# Who Else Likes Burned Food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 27, 2015, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639 "2015-04-27T12:47:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/21 "2015-04-28T04:38:26Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > Burned chocolate chip cookies taste amazing when dunked in milk. Yes. But still not as good as the dough. I can’t figure this out. I loved the burned bits, but I also like the raw dough. Well actually if you’re talking chocolate chip cookies, any old way. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/22 "2015-04-28T04:51:50Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > This has me curious. How does one even make a toasted marshmallow that is anything but charred on the outside? Sous-vide. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/23 "2015-04-28T04:59:07Z")
I love burned marshmallows – what I like to do is pull the burned outside part off, then retoast it. Anyone ever do that? I also love my Poptarts burnt. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/24 "2015-04-28T06:34:03Z")
I always liked the burnt edges of a homemade lasagna. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Butterfly\_s\_Ghost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_butterfly_s_ghost/32/3462_2.png) [@The\_Butterfly\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Butterfly_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/25 "2015-04-28T11:24:33Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Also eating burnt food may not be the best for one’s health: > [Home](http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/questions/is-eating-burned-food-bad-for-you) > > But then again lots of things may not be good for one’s health I love my food very nearly charred - and I sometimes even order “slightly carcinogetic please”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/26 "2015-04-28T13:01:06Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > This has me curious. How does one even make a toasted marshmallow that is anything but charred on the outside? Every single one I have ever had was like that and I loved them all. You have to hold the marshmallow near a flame but far enough away that it doesn’t catch on fire. Do this for a time longer than anyone has ever had patience for and you’ll get a nicely browned marshmallow. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/27 "2015-04-28T13:10:55Z")
Toast that just begins to turn black is the best. Fried potatoes- those little bits that are dark brown are awesome. Ditto for French fries. The carmelized cheesy crust of pizza can’t be beat. MIcrowaved popcorn done just a little too long. Pistachios- in every bag if you’re lucky you’ll get one with a burnt kernel. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/28 "2015-04-28T13:46:13Z")
> [@Tibby or Not Tibby](#): > > I like many of my food items to be burned to a crisp. > > I like poultry with skin broiled black. I push my bread (of any type) down twice in the toaster till it’s completely charred. I microwave my popcorn an extra minute till ~half the kernels are black (you get a better yield on the tasty semi-popped kernels, too). I like extra-blackened redfish. I finish baking my mac & cheese under the broiler till the top noodles are black and crunchy. I like my baked potatoes semi-black (all-black potatoes just seems wrong). I like my steak broiled Pittsburg or Black & Blue: bloody on the inside; black on the outside. The list goes on, but you get the idea. > > So, fess up, who shares my love of all (or some) things burned? nope. But… > [@Lorene89095](#): > > Not burned,but darn near Yes, completely. I can make a perfect golden brown marshmallow. And I discovered that I enjoy them more if they are a little singed. I like my toast VERY dark, I always have to toast it twice at work. I like poultry skin dark and crunchy, and a little bit of char is much better than under-cooked. I don’t prefer the black popcorn kernels, but I enjoy them. I like my steak rare, but bonus points if the fat is crunchy and crusty. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/29 "2015-04-28T13:52:04Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > This has me curious. How does one even make a toasted marshmallow that is anything but charred on the outside? Every single one I have ever had was like that and I loved them all… Wait until the firs is mostly burned down, and find a nest of glowing coals. Hold the marshmallow above the glowing coals and turn it often, watching it carefully to move any bit away from the heat as soon as it turns golden brown. > [@TriPolar](#): > > You have to hold the marshmallow near a flame but far enough away that it doesn’t catch on fire. Do this for a time longer than anyone has ever had patience for and you’ll get a nicely browned marshmallow. This might work, too, but it takes forever, and I don’t have the patience to do it this way. Also, this way the marshmallow picks up more smoke flavor, which I don’t like on marshmallows. If you actually want to try a “perfectly golden brown marshmallow”, try what I suggested above. > [@Guinastasia](#): > > I love burned marshmallows – what I like to do is pull the burned outside part off, then retoast it. Anyone ever do that?.. Yes. How well that works depends on the heat of the fire. The hotter the fire, the sooner the outside cooks, and the colder the inside is, making it easy to pull the outside off. (and leaving the inside undercooked if you DON’T pull the outside off to re-cook.) With a cooler fire, the inside gets all melty and mushy by the time the outside is cooked, and the whole marshmallow will slide off when you tug it gently. