Cooking with the Anova Precision Oven: What did you make?

[TdeV]

8 hours ago, TdeV said:

Yesterday we had baked fish with sweet potatoes, fresh mayonnaise, and asparagus. I worked with this recipe from steamandbake.

 

The sweet potatoes were cut and soaked in salty water so they wouldn't brown, dried off, tossed in couple tablespoons oil (in a plastic bag), laid out on the Anova sheet pan, dusted with some semolina, garlic cloves and thyme. The Anova pan is quite thin and buckled mid-cook. Anyone have a good replacement?

 

This was my second try at homemade mayonnaise, but the first time with the Bamix using the small container (which might be too small). Ingredients: jumbo egg, freshly ground black mustard seed, <tsp salt, white wine vinegar, canola. Tasted salty to me when just made.

 

But, I have to tell you, HOT sweet potato fries dipped in fresh mayonnaise is absolutely divine! 😋 😋

 

The fish was lemon flounder fillet, dried and placed on a 1/4 sheet USA pan which did not buckle.

Dressing (none leftover) was 100g panko, 30 g chopped raw cashew, zest from one Meyer lemon, freshly ground pepper, enough olive oil to make the crumbs stick together.

 

 

Served with the Meyer lemon and asparagus. With a little practise this would be a very fast meal. And tasty.

 

 

Today I tried to duplicate yesterday's wonder with sweet potato and homemade mayonnaise, only this time with russet potatoes. Yesterday's mayonnaise with a sprinkle of already ground black mustard seed. Not even close to the magic of yesterday.

[jimb0]

23 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Thanks @JoNorvelleWalker and @jimbo.

 

Do you have a recommended site to buy these pans?

i just buy them on amazon personally

[JoNorvelleWalker]

23 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Thanks @JoNorvelleWalker and @jimbo.

 

Do you have a recommended site to buy these pans?

 

http://amazon.com

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

 

B004TL4FXO

B004HHQZII

B003A1R8YW

 

B01MTJM0U0

B0728GC529

B07JQ398MH

 

 

[kostbill]

I bought the oven and it will probably arrive next week.

One of the things I want to try first, is pork hocks.

 

When I am doing pork hocks sous vide and then transfer them in the oven, the skin is awful, I hate it in never crisps.

I throw it away immediately. The meat is excellent, juicy, super soft, gelatinous, just perfect.

 

When I am going them in the traditional oven, 6 hours at the lowest setting and then the highest temp for about

2 minutes produces a crisp wonderful skin, but the meat is not good.

 

So I hope that the oven will give me the desired effect.

 

Has anyone tried that? Any suggestions for a soft, juicy, gelatinous meat and a crisp skin??

I would go at 5 hours at 60C on 0% humidity and then 15 minutes at highest, does it look good?

[rotuts]

@kostbill 

 

your points are well taken

 

consider

 

peelingnoffnthe skin

 

after a cold water soak 

 

if needed

 

and then

 

SV the meat

 

and deal w the skin in a diffenrent

fashion ?

 

Very Hot roast

 

I don't thin any oven 

 

Anovaor not

 

is going together boththeskinandthemeatdone 

 

perfectly t oyurliking

 

do the meat S

 

and then the skin differently

 

possibly your new Anova

 

cheers

[kostbill]

No I want to cook it with the skin on.

I know that the desired effect can be reached because I have eaten a very good pork hock.

I am guessing that in the restaurant I ate it, they had a combi oven, so, here is a challenge.

[TdeV]

I have a bundle (?) of fresh pork hocks, and an Anova oven. I'm interested in this! Recommendations?

[palo]

Ahhh, the mysterious perforated pan...

 

Well I haven't found one, but an excellent substitute would be this:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00H94EPJ2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Yes it is a "cooling rack" and not a "perforated pan", but it functions in all but name as the latter and the beauty of it is it fits in the shelf grooves of the oven. The reason for the perforated pan is to allow air circulation and run off.  Rather than a rack on a pan on a shelf, this fits in a groove with a pan in a groove below, allowing max circulation and no chance of "steaming". It can be used as a rack alone for dehydrating or air frying and I believe it's strong enough to hold a Dutch oven. It's pricy at $40 CDN, but it does the job.

 

@kostbill - I haven't a clue about hocks specifically but the roast chicken recipe could surely be adapted - dry in fridge- probe for temp (sous vide mode) - sear

 

https://oven.anovaculinary.com/recipe/wttK3xUw6HH3zPw5XOzL

 

p

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 hours ago, palo said:

Ahhh, the mysterious perforated pan...

 

Well I haven't found one, but an excellent substitute would be this:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00H94EPJ2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Yes it is a "cooling rack" and not a "perforated pan", but it functions in all but name as the latter and the beauty of it is it fits in the shelf grooves of the oven. The reason for the perforated pan is to allow air circulation and run off.  Rather than a rack on a pan on a shelf, this fits in a groove with a pan in a groove below, allowing max circulation and no chance of "steaming". It can be used as a rack alone for dehydrating or air frying and I believe it's strong enough to hold a Dutch oven. It's pricy at $40 CDN, but it does the job.

