Anova Precision Oven: Do You Keep a Diary for its use? If so, please show it here!

[TdeV]

Host's note: This topic is devoted to development and use of a cooking diary for the APO. Happy (or unfortunate) meals should be posted here: Cooking with the Anove Precision Oven: What Did You Make?

 

I'm very confused about steam ovens, having no prior experience. I have been directed to printouts "Mastering the Convection Steam Oven: Techniques, Recipes and More" from Wolf Ovens, as well as from Wolf, the two page QuickSheet "Convection Steam Oven Reference Guide", and the Instruction Manual (with receipes) from Cusinart Steam Oven. I also have those excellent spreadsheets compiled by @Okanagancook from the CSO thread.

Like other diaries I began the APO diary with with an office binder, multiple tab dividers. (Here are links to my other notebooks SousVide Diary and Instant Pot Diary both with homage to @rotuts for the suggestions) 

Binder Title: Anova Precision Oven Diary

Began:  Jan 2021

Index to sections: 15 tabs, mainly large food groups: Leftovers, Chicken, Duck, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal, Turkey, Bread & stale Bread, Beans, Grains, Fish & Seafood. I've created a separate section for casseroles because they sometimes involve many component vegetables, grains and meats. In this diary, Vegetables are #15 which conveniently leads to a whole 'nother index with letters of the alphabet, so filing vegetable pages will be less of a chore.

Section: In chicken, there will be a separate page for every different cut of meat + treatment.

Page(s): Each page enables documenting all actions related to that cut or meat + treatment.

 

The actual details of the cook can be very complex, as the Anova Precision Oven has so gol' darn many possible choices. As it will be very hard to document all these choices accurately in a looseleaf notebook, I have created a paper form which I think includes the choices in the order they are presented to you (or me). 

AnovaSteamOvenDiaryForm_v1c.pdf Edit: This form has been updated to a better one in the next post. Don't use this one.

 

Over time I will update the form as people report issues with it (Send me a PM). Then I'll post another form to eG, hopefully on this same thread. The version number and date will be on the bottom left of one or both sides of the page. If you contact me directly, I can resend you an old or new version of the form.

I hope that others will become involved in this project and build their own binders of results, which have a good value all by themselves.

Perhaps we can work on a project of summarization down the road.

 

Edited to add:

I could fill out a couple of form pages and post them, it you think it might be helpful.

 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Smithy
Adjusted title for clarity; added host's note (log)

[TdeV]

I discovered that I was using the form incorrectly, perhaps you have too!

 

The form has now been updated  so that Rack shows "1" as the highest placement, and "5" a the lowest.

 

Let me know if other adjustments are needed.

 

AnovaSteamOvenDiaryForm_v1e.pdf

 

[FeChef]

You might want to check out the Anova Precision Oven thread at pizzamaking.com. I personally think its too pricey for its size ( i want to be able to do at least a 15lb Turkey) But this thread has a lot of info on bread and meats, ect..ect.

 

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=64925.0

 

You do need to sign up for a free account to see this forum section.

[TdeV]

Thought I'd post a sample. This is derived from Combi Steam Almond Crumbed Fish with Sweet Potato Chips

 

[TdeV]

I'm curious how many people actually manually track procedures for using the APO and the results. Or do you rely exclusively on the Anova App?

 

How many people rely on prodigious memories? (e.g. I don't know if professional chefs remember the details of how they cook everything).

[ElsieD]

5 hours ago, TdeV said:

I'm curious how many people actually manually track procedures for using the APO and the results. Or do you rely exclusively on the Anova App?

 

How many people rely on prodigious memories? (e.g. I don't know if professional chefs remember the details of how they cook everything).

 

I still haven't used the oven for too much yet, other than baking.    But I took your diary page, made a couple of amendments so it would suit me better and have jotted down on it what other people have done so I have a guide.  I have also recorded my sous vide cooking but there are only two items on it, a roast beef for us and a chicken breast for the cat.  In both cases I used the Anova Culinary guidelines.