The Role of Caramelization in Grillin’

Lesson

Two magic chemical processes happen when you barbecue that contribute to the appearance and taste of the food: caramelization and smoke rings.

Caramelization

Caramelization occurs when the natural sugars in poultry, meat, fish, and even vegetables oxidize and darken to a rich golden brown when subjected to direct heat. The caramelized sugars form a crust on the surface of the food responsible for the barbecue taste associated with this method of cooking.

But while the chemical process can add great flavor to your food, it can also ruin your food if used incorrectly.

Many people slather on BBQ sauce before putting chicken, chops, or steak on the grill. This is a big mistake. Most barbecue sauces you buy at the supermarket contain lots of sugar, and those sugars begin to caramelize immediately. Because sugar burns at a much lower temperature than protein (chicken, chops, etc.) the sugars quickly char and form a bitter black crust over your food. When this happens, the first impulse is to remove the food from the grill, assuming that because it’s black and charred outside, it’s fully cooked. More often than not it’s still raw inside and thus inedible.

A good rule of thumb for using BBQ sauce<?strong>: Wait until the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking before you apply any sugar-based sauces.

Smoke ring

Smoke rings are another chemical effect that happens in barbecues when wood smoke is used to cook or flavor chicken and steaks. Smoking causes the outer layers of meat to turn a light to reddish pink. This smoke ring effect is more pronounced with slow and low heat cooking, two of the most essential aspects of what many consider “real barbecue.”

Why do smoke rings occur? When wood smoke is burned, the nitrogen in the wood combines with oxygen, passes over the meat in the smoke, and mixes with water on the outside surface, creating nitrous acid, which then migrates into the meat. The resulting sodium nitrite colors the outside 1/3 to 1/4-inch layer of meat a light to reddish pink. This smoke ring is a sign of properly smoked meat and adds a nice flavor to the food.

You’re right if you’re thinking that pink can be a sign that the meat isn’t done. Here is a rule of thumb to tell the difference between good and bad pinks. “Outside in” pink is great. But if it’s pink from “inside out,” meaning from the middle or the bone outward, the meat isn’t cooked properly.