Paul Kierstead

My portable induction burner does that with my LC dutch oven and, as far as I can tell, it is far worse with the dutch oven then any other vessel. With the LC, you are in serious danger of burning things in that zone. It works well with most other pots, but the "ring" does show some in other pots as well, but not nearly so strong. Again, on my portable unit, it definitely cycles, and to the point where if you are very near a boil, it will boil on and off some. Might be just that unit.

Thanks, Will, that is some help. But I guess what I was really asking is, if we took the top 10 restaurants in China (putting aside regional differences here), what would distinguish those from the more run-of-the mill restaurants, cuisine wise? I have some grasp what sets aside a western Michelin 2-star restaurant from my local chain, but I don't have a grasp what that might entail in China. For example, on those textures that the Chinese enjoy, are people willing to pay an order of magnitude more to get it perfected?

What is the Michelin 2-star equivalent in Chinese cuisine (note this is not rhetorical, all I ever seem to see is basically home cooking except maybe full pigs BBQ'd and that sort of thing, but my exposure to chinese food may be limited)

About the size of a match stick?

I've no idea what "country style" means in those parts, but I've SV'd both baby back and side ribs, plus 'riblets' (which are kind of off-cuts from ribs). My temps were a lot higher, more like 155 or so. I've used rubs (and not), I've brined (and not), i've tried a little liquid smoke in the bag with a little brine (nice). I've torched and grilled afterwords. All worked very well, and very very tasty. Next I'm going to try a smoke gun.... then, I want to set up a proper cold smoker and try that too.

I've looked high and low. I can't seem to find any supplier.... I even doubt that FMC would sell it to me, 20 kg or not. Anyone have any luck?

What makes your $13 set better then a $5 set?

You need to go to better restaurants.

The pulse is the controlling signal to the SSR. That still describes PWM pretty much perfectly. The fact that the pulse is turning on and off an AC relay and has limited resolution (and accuracy) is really here nor there. PWM is used to control a very wide range of things; we don't consider it not PWM just because it cascades to something which isn't DC. And, of course, the heating element basically integrates (in essence) the (absolute value of the ) signal anyway, so you if you want to look down system, you don't have to stop at the SSR.

I don't think this site does, I think the company might. From their about page... They say they have been around 30 years.

The SVP appears to use PWM to control power just like the SVM. It is pretty standard for industrial controllers.

No, I don't think there is any absolute advantage in that situation, assuming good execution. I think it is easier to get adequete or even great results sous-vide in that situations, but if someone knows what they are doing thorougly in a conventional situation, it will not be inferior to sous-vide. I would tend to prefer charcoal grilled myself, as I like the flavour it imparts (particularly in cuts like rib steak. Tenderloin, I'd go for the more understated SV), though of course this could be infused SV as well (smoke gun, liquid smoke, etc).

It implies that he made everything from MC, all for 4th of july. That is a lot of recipes to make Ok, maybe its just me that reads it that way. I'll admit my reading comprehension is odd some days. I'm thinking a Bradly smoke unit hooked up to something via pipe with a hot plate or the like controlled via my PID. Hmmm. Might get away relatively cheap, even. Many thanks for the suggestions.

I hate to pick on what is basically a typo, but on the upside everytime I read this I get a big smile. At over 2400+ pages and a lot of recipes, that is quite the accomplishment! On a more serious note, that is some great looking stuff. What smoking technique/gear are you using to stay that low? Its the only thing holding me up right now from those recipes...I currently have only a WSM which isn't a 150 F kind of smoker.

If it was a token sear, then perhaps it was a bad cook, not a bad technique. I wonder if you didn't know you had sous-vide (and it is more then possible you've had it and not know it) if you would feel the same way. In any case, bad cooking is bad cooking. Sous vide won't make a good cook out of a bad one, though it might let a good one make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Or a least a tender flavourful piece of meat out of a sow's ear

Different muscles, done at the same temperature/time sous vide give different results. Your usual rib-eye (at least around here) will have two different muscles in in and have some variation. In addition, the fat will provide some variation, particularly if well sealed. Extremely uniform meat, like your average tenderloin, will tend to be more 'boring' I suppose.

"Are you still working on that" is my most despised question. Also, I really hate being offered pepper. Really? Look, just leave the f-ing mill. If they absolutely *must* ask, then "Is there anything you need" or the like is my preferred question, as I am then more comfortable asking for water, a drink, etc. But, above all, I find most mid and lower level restaurants just plain interrupt you to much, especially when you are clearly having a conversation. For the same effort to ask me, they could have brought the water jug and refilled my water. Instead I get repeated intrusions and, quite likely, still no water in spite of asking. And when they do bring the water after asking, it would be nice not to be interrupted again. As to servant class -- well, I'll admit to being much better compensated then wait staff, but I have to abide by a protocol in my consultant work. It doesn't make me a servant, it makes me a professional. Treating your wait staff (or consultant) poorly and without respect is bad. Expecting certain behaviors and protocol is earning your wage.