 

@kostbill - I haven't a clue about hocks specifically but the roast chicken recipe could surely be adapted - dry in fridge- probe for temp (sous vide mode) - sear

 

https://oven.anovaculinary.com/recipe/wttK3xUw6HH3zPw5XOzL

 

p

 

TeamFar or Vollrath for me.

 

[Duvel]

10 hours ago, kostbill said:

No I want to cook it with the skin on.

I know that the desired effect can be reached because I have eaten a very good pork hock.

I am guessing that in the restaurant I ate it, they had a combi oven, so, here is a challenge.

With or without APO, may I suggest this method ?

[kostbill]

9 hours ago, palo said:

@kostbill - I haven't a clue about hocks specifically but the roast chicken recipe could surely be adapted - dry in fridge- probe for temp (sous vide mode) - sear

 

https://oven.anovaculinary.com/recipe/wttK3xUw6HH3zPw5XOzL

Yes this is the first try I am going to have. I didn't have the fridge dry in my mind, but I will do that.

40 minutes ago, Duvel said:

With or without APO, may I suggest this method ?

I tried that method in a pork belly. The skin came out crispy but the meat was overdone. But when it comes to pork belly, I don't really like the meat even when sous vide. I enjoy it in fat pieces, about 1cm and shallow fry in a pan.

Also I cannot do that exactly with a pork hock because of the shape.

 

I think I will get some pork hocks and do them in the oven before the anova oven arrives. This way I will remember the results more clearly and adjust my expectations.

[palo]

5 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

TeamFar or Vollrath for me.

 

Do they slide in the grooves?

 

The TeamFar says the rack is 18.75 inches which is too wide or 15 inches which is too narrow.

 

The Vollrath rack on Amazon doesn't say the actual size and there's often some fudging with regards to "1/2 sheet" size.

 

p

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, palo said:

Do they slide in the grooves?

 

The TeamFar says the rack is 18.75 inches which is too wide or 15 inches which is too narrow.

 

The Vollrath rack on Amazon doesn't say the actual size and there's often some fudging with regards to "1/2 sheet" size.

 

p

 

Neither slide in the grooves, however unless I linked the wrong TeamFar sheet pans they fit well in the APO.

 

For Vollrath, don't confuse 1/2 sheet pans with 1/2 hotel pans.  The thing I like about the pans and rack I linked is they go together perfectly.  Other hotel pans I have don't fit the Vollrath rack.

[palo]

Each to his own, but with the rack I mentioned, I gain an extra shelf as well as a "perforated pan" that gives me plenty of room for air circulation.

 

You say "toemato" and I say "tawmato" 😁

 

p

[TdeV]

On 3/27/2021 at 4:26 AM, Duvel said:

With or without APO, may I suggest this method ?

 

Duvel, did you boil the meat at the start?

I recently bought way too many pork feet, ham hocks and pork bones. Used a torch to burn off hair on pig feet. Also read that pork feet needed to be boiled for 5 minutes at the start. It did remove rather a lot of foam and crud. Same thing with hocks?

[Duvel]

On 3/28/2021 at 1:28 PM, TdeV said:

 

Duvel, did you boil the meat at the start?

I recently bought way too many pork feet, ham hocks and pork bones. Used a torch to burn off hair on pig feet. Also read that pork feet needed to be boiled for 5 minutes at the start. It did remove rather a lot of foam and crud. Same thing with hocks?

The meat is cooked first skin side down submerged in liquid. So, that would technically count as boiling.

 

I am not quite sure what your intention is. Do you want to roast the hocks ? I do not think that a preboiling makes much of a difference qualitywise other than shortening the time in the oven. The preboiling technique is usually enployed to create clear(er) stocks from protein, but has not that much advantage if you are aiming at „just“ getting it cooked ...

Edited March 29, 2021 by Duvel (log)

[TdeV]

Nik Sharma's Flavor Equation is a fascinating cookbook, he's preoccupied with these essential components: Emotion, Sight, Sound, Mouthfeel, Aroma, and Taste. See more eG discussion of this book. Right now I'm in sound looking at Crispy Carrots with Garlic and Mint Tahini (p 178).

 

We're having an extended birthday party Wine Tasting tonight; will be outdoors 60°F (15.5°C), windy and cooling. Naturally we don't want anything that's complicated to cook or eat.

 

I've already finished Ham Hocks to (sorta) @Duvel's rule, which skin was sliced (helps fat render), then steam/sous vided at 140°F (60°C) for 24 hours in APO. I plan to reheat them in same way for a couple of hours, and then turn the heat to 450°F (232°C) to bristle and crisp the skin for some minutes. If you have a good idea for making these easy to eat while sitting in a lawn chair, do tell.

