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Good colour

Also searched as: golden brown, bright green, colour, appetising

In short: Good colour means something different depending on the food: a golden-brown crust, a bright green or a deep red.

Picture it

Three paint boxes: brown comes from heat and dryness, green from short cooking, red from acid.

Levers and techniques for “Good colour”
LEVERSTECHNIQUESMaillard reactionKeeping greens green(chlorophyll)Red cabbage changescolour (anthocyanins)MoistureTemperatureSearingBlanching andrefreshingPatting dryRoasting in the oven

Tap a dot to see its connections.

What Good colour means

Brown comes from the and in dry heat. Green survives a short cooking time. Red pigments need acid.

What happens

Colour is a good clue to flavour: golden brown means roasted aromas, bright green means fresh and crisp.

The levers

Maillard reactionKeeping greens green (chlorophyll)Red cabbage changes colour (anthocyanins)MoistureTemperature

Rules of thumb

  1. For brown: dry and hot.
  2. For green: short, then refresh in cold water.
  3. For red: a little acid.
Related entries
SearingBlanching and refreshingPatting dryRoasting in the oven
Sources · 1
  • Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Gemüse, Eier