"The bone adds flavor"

Jrogers84 · Dec 7, 2016

I have always thought this was more fact than opinion. Has anyone ever came across actual proof of this? Has a study actually even been done? Ive always enjoyed a steak with a bone or chicken on the bone more but I am wondering if its all in my head.

quamdar · Dec 7, 2016

I don't know of a study but I always thought it was more of a mental thing or possibly the fact that the bone protects the meat near it from being over cooked like a lot of household cooks like to do.

I know I LOVE bone in porkchops for whatever reason. Other meat I don't really care too much.

IamMadMan · Dec 7, 2016

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/ask-the-food-lab-do-bones-add-flavor-to-meat-beef.html

JohnH12 · Dec 7, 2016

quamdar said:
I don't know of a study but I always thought it was more of a mental thing or possibly the fact that the bone protects the meat near it from being over cooked like a lot of household cooks like to do.

I know I LOVE bone in pork chops for whatever reason. Other meat I don't really care too much.

Gotta have a handle for those pork chops! That way it makes a great tool to wave when you need to emphasize a point during an argument!

Lowki · Dec 7, 2016

If i could sum it up in one word, Marrow.

aawa · Dec 7, 2016

I haven't cooking bone in steaks doesn't add any extra flavor. However it does help with retaining moisture.

I will save the bones to make my own beef stocks. I will typically roast the bones off a little bit more and then crack them with my clever so that the marrow can come out to help flavor the stock even more.

So I kind of agree with the link Iammad posted in this thread.

RolandJT · Dec 7, 2016

This is not a case for literalness.

If the bone adds atmosphere and you prefer eating meat off the bone, you will spend a little more time eating and be happier.

That means you will enjoy the meat more.

In that case it does not matter at all whether the bone actually improves the flavor or not.

(I guess this puts me in the liberal school of BBQ interpretation)

mjpmap · Dec 7, 2016

If you want to prove it to yourself, try this little experiment. Pick up a small pack of stew beef. Get a second pack of beef bones with as little meat on them as possible. Put each pack in a small pan of water and boil. After half hour or so, taste each broth. It won't be close. The same flavor the bones impart in the broth, will flavor a cut of meat.

LDawg · Dec 7, 2016

I'm sure we know which way our loyal dogs are voting let's not forget the real reason God made bones .)

midwest_kc · Dec 7, 2016

I just don't see that penetrating all of the meat. No doubt the meat next to the bone is better. In a steak like a bone in ribeye, or a bigger cut like a rib roast, I just don't see the difference the further you get away from the bone.

tenpenny_05 · Dec 7, 2016

Which would you rather have: A rack of ribs? or a McRib sandwich? Case closed.

jwtseng · Dec 7, 2016

When you boil the bones in water, of course the marrow comes out of the bone and flavors the broth. The broth in turn flavors the meat that is sitting in the broth. But when we cook a bone-in ribeye or something like that on the grill, I don't think the bone adds any flavor. Whatever marrow comes out of the bone drips into the fire or more likely dries and burns to a crisp due to the fire. Boiling bones in water is different because there isn't a change in interface from liquid to gas...liquid stays liquid so the bone marrow can be dissolved into the broth, and the meat effectively "marinates" in that flavor.

I'm more likely to believe that cooking something like a pork but with the fat cap up bastes the meat and makes it more moist, but I don't think that really happens either.

Enter the sousvide steak: bone-in, leave the fat cap on...you will get flavor wonderland that permeates deep into the meat! And that's because you are preserving the liquid/liquid interface and cooking the meat in the broth that is created.

CaptRon · Dec 7, 2016

That's what SHE said!!!
:laugh:

BillN · Dec 7, 2016

Last month cooked my favorite (or I thought) bone in skin on chicken thighs on the offset. Sincef I was in a gluttonous mood I purchased a family pack of boneless skinless thighs since they only had one family pack left of the bone in thighs. Prepped the same way and cooked side by side. Crap! my new favorite are boneless skinless thighs.

The flavor was so much better and the smoke penetration was far better on the boneless skinless thighs. Also saved a few calories, so I can no longer say the bone added anything and as much as I love the crispy skin the boneless skinless were still better.

Roguejim · Dec 7, 2016

No way that a bone on one end of a piece of meat will affect the flavor of the meat on the opposite end. I'm talking bbq here, not boiling or sous vide.

m-fine · Dec 7, 2016

BillN said:
Last month cooked my favorite (or I thought) bone in skin on chicken thighs on the offset. Sincef I was in a gluttonous mood I purchased a family pack of boneless skinless thighs since they only had one family pack left of the bone in thighs. Prepped the same way and cooked side by side. Crap! my new favorite are boneless skinless thighs.

The flavor was so much better and the smoke penetration was far better on the boneless skinless thighs. Also saved a few calories, so I can no longer say the bone added anything and as much as I love the crispy skin the boneless skinless were still better.

I have come to the same conclusion for chicken thighs. I get batter flavor boneless skinless as long as I don't overcook or dry them out. Indirect in the kamado, I get more flavor from the seasoning and from the smoke, plus they save a ton of labor when I chop them for taco meat.

Chicken breast I won't do boneless skinless on a grill unless forced to by others. The white meat needs some protection I guess.

Leftwngr · Dec 7, 2016

I'm just cheap, so it comes down to cost for me.

If the cost per lb is much less because the bones are still on it, then I'll take it bones on. If the difference is negligible (like a ribeye at costco), then I feel like I'm paying meat price for bone weight, and that's no good.

Bones make nice handles and are great for presentation, so if that's important enough to the people I'm cooking for, then I'll pay it, otherwise, my frugality dictates.

Mikhail · Dec 7, 2016

Bone in chix breasts grill much, much better than boneless. One man's opinion

MeatyOakerSmoker · Dec 7, 2016

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_bone-in_meat_is_better.html

Jrogers84 · Dec 8, 2016

Thanks all. I plan on reading both articles....yesterday kinda got away from me as soon as I posted this!

"The bone adds flavor"

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