Wet vs Dry Brine Sous vide?

[FeChef]

Is there any real proof that salting meat causes more moisture loss when cooking sous vide? I always wet brine my pork roasts for a day or so before sous vide cooking them for 36 hours. They always come out moist and tender. If was to dry brine that same roast for a day then sous vide, what reason would it have the opposite effect then a wet brine?

 

This is just an example of my experiences with wet brine and sous vide. The main reason i inquire about this theory is because i want to try to dry brine a chuck roast for a day to form a crust and then sous vide it for 24 hours. But theres so many horror stories out there with people presalting steaks that i am a bit hesitant to do so.

[btbyrd]

Wet brines draw moisture into the meat while a dry brine doesn't. I don't think you'll derive much benefit from a crust or pellicle if you're going to cook sous vide, since that part of the meat will be bathing in its own juices for 24+ hours anyway.

[FeChef]

Wet brines draw moisture into the meat while a dry brine doesn't. I don't think you'll derive much benefit from a crust or pellicle if you're going to cook sous vide, since that part of the meat will be bathing in its own juices for 24+ hours anyway.

I had thought of injecting a low sodium (1-2%) wet brine first, then allowing the wet brine to equalize before dry brining to form the pellicle but with beef im not so sure what flavor i will end up with.

[btbyrd]

Hrm... that's an interesting technique. I doubt it'll change the flavor much, but the texture should be plumper and firmer than if you didn't do the injection brine. But like I said, I'm not sure how much drying the surface will benefit the end product since you're cooking in a moist environment.

 

On a semi-related note, I'm currently pressure cooking a chuck roast because I was inspired by your remarks in another thread about how good it is. They were also on sale, so that helps too!

[FeChef]

Hrm... that's an interesting technique. I doubt it'll change the flavor much, but the texture should be plumper and firmer than if you didn't do the injection brine. But like I said, I'm not sure how much drying the surface will benefit the end product since you're cooking in a moist environment.

 

On a semi-related note, I'm currently pressure cooking a chuck roast because I was inspired by your remarks in another thread about how good it is. They were also on sale, so that helps too!

Thank you. I feel honored i inspired you. Trust me, you wont be disspointed. I love my Pressure cooker and my only regret is not buying one sooner. But back on topic, I also had an idea to prevent as much crust loss as possible by freezing after brining, then while frozen blast both sides in the broiler. My gas oven has a bottom broiler that i guess you could consider it a salamander.

 

This is all just a theory, but im willing to try it if it doesnt get shot down too badly.

 

Also, back to your chuck roast, I gave mine 40 minutes, but i let it in my electric pressure cooker for another 30 minutes on the warm setting. I did not release the pressure manually. It came out great but others i spoke to said 40 minutes and manually releasing the pressure was not enough for tender fall apart chuck roasts. Just a FYI to test before you plate.

Edited March 29, 2015 by FeChef (log)

[Baron d'Apcher]

Wet brining (adding moisture) then dry salting (removing moisture) is a very curious approach.  Chuck-roll has plenty of water/fat.

Freezing meat crystallizes the water inside and expands, busting the cells and as it cooks will loose more moisture -like how thawed items leech so much water-  making it drier.

Consider reading Harold McGee.

 

Water in meats

http://dwb.unl.edu/teacher/nsf/c10/c10links/www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/watrmeat.htm

Edited March 29, 2015 by Baron d'Apcher (log)

[FeChef]

I have heard th

 

Wet brining (adding moisture) then dry salting (removing moisture) is a very curious approach.  Chuck-roll has plenty of water/fat.

Freezing meat crystallizes the water inside and expands, busting the cells and as it cooks will loose more moisture -like how thawed items leech so much water-  making it drier.

Consider reading Harold McGee.

 

Water in meats

http://dwb.unl.edu/teacher/nsf/c10/c10links/www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/watrmeat.htm

I have heard this. I have not experienced this in beef. For example, i buy corned beef briskets on sale in bulk and freeze. Never have they came out dry or any i'll effects.

The only meat product i can think of that did not freeze well was those boneless hams.