or onto a heated pan, herbs and spices will
emit not only their usual aromatics, but
aromatics transformed by the high heat.
Marinades and Rubs
In the case of large solid chunks of meat or
fish, it’s easy to get herb and spice flavors
onto the food surface, but not so easy to get
them inside. Water-and oil-based marinades
coat the meat with flavorful liquid, while
pastes and dry rubs put the solid aromatics in
more direct contact with the meat surface.
Because flavors are mainly fat-soluble
molecules, and meat is 75% water, flavor
molecules can’t move very far inside. A
distinctly salty marinade or rub can help
somewhat by disrupting the meat tissue (p.
155) and making it easier for some slightly
water-soluble aromas to penetrate it. A more
efficient method is to use a cooking syringe,
and inject small portions of the flavorful