Page 13 - Sous Vide Que

Salt is the exception. The thin white line we drew below the surface shows how far the salt penetrated. If we had let it marinate longer the salt would have marched in further, and tests by the AmazingRibs.com science advisor, Prof. Greg Blonder of Boston University, show that it goes even deeper while cooking.
For this reason, the best marinades are salty ones. We call them brinerades. Our faves involve soy sauces and miso.
Rubs And Pastes
Rubs and pastes are blends of spices and herbs. Rubs are dry, pastes are rubs mixed with oil or water. You can put them on the food before you bag it, but most of them will not penetrate and a lot will come off in the purge. Also, the vacuum process can pull the oil into the area you need to seal making sealing impossible unless you switch to a larger bag. We prefer to put rubs and pastes on after the sous vide process. Just be careful about rubs with sugar if you plan to sear at a high temperature. They can burn. We have a number of rub recipes specially formulated for beef, pork, lamb, fish, etc. on AmazingRibs.com. And they are all salt-free which is important if you salt before cooking.
Cooking In A Pouch
Sous vide got its name, “under vacuum”, because it begins by slipping the food into a plastic bag and removing the air. Air is a great insulator and if it surrounds the food it impedes heat transfer to the food. With a simple vacuum device like a FoodSaver it is easy to suck out the air and heat seal the bag’s opening so heat transfers easily from the warm water bath to the food.
There are several brands, makes, and models of vacuum sealers. They are not only for use with sous vide. Vacuum sealing improves the shelf-life of foods in the refrigerator and freezer, preventing oxidation and inhibiting bacterial spoilage. Keep in mind, some bacteria like oxygen free environments, so don’t
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