but can possibly lead to a mushy texture or an unpleasant aftertaste if too much is used. I used too much when caramelizing onions once, and the aftertaste ruined them completely. You can't add much at all, barely more than a tiny pinch, without getting an aftertaste. I haven't used it on meat yet myself, as a tenderizer or as a maillard-booster.

I'd say it's worth trying out to see what happens, maybe by stirring a bit of baking soda into melted fat in a hot pan. A very, very light dusting of baking soda on the meat might also be possible, but I'd worry about using too much and causing an aftertaste.

[Anonymous Modernist 3840]

I have used baking soda in a marinade for years and it can vary a lot in taste. I finally isolated that the baking soda was the problem. It was drawing in the flavors of the cupboard it was stored in. Since then i store the baking soda i use in recipes in a glass jar. Try it with a new box and see if it tastes better.