What happens to the flavour of meat when you cook it Star Anise with Onions?
What exactly is the chemical reaction that occurs when you cook Star Anise with Onions?
According to Heston Blumenthal doing this intensifies the flavour of meat.
Ultimately what I want to know is can you use this on any meat based recipe? Won't the flavour of the Star Anise be overpowering?
Best Answer
It is basically the anethole (a phenol) of the star anise that react with the sulfur in the onion to create sulfur-phenolic aromatics. In Chinese cuisine the same family of reactions is used with duck and pork.
The sulfur-phenols are also produced during the Maillard reaction, the reaction that gives grilled meat its characteristic flavor, so adding star anise to the onions will give your dishes more of that grilled, browned flavor. The reactions of the compounds in the star anise with those in the meat are not the relevant reactions for flavor or texture.
From averaging a few recipes, I would say 1 star anise for every 250g of chopped onion. Too much star anise will highlight the other aromas in star anise, so one has to use it in moderation and allow enough time for the reactions to take place.
Garam masala, a common Indian spice combination that is used in meat dishes, may have star anise. Star anise is sometimes used in French onion soup — it intensifies the caramel flavor of the onions — and in Vietnamese cuisine, which today incorporates French elements.
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Quick Answer about "What happens to the flavour of meat when you cook it Star Anise with Onions?"
The sulfur-phenols are also produced during the Maillard reaction, the reaction that gives grilled meat its characteristic flavor, so adding star anise to the onions will give your dishes more of that grilled, browned flavor.What does star anise do to meat?
The combination of flavor compounds works with the star anise to naturally intensify the flavor of the meat, much in the way MSG does.Does star anise dissolve when cooked?
Cooking With Star Anise The cooking technique will depend on whether whole pods or ground star anise is being used. Whole pods can be simmered in sauces, marinades, and soups, and then removed before serving. The pods do not soften as they cook and therefore cannot be consumed.What flavor does star anise impart?
Star anise has a mild and fragrant licorice flavor.How do you get the flavor out of star anise?
Ground star anise can lose its flavour quickly, so your best bet is to buy the broken pieces and grind them yourself (you can shave them on a Microplane grater like cinnamon too). You can usually find this spice at most grocery stores these days.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Pixabay, Katerina Holmes, Katerina Holmes, Katerina Holmes