Grilling is an essential part of American culture, and has originated from the seventeenth century West Indian Island of Hispaniola. The native Arawakan Indians had a method of erecting a frame of wooden sticks over a fire in order to dry meat. In their language, Taino, they called it a barbacoa which Spanish explorers borrowed. After World War II the barbeque became a popular American tradition when the Weber Brothers Metal Works created the affordable Weber Grill. Americans quickly purchased the new appliance and it soon became a favorite pastime.
There are two different types of grill, propane and charcoal. Propane grills are easier to start and are convenient if only a few items are going to be cooked. Propane burns at about 1700 degrees Celsius and heats the grill to about 340 degrees Celsius. Charcoal grills have a longer prep time but create a hotter cooking environment due to a higher amount of thermal radiation. Charcoal grills are measured at temperatures at about 340 degrees Celsius. This results in a better flavor due to an increase of Maillard reactions completed. A Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction of a carbohydrate molecule and an amino acid. A brown coloration and full, intense flavor result. Different than a caramelization, Maillard flavors tend to be more complex due to the addition of nitrogen and sulfur atoms from the amino acids to the mix of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. This results in the new aromatic dimensions such as pyridines, pyrazines, thiophenes, thiazoles, pyrroles, and oxazoles which contribute to a range of flavors.
When green vegetables are cooked, they begin to lose their green color as the membranes around the chloroplast in the cells break. This rupture and damage to the cell structure improves the texture of tougher greens such as kale. Since vegetables are composed of carbohydrates such as cellulose, starch, and pectin, they are not sensitive to high heat.
This recipe demonstrates the use of the propane grill discussed above. It will also show the Maillard reaction that occurs above 120 degrees Celsius. The sturdy low water content vegetables use will create pyridines and pyrazines.
Materials:
2 zucchinis
2 yellow quash
2 green bell peppers
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 pinch of salt
1 large bowl
1 pair of tongs
1 barbeque grill
Procedure:
1. Slice vegetables into large pieces, place in bowl
2. Add olive oil and salt. Mix with tongs
3. Grill the veggies for about 3 minutes and flip
4. When done remove from grill
Results:
1. Cut vegetables into large pieces. Remove stems. Vegetables difficult to cut and have a tough texture. Vegetables have little aroma and lack taste.
2. Add olive oil and salt. Mix. Vegetables are still turgid, and olive oil adds shiny color. Vegetable still have little taste and aroma.
3. Place on grill. After about 3 minutes, flip vegetables. Vegetables began to burn after only a short time. Some vegetables needed to flip before others. Vegetables are hot and creates aroma. Vegetables begin to change colors into a deeper color and begin to brown.
4. Once finished remove from grill and serve. Vegetables are now softer, deeper and brown in color. The aroma has increased substantially and has acquired a rich flavor. The salt cannot be tasted and most of the olive oil is no longer seen or tasted.
Discussion:
The purpose of this recipe was to demonstrate the Maillard reaction by using a grill and vegetables. The recipe was able to produce warm and flavored vegetables. The olive oil and salt added extra flavor and the full taste of zucchini, squash, and bell pepper. The flavors and aromas were also created through the use of the high intensity heat grill. The Maillard reaction was successfully conducted to produce the vegetables. The carbohydrate and amino acid formed an unstable intermediate creating a new product (taste). This recipe was very easy and created delicious food fast. The propane grill had a quick start up and cooked the vegetables evenly. Next time, I would remove the vegetables sooner on the grill so there would be less burn marks. The vegetables continued to cook as they were removed from the grill due to their exposure of high heat. I would also try to cut the vegetables smaller in order to cook faster. The thicker cut of the vegetable, the harder it was to determine when it was throughly cooked.
Next time I try the recipe, I would experiment with different marinades and sauces to determine how effectively they interact with the vegetables. Also I would experiment with other types of vegetables and fruits to determine if the water content of the food affects the Maillard reaction.
Citation:
Potter, Jeff. Cooking for Geeks. Sebastopol: O'Reilly, 2010. Print.
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