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I'm the proud owner of a new-fangled sous vide instrument. So far, I've seen mixed statements about adding extra liquid (brine or some other concoction of my choosing) to the bag. When grilling, I'm a dry rub man. But I wanted to try a marinade and thought my sous vide adventures would be a good place to start.
Is this a bad idea? Are there any recommendations, like avoiding overly acidic due to bag leeching?
Salty marinades work best, both for altering the flavor profile of the protein and for adding liquid to the cut.
Since sous vide is a technique that works in a vacuum-sealed bag, liquid doesn't evaporate from the cut during the cooking process.
I would say do this:
1. Brinerade the cut for a short period of time (depends on the size of the cut)
2. Dry the meat really well.
3. Sous vide the crap out of that tasty cut!
4. Re-dry the meat, if necessary!
5. Sear the cut (browning adds flavor) in a rippin' hot pan to form a crust.
6. Enjoy!
Generally speaking meat that is cooked sous vide does not have marinating liquid in the bag, though a small amount of fat (oil or butter, for example), might be added to help with air displacement. A lot depends on what you want to achieve and the specific cut or protein you are cooking. There are several ways you can go, but dry-rub or marinate...pat dry or wipe off...quick sear...bag...cook...final grill or final sear...is often a good practice. A vacuum sealer is nice to have for extra long cooks, when you get into the multiple day range, but is not really necessary for most applications. There are many online resources you can check for guidance.
There is only one reason to add liquid into a bag, and that is to displace air.
In short, liquid conducts heat much better than air. Think insulated windows, two layers of glass with one layer of air between to prevent heat transfer. The increased heat conduction is essential if not using a vacuum sealer, as extra liquid can displace packets of air.
However, if you'd like to avoid adding extra liquid to meat in a sous vide cooker, that is fine, as I am sure meat juice will leak out and fill up those cavities.
