#maillard-reaction

#maillard-reaction

When you brown sausage and see those caramelized speckles cling to the pot, you're witnessing the single biggest difference between soup made from scratch and soup that tastes flat or store-bought. Those brown bits at the bottom of the pan make your soup taste better because they're essentially concentrated flavor, what the culinary world calls fond. Fond happens when the natural sugars and proteins in the meat react to heat and form deeply browned layers.

Forming the base of countless dinnertime favorites, ground beef is a versatile fridge staple that brings plenty of heartiness and rich, savory flavor. This trusty ingredient is made by passing various cuts of beef and fat trimmings through a meat grinder, turning them into a ready-to-cook product. It's protein-packed, quick to prepare, and super easy to customize with other add-ins.

Everything is added: meat, root vegetables, and broth. That is, almost everything; it's time for the finishing touches, and you know just the trick. In a stroke of culinary genius, you reach for a can of soda, thinking your pot roast will taste better with this fizzy addition. Hold fire, though. Which type did you grab? Unfortunately, the lack of sugar in Diet Coke could be sabotaging your pot roasts. Regular Coca-Cola is always preferable.