The reason we brown meat and to some extent vegetables is to add flavour. Largely this is as a result of ‘burning’ the sugars on the outside of the food as well as some other trace elements. It follows, therefore, that for this to happen the food needs to be as dry as possible, a point that is often overlooked even by experienced cooks.

To ensure perfect browning it is important not to overcrowd your pan. This is particularly true of vegetables such as mushrooms and onions. Cooking large batches will result in a great deal of moisture being given off and a ‘steamy’ atmosphere being created in the pan. Wherever possible, keep individual pieces separated while cooking, even if this means cooking in several batches.

This is also true of meat. In addition, meat needs to be carefully dried with absorbent paper before being added to a hot pan. This will ensure rapid browning with little loss of nutrients. Adding too much meat, particularly if it is still moist on the outside, will result in it stewing in its own juices. It will not brown properly and much of its nutritional value will be lost.

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