![MSG](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.foodandwine.com/thmb/PZ8wd-V5S89JACgy45PZ9JyZlTg=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cook-with-MSG-FT-MAG0124-055556a1cbb54a56a856815d47fd0702.jpg)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
MSG has been used as a flavor enhancer since the early 1900s. From pepperoni and potato chips to salad dressing and canned soup, MSG is found in a variety of prepared foods throughout the grocery store. Chefs are also on board, leaning on MSG to boost flavor in both sweet and savory dishes like roast chicken, caramel sauce, and burgers.
The exact flavor of MSG can be hard to pinpoint, but rather it adds pure umami — one of the five basic tastes along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. This versatile ingredient is gaining popularity and has the ability to transform your everyday cooking. Learn how to use MSG at home and why it deserves a spot on your counter next to the salt and pepper.
What is MSG?
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a crystallized food additive made from glutamic acid, one of the most common naturally occurring amino acids. It is formed through the process of fermentation. The natural version of glutamate, found in foods like seaweed, tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and parmesan cheese, is chemically indistinguishable from the white, granular lab-created version of MSG, areand are processed by our bodies identically.
What does MSG taste like?
By itself, MSG doesn’t have a distinct flavor. It’s fairly tasteless with a mild salty finish. Once MSG is combined with other ingredients, it amps up the savory aspect of the dish.
Is MSG bad for you?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American Chemical Society, moderate consumption of MSG has been proven to be safe. An average serving of food containing added MSG typically contains less than 0.5 grams of MSG. Avoid consuming 3 grams or more of MSG at one time without food.
How do you use MSG?
Chefs around the country are using MSG in innovative and approachable ways in their restaurants. Bookmark the recipes below and follow these ratios to get started cooking with MSG at home.
Try it in soups, stews, and stocks by adding three-quarters of teaspoon of MSG for every tablespoon salt. The same ratio can also be applied, with the addition of a tablespoon of black pepper, as a rub on pork tenderloins, an extra-savory roast chicken, and lamb chops or sprinkled on burgers (like Johnny Spero’s MSG Burger) before roasting or grilling.
Use a pinch of MSG (a quarter teaspoon for every cup of liquid) in salad dressings and marinades. This ratio also works well in sauces and dips like barbecue sauce, tomato sauce, and caramelized onion dip.
Similar to seasoning pasta water, Calvin Eng dissolves MSG in water and uses it as a blanching liquid for vegetables in his Garlic-Chive Ranch Dip with Crudite. It could also be used to poach chicken and fish. For every one quart of boiling water, stir in one tablespoon kosher salt and one and a quarter teaspoons MSG. This simple solution seasons the food while intensifying flavors and imparting a slight savory edge.
Even bartenders have been known to reach for MSG, dissolving it in water and adding a dash to cocktails like dirty martinis for complexity.
This versatile ingredient can also be used in sweet applications like Eng’s Salted MSG Caramel Sauce, ice cream custards, banana bread, and brownies. For every cup of sugar, add half to one teaspoon of MSG, depending on the intensity of umami you’re looking to deliver.
MSG Smash Burgers
![MSG Smash Burgers](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/XE8ubzwObCIgMw7qJ9CsqUZocNM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/MSG-Smash-Burger-FT-RECIPE0124-d9682401f3554ef683e24311abdf342b.jpg)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Two juicy beef patties, seasoned with what chef Johnny Spero affectionately refers to as “dad salt,” a combination of kosher salt, black pepper, and MSG, are sandwiched with buttery melted onions and a creamy, pickle-studded special sauce in these smash burgers. For extra richness, puree a soft-boiled egg into the sauce. While the team at Bar Spero in Washington, D.C., grinds their own burger blend, they recommend sourcing a high-quality combination of ground chuck and brisket from your local butcher shop.
Super-Savory Roast Chicken
![Super-Savory Roast Chicken](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/1Jdscg-S3jmzDDKEHspbo1qYuhw=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Super-Savory-Roast-Chicken-FT-RECIPE0124-8f19294d4bb24bc1be3105dd7fd6ca88.jpg)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
The key to this umami-rich chicken from cookbook author Justin Chapple is MSG. Here, it essentially intensifies the chicken flavor, resulting in a roast chicken that somehow tastes even more like chicken than if prepared without it. Thyme, crushed coriander seeds, and granulated garlic perfume the chicken while also offering a delicate crunchy coating. Spatchcock the chicken so that it lays flat on the baking sheet; this helps the bird cook evenly and also optimizes the exposed surface area for crispy, golden brown skin.
Garlic Chive Ranch with Crudités
![Garlic Chive Ranch with Crudités](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/ZLHXFiH_PPLmxmQv-rngPbto5oY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Garlic-Chive-Ranch-with-Crudites-FT-RECIPE0124-3093ffcf16194bdea22c4e8fd115a5be.jpg)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Vegetables and ranch are a timeless pairing, and here, chef Calvin Eng puts his spin on the crunchy snack, incorporating rich and silky Kewpie mayonnaise, pungent garlic chives, and a pinch of MSG. Blanch the vegetables in water seasoned with a combination of salt and MSG to amp up the umami and deeply season the crisp-tender crudités.
Pearl Balls
![Pearl Balls](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/HXd7GBfH330QnF5V841yuuWNH2c=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Pearl-Balls-FT-RECIPE0124-432f872d79a74dddbc51ea4cb8ed9491.jpg)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
These bite-size meatballs, popular during Lunar New Year, are rolled in soaked uncooked glutinous rice, or sticky rice, and then steamed to perfection. This version is from Bill Sax, father of acclaimed food writer Mari Uyehara. Sax seasons the juicy pork meatballs with MSG, in addition to aromatics like leek and ginger, for an extra punch of savory richness.
Salted MSG Caramel
![Salted MSG Caramel](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/FMpT3MNslPtujPTnRR_jsH6cHnU=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Salted-MSG-Caramel-FT-RECIPE0124-13f92a4c67034a088fe7ed47f911e805.jpg)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Spiked with MSG for a bit of added complexity and to keep the sweetness level in check, this velvety sauce is great in both sweet and savory applications. Drizzle the salty-sweet caramel over fried chicken to bring out its savory undertones, or serve with sliced fruit for a delicious topping.