What is the difference between having some “char” and something being burnt? Why is one something often preferred and the other pretty much universally hated?

Question

Say you’re having steaks for instance; Why is it that a bit of char tastes good (to a lot of people), but it’s different than being burnt? Isn’t charring just some level of burning? And what makes the difference between when something will taste charred or burnt?

In: 3

Answer 1

Long story short: charred is lightly blackened or browned and burnt is well black.

Burnt potato’s, burnt brisket ends, has it’s places…. But it’s less edible and less balances and generally less appealing to the appetite and eye