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Step 5Cooking, and the Maillard Reaction
Simmer your stew for about about 2 hours, stirring and adding water as needed. Check the meat periodically - we're aiming for fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth tender.
You may put the lid on to bring it up to temperature more quickly - if so, be sure to leave the lid cocked to allow steam to escape, and remove the lid once you've reached a simmer. I use the wooden spoon as a handy prop.
You can also speed the cooking process by using a pressure cooker; however, I wouldn't recommend doing the entire thing under pressure, as there are significant flavor differences when the simmered stew reacts with the air.
The Maillard reaction, an interaction between carbohydrates and amino acids under high heat, is the source of all kinds of wonderful brown colors and complex meaty flavors. However, Maillard browning needs temperatures of at least 250F, which usually only happens under dry heat. Even the higher temperatures reached during pressure cooking don't produce much in the way of Maillard reaction products, and you won't get them in a crock pot slow cooker.
What does this mean for you?
1) It means you should leave the lid off of your pot as it cooks, since all the tasty Maillard reactions will be taking place at the top of the pot, as a bit of skin forms around the outside edges. Keep mixing this skin and the dry bits that stick to the side of the pot back in, as they've got the best flavor. Think of it as a fond, just formed on the side of the pot.
2) If you do use a pressure cooker, be sure to add some extra lid-off cooking time on either end of the process. About 30 minutes (at 15psi, natural release) should be sufficient for making the meat melty, and another 30+ minutes of boiling with the lid off should allow for some nice Maillard reaction products to form around the edges.
Note that this business with Maillard reactions, lids, and alternate cooking methods applies to most any stews or soups - leave your lids off and scrape the sides to take best advantage of this tasty browning reaction.
You may put the lid on to bring it up to temperature more quickly - if so, be sure to leave the lid cocked to allow steam to escape, and remove the lid once you've reached a simmer. I use the wooden spoon as a handy prop.
You can also speed the cooking process by using a pressure cooker; however, I wouldn't recommend doing the entire thing under pressure, as there are significant flavor differences when the simmered stew reacts with the air.
The Maillard reaction, an interaction between carbohydrates and amino acids under high heat, is the source of all kinds of wonderful brown colors and complex meaty flavors. However, Maillard browning needs temperatures of at least 250F, which usually only happens under dry heat. Even the higher temperatures reached during pressure cooking don't produce much in the way of Maillard reaction products, and you won't get them in a crock pot slow cooker.
What does this mean for you?
1) It means you should leave the lid off of your pot as it cooks, since all the tasty Maillard reactions will be taking place at the top of the pot, as a bit of skin forms around the outside edges. Keep mixing this skin and the dry bits that stick to the side of the pot back in, as they've got the best flavor. Think of it as a fond, just formed on the side of the pot.
2) If you do use a pressure cooker, be sure to add some extra lid-off cooking time on either end of the process. About 30 minutes (at 15psi, natural release) should be sufficient for making the meat melty, and another 30+ minutes of boiling with the lid off should allow for some nice Maillard reaction products to form around the edges.
Note that this business with Maillard reactions, lids, and alternate cooking methods applies to most any stews or soups - leave your lids off and scrape the sides to take best advantage of this tasty browning reaction.
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