Sous Vide & Brining

Question 1

Give three reasons why you may choose to brine a pork tenderloin

Answer 1

To prolong the shelf-life/preserve the food
To impart flavour/season
Tenderisation
Improve/retain moisture

Question 2

In brine is sugar active or inactive?

Answer 2

Active

Question 3

In brine is dill active or inactive?

Answer 3

Inactive

Question 4

In brine is red wine active or inactive?

Answer 4

Active

Question 5

In brine is salt active or inactive?

Answer 5

Active

Question 6

In brine are juniper berries active or inactive?

Answer 6

Inactive

Question 7

Name 4 health and safety considerations when making or using a brine

Answer 7

Weigh salt/water accurately
Bring brine to boil (to dissolve the salt but also kill off any pathogenic bacteria)
Ensure the brine is at room or fridge temperature before submerging food into brine
Ensure food is completely submerged in brine
Store brine in fridge
Once brined, rinse food and pat dry
Don’t re-use a brine

Question 8

Name two types/methods of brining?

Answer 8

Gradient brine
Equilibrium Brine
Dry cure (that turns into a brine)

Question 9

How much salt would you need to make a 10% brine with 2L of water?

Answer 9

200g salt

Question 10

Equilibrium brine is the favoured method to reduce the risk of over-brining - True or False?

Answer 10

True

Question 11

Brining can be a nutritious way of cooking meat - True or false

Answer 11

False

Question 12

You would need 50g salt in 1L water to make a 5% brine - True or false

Answer 12

True

Question 13

In sous vide cooking a chamber vacuum sealer is more often seen in the food
industry than an external vacuum sealer - True or false

Answer 13

True

Question 14

Vinegars, wines and garlic are best avoided when sous vide cooking - True or false

Answer 14

True

Question 15

Fish and shellfish usually need to be cooked in a higher temperature water bath than red or white meat - True or false

Answer 15

False

Question 16

Sous vide is an example of low temperature, high heat cooking - True or false

Answer 16

True

Question 17

Charring, blow-torching, griddling or browning would all be examples of both
pre- and post sous vide stages of cooking - True or false

Answer 17

True

Question 18

There is no need to temperature probe food that has been cooked in a water
bath - True or false

Answer 18

False

Question 19

Give four benefits to cooking sous vide?

Answer 19

Precision cooking to a particular doneness
Uniform cooking (cooked the same throughout)
Can streamline a restaurant service/make service more efficient
Energy efficiency
Maintain nutritional content of food
Reduce shrinkage of food

Question 20

Give two limitations to cooking sous vide?

Answer 20

Taste/texture – not everyone is a fan of the uniformity
High plastic use
Health concerns with chemicals leaching from PVC
De-skills chefs