Explain layering of flavors to me...

[k9bfriender]

@purplehorseshoe

I think I picked up the gelatin trick from Cook’s (maybe Country but probably Illustrated) and it is, indeed, a terrific addition to any broth-y meat dish. Pot roast, especially, benefits.

The secret is to sprinkle some onto the surface, when you’re almost done cooking - when nobody is looking - then give a casual stir as the sauce magically thickens and develops that unctuous texture.

If you go into many high end restaurants, they have a little jar of Minor’s Beef Base, as something that the sneak into some dishes at the last minute, specifically for that thickening texture.

[mixdenny]

@Kimstu

One of many, many explanatory articles from the Google hits on “flavor layering”.
Are you saying that the timing and sequence of adding seasonings and other ingredients doesn’t make the result taste different? Because if so, that’s silly.

Maybe if you’re just using a few rather similar dried seasonings then the timing is unimportant. But it makes a huge difference if, say, you’re sauteing minced garlic in butter at the beginning of cooking a dish versus adding roasted garlic at the end. Likewise, a dish with fresh herbs added at the end of cooking or in serving does not taste identical to the same dish with a soggy lump of fresh herbs that have been stewing in it for an hour.

No, the examples you gave are fine and make perfect sense. I wish I had a good example but there have certainly been times watching when I couldn’t see what difference the order of ingredients would make a big difference.