# Why do cruciferous vegetables taste so good charred? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [December 29, 2021, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827 "2021-12-29T02:26:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/1 "2021-12-29T02:26:40Z")
I know about browning and the Maillard reaction. This is not about that. There seems to be a certain class of vegetable, the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, bok choi, etc.), that taste especially good cooked until a little burnt. They contain sulphur and burned sulphur is nasty stuff, so why does a char would so well with these veggies? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/2 "2021-12-29T10:32:45Z")
Perhaps the heat breaks down some of sulfur compounds? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/3 "2021-12-29T13:06:26Z")
Maybe it does have to do with the Maillard reaction; and it’s that the sweetness of the Maillard reaction makes more difference becuase it balances out the cruciferous vegetables’ natural bitterness, causing more flavor complexity. A couple months ago I got a simple brussel sprouts appetizer at a middle-of-the-road restaurant (one of a chain called [The Rusty Bucket](https://www.myrustybucket.com/)). The sprouts were cut in half and the flat side was browned to a crust in an iron pan or similar. They were delicious. They were drizzled with an aioli sauce, but the char was the star. I want to figure out how to replicate those sprouts I got. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/4 "2021-12-29T13:18:38Z")
IMHO it’s because cooking them that way involves a dry heat. Steaming or boiling such vegetables makes them soggy and seams to bring out the worst in them. In addition, whenever I’ve prepared such vegetables by roasting, I use some kind of oil, usually olive oil, and the cooked oil also adds additional flavor. Mostly, though, I think it’s the removal of water that would otherwise make them soggy. This applies to cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. I do question the bok choy. Are leafy greens good prepared in this manner? I’ve only had it as the leafy green base in a salad. I do prefer it to kale and lettuce, but would have never thought to actually cook it anymore than I would cook kale or lettuce. ETA: And don’t get me started on spinach. That’s the devil’s weed 😜. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/5 "2021-12-29T13:59:59Z")
I’ve never found Brussels sprouts to be bitter, but agree that they’re really good when browned to a light crisp in the oven (adding a little olive oil to the pan along with basil and garlic doesn’t hurt either). Maybe there’s a generalized positive taste bud response to char-generated compounds, including the ones found in barbecued meat “burnt ends”. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/6 "2021-12-29T16:29:58Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Are leafy greens good prepared in this manner? Grilled romaine lettuce is a thing. I’ve had it a time or two. Good, not great. ---
**Author:** ![Retzbu\_Tox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/retzbu_tox/32/11829_2.png) [@Retzbu\_Tox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Retzbu_Tox)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/7 "2021-12-29T18:57:39Z")
I also had Brussels sprouts at a restaurant that I thought were really good, and have tried to replicate the flavor. They were halved and grilled with butter, as best as I could tell, and just slightly charred. I tried grilling sprouts myself, and had a problem with getting them a bit too charred on the outside before they were done on the inside. I have also broiled them and cooked them in a skillet. They were always good, but my best results were after I precooked them in the microwave to soften them up a bit before grilling them. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/8 "2021-12-29T20:01:53Z")
But is chard good when crucified? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/9 "2021-12-29T20:04:49Z")
Same goes for asparagus. I don’t care for it steamed, but oil it and throw it under the broiler and I’m a go. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/10 "2021-12-29T23:18:52Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > ETA: And don’t get me started on spinach. That’s the devil’s weed 😜. Raw baby spinach leaves are good in a salad. Cooked spinach is disgusting. But if you add some salt, the taste morphs into “generic green vegetable with salt”, and it becomes edible. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/11 "2021-12-29T23:23:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But is chard good when crucified? LOL. Yes, chard is wonderful when roasted. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/12 "2021-12-29T23:28:04Z")
are browning or the malliard reaction why fruits like pineapple or watermelon taste better when cooked on a grill? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/13 "2021-12-30T13:50:41Z")
There are at least three different kinds of chemical reactions that all get lumped together as “browning”. Sugars caramelize, proteins have the Malliard reaction, and fats do something else. With fruits, it’s probably mostly caramelization, though with very juicy fruits like pineapple and watermelon, there’s probably a non-negligible effect just from drying them and thus concentrating the sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/14 "2021-12-30T14:55:53Z")
My wife and I REALLY like boiled sprouts, and steamed broccoli. Eat them VERY often. Baked/grilled are tasty as well, but not worth the minimal extra effort in our opinion. I never understood why folk claim boiled/steamed veggies lack something. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/15 "2021-12-30T15:24:25Z")
Boiled vegetables can lose good stuff (both flavor and nutrition) to the water (which is of course not an issue if you’re making soup, but is an issue if you’re discarding the water). Boiling also makes it easy to overcook, which no vegetable benefits from. Steamed, though, is fine for most veggies. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/16 "2021-12-30T15:26:45Z")
Brussels sprouts, in particular, are enjoying a bit of a renaissance in the US after some enterprising Dutch scientists bred a much [less bitter variety](https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/30/773457637/from-culinary-dud-to-stud-how-dutch-plant-breeders-built-our-brussels-sprouts-bo). All of a sudden, they’ve become very popular over the last decade. Make something taste better, see it explode in popularity. Go figure/humans are weird/etc. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/17 "2021-12-30T15:29:34Z")
Steamed brussels sprouts (and other vegetables) are fine, especially if spices are added during the steaming process. Oven browning seems to add an extra flavor dimension. I figure that a lot of people that turn their noses up at brussels sprouts only know them from the overcooked, pale, mushy steam table version, which indeed is blech. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/18 "2021-12-30T17:10:32Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Brussels sprouts, in particular, are enjoying a bit of a renaissance in the US after some enterprising Dutch scientists bred a much [less bitter variety](https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/30/773457637/from-culinary-dud-to-stud-how-dutch-plant-breeders-built-our-brussels-sprouts-bo). All of a sudden, they’ve become very popular over the last decade. Huh. I did not know that. And here I thought it was either a faulty memory, my mom perhaps not doing them well, or changing tastes that made such a difference between today’s Brussels sprouts and my childhood memories. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/19 "2021-12-30T18:08:59Z")
Whereas the Brussels sprouts I remember from my childhood tasted just as good as current ones. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827/20 "2021-12-30T18:51:49Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > figure that a lot of people that turn their noses up at brussels sprouts only know them from the overcooked, pale, mushy steam table version, which indeed is blech. Blech and bitter. Though steamed they’re not a favorite of mine but I have enjoyed them roasted with pancetta and a balsamic glaze. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cruciferous-vegetables-taste-so-good-charred/956827.md?page=2)