An insightful article on the Tasting Table website recently explored some of the best ways to use MSG in cooking.
The article noted, “Many of America’s greatest chefs love using MSG. So let’s explore the best things that you, like many of those chefs, can make using MSG.”
Published in Tasting Table, November 9, 2022, “The 11 Absolute Best Ways to Use MSG”
Author: Michael A. Gardiner, food writer
Here are a few of the best ways to use MSG in your cooking, according to Tasting Table:
“Tomatoes are naturally high in umami from glutamates, which is to say, naturally occurring MSG. As Delish Knowledge points out, this is true of a lot of vegetables besides tomatoes, including onions, asparagus, soy (and soy products like miso paste), broccoli, peas, beets, and mushrooms. The umami in each of these ingredients leads to at least one thing: deliciousness. And the more, the better.”
“Mushrooms, like tomatoes, are high in naturally occurring glutamate (via SF Gate). So, again, as Cafe Meeting Place explains, it’s all about layering glutamates. The synergistic effect of combining those ingredients is the key. One is good. More than one is better. And a dash of MSG added to those naturally occurring glutamates can take a dish over the top.”
“Eggs and MSG are a natural combination, and, as The Washington Post points out, scrambled eggs, in particular, show just how MSG impacts flavor. As the umami that is MSG comes in powdered form, you can calibrate the exact amount necessary to achieve the deepening, highlighting more savory and delightfully complex flavors the MSG pulls out of the eggs. MSG makes everything taste more like itself, and eggs are no exception (via Prevention). In many ways, MSG is to savory food what sugar is in the world of sweets.”
“While mashed potatoes might not seem to be among the most obvious candidates for the MSG treatment, perhaps it is time to give that a reevaluation. Mashed potatoes are a tailor-made umami delivery system. It’s their buttery quality that helps mashed potatoes pair perfectly with umami sources, especially MSG.”
Read 7 more “absolute best ways to use MSG” — from Tasting Table here.
