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I used to brown all my meat before the slow cooker, but I finally gave it up
For years, I'd spend an extra 20 minutes searing every piece of beef or pork in a hot pan before it went into the pot. I read it in a cookbook once and just stuck with it, thinking it was the only way to get good flavor. Then, about three months ago, I was running late for work and just dumped a 3-pound chuck roast straight in with the veggies and broth. When I got home, the house smelled amazing and the meat was just as tender and tasty as always. I honestly couldn't tell the difference. Now I skip that step every single time unless I'm feeling fancy on a weekend. It saves me so much time and cleanup. Has anyone else found a slow cooker step they used to do that you now think is pointless?
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grant1307mo ago
You might not taste it in the stew, but browning creates flavor compounds through the Maillard reaction that slow cooking alone doesn't. The difference is in the depth, not the basic taste.
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nathanthompson7mo ago
Look at the science guy over here. My grandma never heard of a Maillard reaction and her stew was still amazing. You're making this way too hard.
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the_uma6mo ago
My last stew I skipped the browning step to save time. It was fine, but it didn't have that same rich, deep flavor my usual one does. I get what grant's saying.
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