dough. These materials insulate the meat
surface from direct cooking heat and slow the
heat penetration.
The Nature of Juiciness
Food scientists who have studied the
subjective sensation of juiciness find that it
consists of two phases: the initial
impression of moisture as you bite into the
food, and the continued release of moisture
as you chew. Juiciness at first bite comes
directly from the meat’s own free water,
while continued juiciness comes from the
meat’s fat and flavor, both of which
stimulate the flow of our own saliva. This
is probably why well-seared meat is often
credited with greater juiciness despite the
fact that searing squeezes more of the
meat’s own juice out. Above all else,
searing intensifies flavor by means of the
browning reactions, and intense flavor gets
our juices flowing.