1 hour ago, torolover said:What do you think about herbs and salt? Do you think Herbs flavor molecules will travel with the salt into the meat?
Thomas Keller uses and herbal salt for his Duck Confit. He puts salt, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves into a spice grinder. It's ground up to make a green salt. He covers the duck with the herbal salt and lets it sit in the fridge for 24 hours. Then he washes off the salt and then braises it for another 10 hours.
Did the herb molecules travel with the salt into the duck?
If not, why not just add herbs at the end of cooking?
I think btbyrd is absolutely correct. It depends on the ingredients in the marinade. Salt may be able to take some along for the ride, but not others. Someone would have to do a study of every combination.
With regard to Keller's technique, I think a lot is left unsaid. If he braises it for another 10 hours, surely that's not in plain water. Those aren't the only variables. We'd have to understand curing completely - which I'm not sure anyone does. One would presume that he does it this way because he's found that it works.
In science we must reserve judgement until we're absolutely certain we've accounted for everything.
In cooking we must put something on the plate..
