caramelization
noun
car·a·mel·i·za·tion
ˌkär-mə-lə-ˈzā-shən 
ˌker-ə-mə-,
ˌka-rə-mə-
: the process of heating sugar (such as granulated white sugar or the sugar contained in a food) at high temperature so that water is removed and the sugar is broken down (as into glucose and fructose) and then reformed into complex polymers producing a sweet, nutty, or buttery flavor and golden-brown to dark brown color : the nonenzymatic process of changing sugar or the sugar content of a food into caramel (see caramel sense 1)
An intense caramelization of the carrots concentrates their flavor and brings up their sweetness until they're almost like candy-but the roasted garlic and thyme keep the dish on the savory side.—
April Bloomfield
April BloomfieldExamples of caramelization in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rotate the baking sheet every minute to ensure even caramelization.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2023
The salt gets them to sweat, the sugar encourages caramelization and the onion powder amps up their oniony flavor.
—Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 28 Dec. 2023
That creates that little bit of caramelization on the top with little imperfect points.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2023
Sugar gives the onions a boost in caramelization, but can be reduced or left out if needed.
—Melissa Gray, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2023
The Staub produced deep brown caramelization on the chicken, with a solid crisp when cutting.
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 20 Oct. 2023
A little char and caramelization is natural thanks to the sugar in the jam, so keep an eye on your heat and how quickly the slices brown.
—Kendra Vaculin, Bon Appétit, 21 Feb. 2022
This is deal for roasting foods like, carrots and other vegetables, that need some browning and caramelization.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023
The smooth finish prevents sticking and allows for a wonderful caramelization of ingredients, plus the tightly fitting lid seals in moisture, keeping your dishes moist.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 2 Oct. 2023
Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2023
The salt gets them to sweat, the sugar encourages caramelization and the onion powder amps up their oniony flavor.
—Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 28 Dec. 2023
That creates that little bit of caramelization on the top with little imperfect points.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2023
Sugar gives the onions a boost in caramelization, but can be reduced or left out if needed.
—Melissa Gray, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2023
The Staub produced deep brown caramelization on the chicken, with a solid crisp when cutting.
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 20 Oct. 2023
A little char and caramelization is natural thanks to the sugar in the jam, so keep an eye on your heat and how quickly the slices brown.
—Kendra Vaculin, Bon Appétit, 21 Feb. 2022
This is deal for roasting foods like, carrots and other vegetables, that need some browning and caramelization.
—Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023
The smooth finish prevents sticking and allows for a wonderful caramelization of ingredients, plus the tightly fitting lid seals in moisture, keeping your dishes moist.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 2 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'caramelization.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near caramelization
Cite this Entry
“Caramelization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caramelization. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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