Brine question.

[kostbill]

So I have this recipe from the modernist cuisine, the pork tenderloin in juniper brine.

The juniper brine has 500gr of water and of course salt and juniper.

Then it also has some other things in very very small quantities.

For example, malt 2gr, hops 0.8gr, allspice 0.25gr etc.

 

My question is, if I do a blind test with a batch that contains all the ingredients and one batch without the malt, allspice and hops, will anyone get it?

 

It seems high unlikely, that someone will say: "this here has a more malty flavor".

 

Of course, I am not an experienced cook, I am a very bad cook with very little experience, but still, we are talking about 0.8 grams in a 500 gr water solution,

which will be mostly thrown away.

[pastrygirl]

Maybe.  500g is only 2 cups of water.  Dried hops are very light and fluffy and allspice is pretty intense.  They may contribute more than the small amount suggests.

Edited September 23, 2023 by pastrygirl (log)

[Alex]

I have no idea per se. However, looking at the situation while wearing my logician's hat, and especially because it's MC, I have to assume there's a specific reason for those particular ingredients in those quantities. Do they say what that reason is? 

 

I'm guessing (but logically ^_^) that you've posted this question not just as an intellectual exercise but also because you don't routinely keep those ingredients in your kitchen and would rather not buy some just for this recipe. Either way, the more ingredients you omit, the less it becomes MC's version and the more it becomes kostbill's version. I'm also guessing, based on what I know about cooking in general, that the malt, for example, is designed to contribute to the intended flavor profile and not necessarily stand out on its own.

[kostbill]

Alex the reason I posted the question is because I am frustrated, how can such miniscule quantities contribute?

I understand that very small things added together can make someone like a dish better than the other, but it seems not possible to me.

 

Anyway, I will try the recipe two ways, I think I will omit the allspice, because it is the smallest quantity.

I already asked a couple of friends to be my blind test subjects. I will try the blind test suggested by the modernist cuisine book.

 

I will report back the results, if anyone cares.