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/30 "2015-04-28T21:57:58Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I love burned marshmallows – what I like to do is pull the burned outside part off, then retoast it. Anyone ever do that? Yes. I always light the mallow on fire- blow it out, peel the charred skin, eat that, and then either retoast or just go for the soft melty part. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/31 "2015-04-28T22:00:04Z")
I like my steak cooked well-done. Yeah, you heard me. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/32 "2015-04-28T22:01:57Z")
I love burnt food, but… carcinogens, no? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/33 "2015-04-28T23:54:28Z")
My mom, kind of. I can tolerate it. Oh, I and like meat cooked to a point that none of it is still rare, which takes some time. Some things like steaks work pretty well with a bit of char. ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/34 "2015-04-29T00:08:51Z")
I love a bit of charred areas on foods. Pizza, lasagna, and for sure steaks that are medium rare with charred areas on the surface. A baked potato with a tiny bit of charred skin is fantastic. I also love smoked or smokey foods like cheeses, meats and fish. Smokey Islay scotches are my preferred drink. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/35 "2015-04-29T02:49:32Z")
As per [Commander Sam Vimes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Vimes): I enjoy “burnt crispy bits”. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/36 "2015-04-29T21:14:42Z")
Like a few others have mentioned, I prefer a charred marshmallow. I -like- when it catches fire, and you can pull off the carbonized outer marshmallow skin and eat it separately… yum! ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/37 "2015-04-29T23:47:31Z")
If it’s something I’m cooking over a fire - like hot dogs or marshmallows or tonka toaster grilled cheese - by definition it needs to be burned, at least a little. ---
**Author:** ![Parenchyma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Parenchyma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parenchyma)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/38 "2015-04-30T03:59:23Z")
I keep a plumbing torch in the kitchen to finish off things that don’t have the proper charred edges. I use it on pizza, potato dishes, corn (though that usually just get grilled to death), cheese, onions, etc. Some things will be destroyed if you cook or bake them long enough to get burned edges, so the torch allows me to finesse a nice singe without incinerating the food. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/39 "2015-04-30T04:47:25Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Wait until the firs is mostly burned down, and find a nest of glowing coals. Hold the marshmallow above the glowing coals and turn it often, watching it carefully to move any bit away from the heat as soon as it turns golden brown. > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > You have to hold the marshmallow near a flame but far enough away that it doesn’t catch on fire. Do this for a time longer than anyone has ever had patience for and you’ll get a nicely browned marshmallow. > > This might work, too, but it takes forever, and I don’t have the patience to do it this way. Also, this way the marshmallow picks up more smoke flavor, which I don’t like on marshmallows. If you actually want to try a “perfectly golden brown marshmallow”, try what I suggested above. It works well over your home gas range. However, keeping it just the right distance from the flame to brown is a bit of a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639/40 "2015-04-30T08:25:33Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > It works well over your home gas range. However, keeping it just the right distance from the flame to brown is a bit of a challenge. Oh, yes, it does work over a gas stove. Wood fires are much less regular, though, and the flame (and heat) moves around, and you get more smoke odor. The method I described is the optimal way to roast marshmallows over a wood fire, in a campfire or fire place. It’s surprisingly easy to roast marshmallows over a gas stove. I don’t know why I don’t do it more often. Maybe because it lacks the joy and camaraderie of gathering a group in front of a fire. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-likes-burned-food/718639.md?page=3)