I would see it different. According to the amazingribs.com article Keith posted radiation transfers energy better than convection. Heres the authors example :
"Also, radiant heat delivers more energy than convection heat. Let's say you have two gas grills. On one grill, the two burners on the right side are on full and two burners on the left are turned off. The air temp on the left side, the indirect heat side, might be 325°F as convection flow of air from the right side circulates over the left side. Let's put a steak and a big honkin prime rib roast on the left, indirect side.
On the second grill you have all four burners on medium and the air temp on the both sides is also 325°F. Let's put a steak and a roast on this grill too. The steak's bottom will brown better on the second grill because it is above direct radiant heat which is imparting more energy than the first grill where the heat is from convection air. But by the time the roast is done, it will be blacker than a mourning hat."
Direct cooking should have more radiant energy, at the same temp, than indirect cooking. The greater energy transfer to the outside of the meat will result in more Maillard reaction.
Interested in your take on this
Maillard Reaction is a process that happens between proteins, carbohydrates, sugars like D-ribose, D-glucose, D-fructose, α-lactose and sucrose, and amino acids.
The PACE that it occurs depends on temperature, not as Fistwacker (sp) claimed that the food needs to be/ or is better directly over the fire/looking at the fire.
Think about it.
If that were true, why would Franklins briskets have that glorious bark???
It just is not true.
Maillard Reaction occurs in pressure cookers FFS.:doh:.
Does meat benefit from direct heat?
Sure, but that wasn't the simple claim. DIrect exposure to fire also skyrockets the carcingens that cause cancer.(acrylamide production)
Maillard browning is a chemical reaction. Most chemical reactions are accelerated by heat and Maillard browning is no exception. The higher the temp, the faster your meat will brown. So, if you get a shielded cooking position hot enough like in an offset, and you cook long enough, you will get Maillard Reaction.
Same when we make a stock or a gravy, long slow low heat develops Maillard Reaction.
Furthermore, to ridicule the claim a little more realistically, imagine cooking pizza on a kamado.We set a barrier between the fire and the pizza.Cook at 800F. Gorgeous pizza and crust, heaps of Maillard Reaction in no time.
Now do it according to the "God Of Chooks" method and make it tastier by
"getting more Maillard Reaction" by cooking it on the grate directly over the fire.:doh:
See what I mean now?
I hope this clears the matter up.