The science behind a steak’s browned crust

A steak browns in the pan, and its aroma is already reaching the table. One explanation for that crust is the Maillard reaction. In 1912, French scientist Louis Camille Maillard described browning caused by the interaction of sugars and amino acids. The name sounds like something from a textbook, but the result is familiar: the fragrant, browned surface of cooked meat.

Maillard’s name is linked to the scientific study of this phenomenon. It does not mean that he was the first person to brown meat or that he discovered every browning process used in cooking.