JBailey

I was one of the original set of buyers of the Sous Vide Supreme when it was first introduced. Since getting mine, I have learned so much about sous vide cooking. This summer, I also purchased a Sous Vide Professional, the PolyScience circulator. They are both great and I would give up neither. Nearly every meal I produce one and sometimes more items sous vide...and therein is why a couple choices of what to buy makes sense. In a restaurant, they may have the luxury of having multiple sous vide baths going at various temperatures. Most of what I make goes from sous vide to table. If you only have one device in your kitchen, then you are limited to only having other dishes at that approximate temperature. Having two, I am able to prepare proteins at say 145 degrees F and in the other vegetables at 185 degrees F. Now with a Demi as a third option at the lower price, it may free up the SVS or the SVP for longer duration cooking of ribs or brisket or the like while I can still do lesser timed items for that night's meal. I can see it making sense for someone starting and undoubtedly it will expand the universe of people trying or going further into more sous vide preparation. For someone already invested, the Demi might be a great add-on piece of equipment to the other two more expensive choices.

Pedro My calculation of 599 EUR at today's exchange rate of 1.38329 USD per Euro equals about 828.596 USD. Maybe you can get one sooner at this cost!

I have this product from Wood Stone and highly recommend it. When they pour their ovens they often have extra material and put some of the surplus in sheet and half sheet pan which can be purchased for home ovens. I cannot think of anything better than Wood Stone's ceramic baking slates! http://www.woodstone-corp.com/catalog/baking-slates.htm

Today, I am doing a sous vide boneless leg of lamb. I purchased this at Costco and it came with netting. Before sealing in my chamber vacuum, I seasoned the meat and put a bit of apple cider in the bag, but I did not remove the netting which surrounded the meat from the original package. What are your thoughts of about not removing the netting? Will this cause a flavor shift or other issues? Would you recommend the netting be taken off before searing? What are best practices? Any hints about your success with different times and temperatures?

Between 1,400 and 1,500 with only a few duplicates (under 30) most of which are author/chef signed books

Last night, I was opening one of the organic ground beef three packs I bought at Costco. In the process of opening one, I managed to knick a corner of a second one. I put the meat still in the original package but with the opened corner into one of my own vacuum bags and then sealed it. Now I am thinking I perhaps should have removed the ground beef and resealed it without the packaging which has been exposed to air, handling and the like. Are there best practice procedures someone might recommend for this situation and also for when I am re-packaging other items bought in bulk but where not everything is prepared immediately? Is it advisable to wash meats and dry them before resealing? How long are resealed items refrigerator safe in your opinion? When I seal meats I generally use 99% and then 2.5 seconds of vacuuming, but I am intersted in what others think.

Would it not also be a factor of the quality of the 'magnetic' properties of the stainless bottom. I have been told to try a magnet on pan bottoms and the pans to which the magnet adheres more tighly will produce better results. My opinion is not scientific, but from how I select what to use.

I use a Sous Vide Supreme and the amount of water in the tub is fixed, provided you are between the fill lines. On the other hand I also have a Sous Vide Professional. With my SVP, the book says it will work in vessels up to about 30 liters. My question is whether there is a 'minimum' quantity of water that is optimum. Once constant temperature is achieved, product should cook equally well whether I have a 10 liter or a 20 liter or a 30 liter pot. Putting aside energy considerations, should I be switching pots when I have only a couple items to prepare and use something larger when I am doing more items? Also, when does crowding begin to effect quality?

Recently, I have been doing corn on the cob sous vide...shucked, rolled in a little melted butter, vacuumed in a chamber vacuum machine and then in the water bath at 185 degrees for 90 minutes or so. I have enjoyed the results when put immediately on the table for dinner. With corn in season, I have a couple questions. First, if I did corn on the cob sous vide and then put the bag into a freezer, what would happen to flavor, texture and food safety? I have boiled corn and frozen it off the cob successfully. Would I have to cool off the ears of sous vide prepared corn, change bags and then freeze them? Second, has anyone had success in vacuuming fresh corn on the cob for freezing and cooking later without cooking? All thoughts appreciated!

Nathan Thank you for taking a moment to reply to my Rational question. Mine is at home as well. Have you considered a new thread topic here to discuss better utilizations? Most all of my experience is trail and error and following Rational's recipes. Also, any chance you will cover PacoJets? I look forward to when your book is published so I can learn so much more!

Nathan Can I use a Rational 61SCC for sous vide? From your post over the last day or two, it now seems possible, but I don't want to go off in a wrong direction. I do have a Sous Vide Supreme and a Sous Vide Professional and have been experimenting with water baths. Also, will you new book help me use my Rational oven to its fullest capability? I am open to your suggestions.