I have two very nice pork bellies in my freezer, no bone. I was so happy to get them (damn hard to get here), but now I am sad at the lack of a bone.

10 posts into the first BB, someone was predicting the end of BB's and someone else was remarking it isn't as good as it used to be...

I find the kinda broad generalization about the price, in either direction, to be kind of weird. We have several farmers markets (and one not-so-farmer market) around here and the prices range quite widely, depending on location. In general, closer to the core is more expensive, even for the same producer. Quite a bit more expensive. More rural tends to be cheaper. Also, some larger producers sell cheaper, but are not at all markets. Some very premium meat producers only go to one of the markets. So to make a blanket statement about the cost would be pretty insane, at least here. I'd bet this is the case in a lot of urban areas. In addition, counting the cost without the quality seems to be a fools errand. For example, the market *I* go to is definitely more expensive then my neighborhood supermarket. The quality is also significantly better at that market. If I compare my farmers market to the top grocer in town, the quality is much more comparable, but so are the prices. Furthermore, how much you buy is a big driver. Many producers will happily sell you a bushel or whatever for a much reduced cost with no haggling, you just has to ask "how much for X". Given the fluidity of location, time, quality, quantity, etc. I fail to see how such sweeping generalizations of "X is cheaper then Y" can be helpful.

Graph against a more independent currency. Check 10 yr trend. Pick other currencies. The USD is down significantly most, if not almost all. The RMB does not count, it is controlled. Now, I'll give you that if you go back far enough the US dollar has had other weak periods, but I think having a discussion where we talk about recent (10 year steady decline) is sensible. It is what people are observing in their day to day prices. In historical terms (or hyperinflation terms), of course "crashed and burned" is an over statement. But it is very significant decline over the last 10 years. Perhaps it will find a previous level, but circumstances (who manufactured what, etc) were significantly different then; they are a lot harder to compare then more recent history.

The increase may not be profit taking. The american dollar has crashed and burned. Most americans very likely do not realize how much so, but ask any Canadian and they'll tell you. A few years ago an American dollar was worth $1.50 CAD. Now it is under a dollar. Most of that decline is due to the american dollar, not strength in the Canadian dollar. Furthermore, fuel prices have skyrocketed, and that are very much part of the cost of food (and items in general in the 'global' economy). American companies, loathe to raise prices, have shielded consumers from these increases for some time (often by using other countries to subsidize the prices; try buying the same goods in Europe) but the ability to continue that is probably passing. Some serious price hikes are inevitable. Furthermore, you can always cherry pick ingredients so that claims of "some articles" can hold up. Chocolate, for example, has serious issues and has seen large price hikes. In recent years rice and coffee have also seen these. I'm not defending Walmart, but I'm also hesitant to accuse them of profiteering, since it doesn't seem to hold water against analysis. For a really interesting read, try The Wal-Mart Effect. The book tries hard to be fair, and Wal-mart does not come out to be some angel, but may of the common beliefs (drives out small businesses and then raises prices, etc) are defeated even in the light of a book which is looking pretty hard for flaws in the company.

The pump evacuates a 4'x8' bag (note feet, not inches) in a quite reasonable period of time (usually to 23"HG or so is what I set it to; note sure how long it takes, but quite quickly). I am definitely not concerned about evacuation time; it would have to be very large indeed to be an issue. When I start vaccing 6'x1'x'1 chambers (a whole moose leg?) I'll get concerned

Actually, it'll only pull 27", and the cut off (which I could probably override) stops at 25". It is designed for a good vacuum, but also to move a lot of air (6.5 CFM). So it'll make a damn quick evacuation, but only about normal for a commercial unit I think in terms of strength. I use it for vacuum veneering with a 4'x8' vacuum bag....

I've contemplated this for a while (or even just a vacuum system for jars and compression, but no bags). I'm not as far down the road as you, but I do have a large, fairly powerful vacuum pump (rotary vane). One of the big issues seems to be moisture getting into the pump. The commercial chamber machines have fairly elaborate channels, etc to keep the moisture out of the pump. Have any thoughts on that? I've consider just one of the compressed air drier systems, just run in 'reverse' as it were, but not sure it would work. Correction: It is a "two chamber rocking piston oil-less vacuum pumptwo chamber rocking piston oil-less vacuum pump" with Aluminum parts to prevent corrosion. Still don't want to be sucking some acidic marinade in there