What Caramelizes, Other Than Sugar?

[guajolote]

Can you caramelize fruit, meat, vegetables etc. or only sugar. This article got me thinking about this.

Unfortunately, caramelizing and browning are two different processes.

Caramelization is a specific series of chemical reactions that take place only when sucrose or other sugars are subjected to high heat -- er, I mean high temperatures. The sugars break down and turn successively yellow, tan, brown and darker brown, while developing that complex, sweetly pungent flavor we call caramel. Caramelization, then, is the browning of sugars -- and only sugars -- by means of heat.

Robert Wolke - Washington Post

The Food Lovers Companion says sugar only.

Merriam Webster says " to change (as sugar) into caramel"

LaRousse Gastronomique says "To trun sugar into caramel by gently heating it." It also metions you can caramlize certain vegetables by heating with some sugar.

The Oxford Companion to Food only referes to sugar.

Should we invent a new verb, maillardize, to refer to the browning of protein/sugar products?

[nightscotsman]

It's my understanding that browning and caramelization are basically the same thing. When you brown something - beef, for instance - in a saute pan, it's the sugars in the item that are caramelizing. Sometimes it takes the application of heat in order to break down other chemical components into sugars that will caramelize (brown), like onions. Vitually everything that grows contains sugars of some kind in varying quantities.

Now watch, some smug scientific bastard will come along and expose me for the technical charlatain I am.

[g.johnson]

It's my understanding that browning and caramelization are basically the same thing. When you brown something - beef, for instance - in a saute pan, it's the sugars in the item that are caramelizing. Sometimes it takes the application of heat in order to break down other chemical components into sugars that will caramelize (brown), like onions. Vitually everything that grows contains sugars of some kind in varying quantities.

Now watch, some smug scientific bastard will come along and expose me for the technical charlatain I am.

Glad to oblige. The article says that browning is by a completely different mechanism.

A completely different series of chemical reactions is responsible for the heat-induced browning of foods that contain both sugars (or starches, whose molecules are made up of sugars) and proteins. They are called Maillard reactions, after the French chemist who first identified them. The Maillard reactions begin when part of a sugar molecule (Techspeak: its aldehyde group) reacts with part of a protein's amino acid molecule (Techspeak: its amino group). There then follows a series of complex chemical reactions that result in a wide assortment of compounds, many of which are dark and quite flavorful.

[nightscotsman]

So are fruit and vegies caramelized since they have little, or no, protein?

[JAZ]

So are fruit and vegies caramelized since they have little, or no, protein?

Well, yes and no, according to both Wolke and Harold McGee.

First of all, althugh fruits and vegetables may contain few complete proteins, they all contain amino acids, and strictly speaking, it's the amino acids in proteins that react with the sugars to result in the Maillard reaction.

However, as Wolke points out in his book (not sure about the article quoted), when you cook onions for a long time over slow heat, some of the sugars are released from the original starches and do truly caramelize. So some of the color and flavor is due to true caramelization, and some to the Maillard reaction.

I personally think that even though "caramelized" onions aren't the result of pure caramelization, the term is a useful one. If you've ever cooked onions for a really long time at a relatively low temperature, you know that you end up with something substantively different from onions that you cook more quickly at higher heat. The latter may indeed be browned, but they lack the sweetness, the caramel-like flavors that the slow cooked ones develop.

So as long as the term is reserved for the slow cooked version, I vote that we keep using it. But I'd say we don't need to coin a new term ("Maillardize") for the other type of reaction, because we already have a perfectly suitable one: "brown."

[g.johnson]

First of all, althugh fruits and vegetables may contain few complete proteins, they all contain amino acids, and strictly speaking, it's the amino acids in proteins that react with the sugars to result in the Maillard reaction.

Since proteins are a major constituent of all living things, fruits and vegetables do contain a lot of protein. It's just that they contain more carbohydrates.

[Wimpy]

Can we be a little more practical for one moment? I want to top my pizza this weekend with caramelized onions and anchovies. Is there a surefire way to achieve nice, tasty caramelized onions? A recipe would be much appreciated!

[Stone]

Can we be a little more practical for one moment?  I want to top my pizza this weekend with caramelized onions and anchovies.  Is there a surefire way to achieve nice, tasty caramelized onions?  A recipe would be much appreciated!

Slice the onions thin. Saute over med-low heat in some olive oil for about 15-20 minutes.

[Wimpy]

Thanks Stone! In my limited experience though, the onions seem to run out of juice and start crisping/burning. Does that mean my flame's simply too high? Is it cheating to pour in some water and let it evaporate out over a longer period? Will it result in softer onions?

Edited January 29, 2003 by Wimpy (log)

[nightscotsman]

I would suggest slicing them a bit thicker - about 1/8-1/4 inch - and put a cover on them for the first few minutes to get them sweating before they start to brown. And don't stir too much. Let them brown a bit, stir, brown again, stir. It's OK to deglaze with a tiny bit of water, just remember that all that water will have to cook off for browning to resume.

[JAZ]

Can we be a little more practical for one moment?  I want to top my pizza this weekend with caramelized onions and anchovies.  Is there a surefire way to achieve nice, tasty caramelized onions?  A recipe would be much appreciated!

Slice your onions pretty thin. Heat up some oil (about a tablespoon per large onion) over medium heat and add the onions, stirring to coat as many as possible with the oil. Turn down the heat to medium low and stir every few minutes for 10 or 15 minutes. At this point, add a little salt. Some people add sugar, but I don't. Then turn down the heat to low and stir evey 10 minutes or so for another half hour at least, depending on how many onions you're doing. If it seems as if the onions are drying out and getting crisp, cover the pan.

What you don't want to do is to "brown" the onions in the usual sense of the term. You want them to turn amber gradually as the sugars actually caramelize. This will take low heat and at least 45 minutes; there's no way I know to speed it up. But it's worth it.

[tommy]

a little worchestshireriiere towards the end, depending on the application, often helps.

[Bux]

The process can take a long time. Liquids won't help the onions caramelize, unless they leave sugar after the water boils off. High heat will crisp the onions. Low heat and enough oil in the pan and time.

[tommy]

The process can take a long time. Liquids won't help the onions caramelize, unless they leave sugar after the water boils off.

like worchestereiieier might.

[Nick]

What JAZ said.

[Wimpy]

Thanks guys! I'll try it this weekend. Cooking up a decidedly non Chinese meal for Chinese New Year here in S'pore. Sorry to hijack theoretical discourse on caramelization.

Kung Hei Fat Choy!