Flavor Profiles...

jasonalan724 · 01-19-2010, 09:37 PM

...what exactly are flavoer profiles and are there major profiles and minor profiles...or simple profiles and complex profiles...or heavy profiles and light profiles...or pink profiles and blue profiles...bretheren please help me out....

bigabyte · 01-19-2010, 10:19 PM

As I like to think of it, flavor profiles are a blend of basic spices in a basic ratio that impart a specific signature flavor. I have heard some people speak of flavor profiles in terms of a balance of the 5 basic flavors, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami, but honestly I do not think of that as a "flavor profile", because in general everyone is looking for a balance of those flavors when concentrating on that aspect of flavor.

Examples of basic flavor profiles are "French Onion Soup", which could in essence be boiled down to beef bouillon and onion flavor. That is a very primitive example. If you taste many different rubs, you will find there are a few various "flavor profiles" that you cna use in a sense to group them together into similarly flavored categories to a certain degree. That is not to say all rubs follow a finite set of flavor profiles, but you will find groups of them that are very similar because they tend to use the same ingredients between them in similar ratios.

Hope this helps.

MilitantSquatter · 01-19-2010, 10:21 PM

"Flavor profile" is an overused buzz word/term these days

Too much focus on every little detail can sometimes ruin a good thing...

landarc · 01-19-2010, 10:27 PM

I view flavor profiles in terms of the 5 basic flavors, but, add the characteristics of known flavors, similar to the worlds of wine and beer. You seek out the familiar when tasting, those 5 basic flavors are a start, but, sweet means a very different thing from milk chocolate, salty is not the same as sea water, so I find that providing both terms to be useful when trying to communicate flavor. I rarely try to communicate the flavor of BBQ in these terms, although, I can see where these terms could be useful in a situation such as this forum.

I think if I received a review of my BBQ and it said the flavor profile was sweet, I would be disappointed, that is not a flavor profile, that is one useless description and not a flavor profile. A flavor profile would be more like, the ribs were sweet with hints of honey and caramel and a backbone of savory spice of black pepper and roasted garlic. That would tell me that they cared about their taste and my feedback.

bigabyte · 01-19-2010, 10:43 PM

Actually, I think I like landarc's description better.

JD McGee · 01-20-2010, 12:58 AM

To me it means the proper marriage of smoke, rub, and sauce that will please the judges...

It also means cooking regionally...what "flavor profiles" do the folks in KC like as opposed to the folks in Texas...

NorthwestBBQ · 01-20-2010, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilitantSquatter

"Flavor profile" is an overused buzz word/term these days

Too much focus on every little detail can sometimes ruin a good thing...

Word. It is a bunch of double talk:

1. Meaningless speech that consists of nonsense syllables mixed with intelligible words; gibberish.

2. Deliberately ambiguous or evasive language. Also called doublespeak.

You know, sales talk.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD McGee

To me it means the proper marriage of smoke, rub, and sauce that will please the judges...

It also means cooking regionally...what "flavor profiles" do the folks in KC like as opposed to the folks in Texas...

I thought that's what's called BBQ.

JiveTurkey · 01-20-2010, 02:01 AM

I had to laugh when watching Worst Cook in America the other night when one of the guys said something about the "flavor profile" of his dish. This dude can't cut an onion but he can tell me about flavor profiles

Flavor profile = what the food tastes like.

