fruity and floral, nutty and grassy (esters,
ketones, aldehydes).
Surface Browning at High Temperatures If
fresh meat never gets hotter than the boiling
point of water, then its flavor is largely
determined by the breakdown products of
proteins and fats. However, roasted, broiled,
and fried meats develop a crust that is much
more intensely flavored, because the meat
surface dries out and gets hot enough to
trigger the Maillard or browning reactions (p.
778). Meat aromas generated in the browning
reactions are generally small rings of carbon
atoms with additions of nitrogen, oxygen, and
sulfur. Many of these have a generic “roasted”
character, but some are grassy, floral, oniony
or spicy, and earthy. Several hundred aromatic
compounds have been found in roasted meats!
Heat and Meat Color