I plan on serving a couple of chuck roasts shredded at a backyard BBQ I’m having.
Ive decided to smoke them for about 3 hours first. Sous Vide them next and then finish them on the smoker the day of the BBQ.
Would adding some stout beer to the Sous Vide bag before I seal it add any flavor to the beef as it’s cooking or should I just let the smoke be the flavor? (Along with the salt and pepper)
That's almost a question you should ask yourself. What flavor profiles are you trying to achieve. I've never used beer but other marinades in the bag, the vacuum sealing seems to draw some of it into the meat. Yes you get flavor just like marinading with any liquid conventionally. What I have found, again for my personal taste, is that if you want your initial bark to remain in tact, at least somewhat, the more liquid that's introduced the less likely the bark will remain. Remember you will have a certain amount of purge during the cook as well. I would say experiment with one of the roasts and see for yourself. Give us your report !!!!
As always, let's do a shout out to Potkettleblack and/or Polarbear777 for their timely opinions on the subject !!!
Couldn't you accomplish the same result by sous vide, flash chill, refrigerate, and then smoke on the day of your event? Save the purge to enhance the flavor after smoking and add some moisture.
Beer in the bag seems like a bad idea. The booze won't cook off, like it would in a more traditional cooking method. Also, carbonation... and bitter flavors.
What I do, on the second smoke, is bark it up, and then wrap, and add liquid... clarified purge and whatnot, I prefer red wine or sherry, or both, but if you think the stout would be good, I'd advise doing it like that.
I am a big fan of getting some smoke on the chuckies before they hit the hot tub. Out of all my tests, this resulted in the most smoke flavor in the final product. Also, I totally agree with Potkettleblack and Polarbear777 on leaving the beer out of the bag. It will definitely dilute the meat flavor and probably negate some of the smoke you put on the meat.
I definitely wouldn't put beer in the bag. I'm Irish, and Guinness is just as often a marinade as a pint, but it won't come out well. I've tried it trapped in slow cooked beef, and my wife won't eat it. (I did, but to save face, not because it was good). I've put stout in coddle, where it can breathe, and my wife loves it.
Maybe someone else will explain 'why' it has to cook off as it reduces - I don't know - but it does.
Like EdF mentions, create a reduction sauce with the beer and some stock. Cool it and then vacuum and let it marinade for 24 hours. Then in to the water bath. Then create an an additional reduction from the purge if you choose.
Perhaps I saw the same technique as Ed did. It looked phenomenal!
Hi, my name is Darrell. I'm an OTR truck driver for over 25 years. During my off time I love doing backyard cooks. I have a 48" Lang Deluxe smoker, Rec-Tec pellet smoker,1 Weber Genesis 330, 1 Weber Performer (blue), 2 Weber kettles (1 black and 1 Copper), 1 26" Weber kettle, a WSM, 8 Maverick Redi Chek thermometers, a PartyQ, 2 SnS, Grill Grates, Cast Iron grates, 1 ThermoPop (orange) and 2 ThermoPens (pink and orange) and planning on adding more cooking accessories. Now I have an Anova sous vide, the Dragon blower and 2 Chef alarms from Thermoworks.
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