When Vietnamese people hear “sweetened condensed milk,” images of Vietnamese coffee, flan, shaved ice, and smashed avocado come to mind. When I was growing up, I saw my mom scrape the remnants from a can of sweetened condensed milk and add it to her meat marinade. At the time I thought it was her frugal nature — a byproduct of living through the Vietnam war and post-war era when food was scarce. She only had three ingredients in her pantry to use as a sweetener: granulated sugar, palm sugar, and sweetened condensed milk. She didn’t have anything “fancy” like honey, maple syrup, or molasses. It wasn’t until I was in college and started cooking that I came to understand the food science behind why using sweetened condensed milk is a great hack for caramelizing meat. Through the Maillard reaction — in which both protein and sugar interact when exposed to heat — the meat develops a beautiful, caramelized crust with a complex flavor.
Why Sweetened Condensed Milk Is the Perfect Addition to Marinade
Sweetened condensed milk is made from fresh milk, with 60% of water removed and sugar added, resulting in a thick syrup with 40 to 50% sugar. The high sugar content lends sweetness to the savory marinade and helps caramelize the meat when cooked at high heat. My mom used sweetened condensed milk in place of sugar in meat marinades — especially for beef, pork, and chicken. She made a simple marinade with Maggi seasoning, oyster sauce, sweetened condensed milk, sesame oil, garlic, and freshly ground pepper. Making a similar marinade with granulated sugar can lead to steak that is easily burnt or has an acrid flavor. My mother’s marinade created the most flavorful steak, with the perfect balance of savory and subtle sweetness, whether it was grilled or cooked in a cast iron pan on the stovetop.
