What You Need to Know
The process applies a vacuum (0.1–0.3 MPa below atmospheric pressure) at controlled temperatures (4–25 °C) to collapse tissue pores, allowing acidic and enzymatic components of the marinade to protonate amino groups and activate proteases such as papain. This accelerates mass transfer by a factor of 5–10, reduces microbial growth, and removes dissolved gases, thereby extending shelf life while preserving texture.
Steps
- 1.
Tori no Shio Koji (Japan): Accelerates koji enzyme penetration for rapid umami development
- 2.
Duck Confit Marinade (France): Forces herb-infused fats into muscle fibers pre-cooking
- 3.
Mojo Marinated Pork (Cuba): Distributes citrus and garlic compounds evenly
The Science
Primary Reaction
pressure‑induced diffusion of soluble flavor compounds into protein matrices