01-19-2010, 09:37 PM	#1
jasonalan724 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-25-09 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Flavor Profiles... ...what exactly are flavoer profiles and are there major profiles and minor profiles...or simple profiles and complex profiles...or heavy profiles and light profiles...or pink profiles and blue profiles...bretheren please help me out.... __________________ Jayber Que BBQ Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire… Exodus 12:9 4 UDS' - Rolling Rotis Hog Cooker - Weber Kettle Resuce Collection - ECB - Lodge Cast Iron Collection - HF Weed Burner - ProQ CSG - Super Fast and Accurate White Thermapen - 4 tap homebrew keezer - 10 gallon all grain single tier keggle build

01-19-2010, 10:19 PM	#2
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS Downloads: 1 Uploads: 1	As I like to think of it, flavor profiles are a blend of basic spices in a basic ratio that impart a specific signature flavor. I have heard some people speak of flavor profiles in terms of a balance of the 5 basic flavors, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami, but honestly I do not think of that as a "flavor profile", because in general everyone is looking for a balance of those flavors when concentrating on that aspect of flavor. Examples of basic flavor profiles are "French Onion Soup", which could in essence be boiled down to beef bouillon and onion flavor. That is a very primitive example. If you taste many different rubs, you will find there are a few various "flavor profiles" that you cna use in a sense to group them together into similarly flavored categories to a certain degree. That is not to say all rubs follow a finite set of flavor profiles, but you will find groups of them that are very similar because they tend to use the same ingredients between them in similar ratios. Hope this helps. __________________ Chris Baker For great food and and an even better time join the BBQ Brethren Throwdowns *First ever recipient of the Silverfinger Award!* Yes, I own a whole bunch of BBQ crap also. *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Get your MOINK Certification today!* The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club member

01-19-2010, 10:21 PM	#3
MilitantSquatter Moderator Join Date: 09-17-05 Location: soon to be in Mooresville, NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	"Flavor profile" is an overused buzz word/term these days Too much focus on every little detail can sometimes ruin a good thing... __________________ Vinny 22" WSM & Kettle Former owner: Jambo, Klose BYC, Med. Spicewine, Pitts & Spitts, XL & (2) Med. BGE's, (2) 18" WSM's Last edited by MilitantSquatter; 01-19-2010 at 11:40 PM..

01-19-2010, 10:27 PM	#4
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: San Leandro, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I view flavor profiles in terms of the 5 basic flavors, but, add the characteristics of known flavors, similar to the worlds of wine and beer. You seek out the familiar when tasting, those 5 basic flavors are a start, but, sweet means a very different thing from milk chocolate, salty is not the same as sea water, so I find that providing both terms to be useful when trying to communicate flavor. I rarely try to communicate the flavor of BBQ in these terms, although, I can see where these terms could be useful in a situation such as this forum. I think if I received a review of my BBQ and it said the flavor profile was sweet, I would be disappointed, that is not a flavor profile, that is one useless description and not a flavor profile. A flavor profile would be more like, the ribs were sweet with hints of honey and caramel and a backbone of savory spice of black pepper and roasted garlic. That would tell me that they cared about their taste and my feedback. __________________ "perhaps...but then again...maybe not..." careful there son, those ribs are boiling hot... \_\|_/ (='.'=) Here there be bunnies... (")_(")ooo Pacific Rim BBQ Bob's Brew and Que

01-19-2010, 10:43 PM	#5
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS Downloads: 1 Uploads: 1	Actually, I think I like landarc's description better. __________________ Chris Baker For great food and and an even better time join the BBQ Brethren Throwdowns *First ever recipient of the Silverfinger Award!* Yes, I own a whole bunch of BBQ crap also. *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Get your MOINK Certification today!* The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club member

01-20-2010, 12:58 AM	#6
JD McGee somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-28-07 Location: Duvall, WA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	To me it means the proper marriage of smoke, rub, and sauce that will please the judges... It also means cooking regionally...what "flavor profiles" do the folks in KC like as opposed to the folks in Texas... __________________ Wine Country "Q" Competition BBQ

01-20-2010, 02:01 AM	#8
JiveTurkey is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 09-21-09 Location: MambyPambyLand, Ca Ya Jackwagon Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I had to laugh when watching Worst Cook in America the other night when one of the guys said something about the "flavor profile" of his dish. This dude can't cut an onion but he can tell me about flavor profiles Flavor profile = what the food tastes like. __________________ JT

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