brown
To cook food briefly over high heat until the surface turns brown, often to enhance flavor through the Maillard reaction. It can also refer to the process of skin darkening from sun exposure or the oxidation of fruit surfaces.
Examples
3 of 5You need to brown the ground beef in a large skillet before adding the tomato sauce.
You need to brown the ground beef in a large skillet before adding the tomato sauce.
The recipe specifies that one should brown the butter until it emits a nutty aroma.
The recipe specifies that one should brown the butter until it emits a nutty aroma.
Just brown the sausages for a few minutes and they'll be ready.
Just brown the sausages for a few minutes and they'll be ready.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of the 'B' in Brown for 'Baking' or 'Beef'—the first step to getting that rich color and flavor in the pan.
Quick Quiz
To get the best flavor for the stew, you should ______ the beef chunks in small batches first.
Correct!
The correct answer is: brown
Examples
You need to brown the ground beef in a large skillet before adding the tomato sauce.
everydayYou need to brown the ground beef in a large skillet before adding the tomato sauce.
The recipe specifies that one should brown the butter until it emits a nutty aroma.
formalThe recipe specifies that one should brown the butter until it emits a nutty aroma.
Just brown the sausages for a few minutes and they'll be ready.
informalJust brown the sausages for a few minutes and they'll be ready.
Enzymatic browning occurs when the phenolic compounds in certain fruits react with oxygen.
academicEnzymatic browning occurs when the phenolic compounds in certain fruits react with oxygen.
The food processing plant uses infrared technology to brown the pre-cooked meals evenly.
businessThe food processing plant uses infrared technology to brown the pre-cooked meals evenly.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
browned off
annoyed or bored (British English)
done to a turn
perfectly browned/cooked
brown-bagging it
bringing a homemade lunch
Often Confused With
Browning is a controlled process to add flavor, whereas burning is overcooking that results in a bitter taste and black color.
Browning is a quick high-heat dry-cook method; braising is a slow-cook method using liquid, often done after browning.
Usage Notes
When used as a verb in a culinary context, 'brown' can be either transitive (you brown the meat) or intransitive (the meat browns in the pan).
Common Mistakes
Learners often use 'make it brown' instead of the more concise verb form 'brown'.
Memory Tip
Think of the 'B' in Brown for 'Baking' or 'Beef'—the first step to getting that rich color and flavor in the pan.
Word Origin
From Old English 'brūn', of Germanic origin, sharing roots with the words for 'bear' and 'burn'.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
In Western gastronomy, 'browning' meat is considered a fundamental technique to unlock complex flavors through the Maillard reaction.
Quick Quiz
To get the best flavor for the stew, you should ______ the beef chunks in small batches first.
Correct!
The correct answer is: brown
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