 

Nik Sharma's Crispy Carrots with Garlic and Mint Tahini recipe calls for shallow frying young carrots at 350°F (176°C), which have been split lengthwise, for 3 or 4 minutes on each side. I want to convert this step to the Anova Precision Oven (APO). I'm unclear what Nik means by "young". My large grocery store carrots range from 7/8" to 1" diameter at the upper end, but I'm not sure these carrots will be well enough cooked in 3-4 minutes per side. Nik's carrots do not appear to be prebaked. He mentions the sound of Crunch but he's referring to the rice, not raw carrots. Suggestions welcome.

 

One Sound component to the carrot recipe is caused by dipping the carrot in egg and then rolling in rice crumbs. These crumbs are made by drying pre-made rice in a slow oven for an hour or more.

 

There are some intriguing spices added to the rice crumbs and the mint tahini dressing.

 

Do you have any estimates how I can convert shallow fry to baked? Young carrots to not-so-young carrots?  Do I precook the carrots, and at what percent steam?

 

Thanks for your help

 

[TdeV]

Interesting comments by @blue_dolphin on the Flavor Equation thread here which caused me to choose her suggestion for Couscous with Sesame-Roasted Carrots +Feta from the same book, p.154. Because these were done in the convection steam oven, I reduced the temperature to 365°F with 80% steam. Then removed them while oven heated to 450°F. The carrots were then cooked, top element only, for about 4 minutes. The black carrots were originally purple with yellow interiors.

 

 

Ham hocks cooked to @Duvel's specifications (sorta) thread here. Pork hock cooked Sous Vide on lowest rack for 24 hours at 140°F and 100% steam, then cooled. They were reheated (same temp) to reheat during the day, removed to do the carrots (above), oven cooled, then restarted. A short while before dinner, hocks were removed from the oven while top burner heated to Duvel's spec of 250°C (482°F) where the hocks were placed for 8 minutes.

 

 

Dinner and wine were had al fresco!

 

 

[Duvel]

Thanks for giving this a go, @TdeV - how would you judge the skin ? It does look crispy, yet not „expanded“ ... would you do your protocol again ?

[TdeV]

@Duvel, I think you have a sharper knife than we do. 🤣 I wasn't clear how far the fat layer went with the ham hock, and was wary of trying to cut too deeply, so we mostly cut only the skin (and sometimes not through the skin!). I think, therefore, that there was no "expanded" skin/fat layer.

 

Still, the skin was pretty tasty.

 

Since the hocks were done sous vide, most of the cartilage and fat did not melt, so large parts of the fatty parts went uneaten.

 

Next time, I would take more care cutting the skin, perhaps cut a bit more deeply, and try to cross cut with your diamond pattern.

 

(I'm going to make split pea soup with the remaining meat and bones. No idea what to do with the remaining skin.)

[Duvel]

I think throwing the skin (or any tasty bits) into the beans will always be a good idea 🤗

[TdeV]

Another APO al fresco birthday celebration last night (we like a long birthday season) where temperatures of 52°F started the evening and 45°F ended it. They say there were gusts up to 30 mph but we were well bundled in winter gear. And today we're supposed to get snow!

 

The salad used my neighbour's just picked asparagus, an avocado, and ramps (white parts lightly cooked in APO, leaves cut in chiffonade), sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, white pepper.

 

Duck bacon was steam cooked for 9 minutes at 350°F.

 

Rosemary sourdough boule sliced thinly, piled with duck bacon, 3 grated cheeses (Cheddar, Fontina, Cabot Cheddar), with a scrape of mustard. Using a pastry brush, I mopped up some melted duck fat and painted it over the top slice.

 

Baked in APO (top & convection) at 482°F for 6 minutes. Because of the temp outside, the second half of the sandwich was reheated for 3 minutes before being consumed.

 

Champagne and wine were also consumed. 🙂

 

[TdeV]

Apologies that I'm behind in the Dinner 2021 thread, so I'm posting here.

 

All parts steam cooked 350°F. Duck bacon 9 minutes, followed by inverted Acorn squash 15 minutes. Squash painted with melted duck fat, then stuffed with leftover farro, ramps, cranberries, cashews and duck bacon, and lots of pepper. Topped with fresh goat cheese and cooked for 10 minutes. Then trickled with Vecchia Dispensa's Sweet 16 Year Aged Balsamic (from Zingerman's).

 

Probably 45 minutes start to finish.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Dinner tonight was supposed to have been shad.  The shad arrived as promised, however the cook was overwhelmed with tiredness.  Dinner turned out to be the remainder of my most recent pizza.  Previously I'd been reheating pizza much as I would in the CSO on steam bake.  To less than good results.

 

This time I trusted to the anova reheating pizza recipe.  (Yes, there is such a thing.)  A multistage process that surely would give Jason flashbacks.  Yet the recipe is invoked by just one click.  One click.  The pizza was great, what can I say?