Adding flavour to sous vide meat

[F-Stop Junkie]

I've been cooking various bits of meat sous vide for a while, and one thing I continue to struggle with is adding flavours. I've added some garlic and rosemary to a rack of lamb, and done a pork shoulder in a BBQ type rub, but the flavours that impart are subtle. I wonder if the water bath is just not hot enough to really get herbs and spices working, or that flavours cook out with longer cooks.

So I'll throw it open. What's the best way to add flavour to the meat? Would a strong marinade work well? What about a glaze or similar in the oven once the water bath cook is complete?

[TIGA84]

F-Stop Junkie said:

What's the best way to add flavour to the meat?

Don't cook it in a water bath.

Sorry

Maybe try one of these, if you must.....



Jaccard Meat Tenderizer. Should help with getting flavour inside the meat before you commit acts of savagery to it by water bathing.

[21TonyK]

I always find the opposite and have to reign back on seasoning when cooking sous vide. That's largely based on chicken and duck but adding thyme and garlic to steak I always use less than I would if just marinating. For example, for a one 1 kilo rib I would use no more than one garlic clove, a couple of sprigs of thyme, 1/2 a bayleaf and maybe 4-5 peppercorns. For confit duck leg, one garlic, one thyme, 2-3g salt, 4 peppercorns.

How does that compare?