dcarch

Of course I can be wrong on this, just because it is on the internet, or in manufacturer's instructions does not mean it is the truth. For instance, the article Paulraphael linked to is totally wrong about the stainless steel used in the Chrysler Building, it is not 302 SS, it is called "Enduro KA-2" Steel. I have put many "Dry Clean Only" fabric in regular cloths washer with no problem. I regularly put "Not Dishwasher Safe" items in dishwasher just the same. Cookware manufacturers do not make the metals they use, they just buy them for their factories, and they do not generally hire scientists in writing their instruction manuals. I would not be surprised that either they play it safe, or just copy other manufacturers' manuals who buys the same metal for their products. The bottom line is, of the 20 some odd stainless steel pots and pans in my kitchen, I can't seem to find any pitting. Some of them are more than decades old. dcarch

dcarch

I may be wrong on this. It depends on how high a vacuum you are trying to create. A laboratory vacuum pump for creating very high vacuum requires an oil which has a very specific vaporization characteristics. Also, there are many way a vacuum can be created mechanically. each may require a different viscosity oil for lubrication. dcarch

We are talking about normal kitchen use, and normal general quality SS cookware, not $0.99 cheap SS cookware. Normal cookware SS is 18/10 stainless, or something close to that. Chromium and nickel are very expensive metals, cheap cookware will not give you enough of those metals to be qualified as stainless. I have done many times with salt "tests", as many people also have. I have made salt baked chicken and salt baked fish in my SS cookware many many times with no sign of pitting. Don't forget, stainless steel is used extensively in marine salt water environment. Your observation of the bottom of a pan with stain (rainbow stain) which coincides with the burner geometry is of a totally different phenomenon. It has to do with the thicker chromium oxide causing interference with incident light waves (partial Newton Rings). dcarch

There is no such thing as "stainless". They are all classified as "Stain resistant". Actually, it is more accurate to call metals "corrosion resistant" or "rust resistant". I am not sure how you can easily stain metals. You can anodize aluminum or "blue-ing" or " parkerizing" gun metal, using various methods. I am not sure regular table salt (sodium chloride) can have any effect on normal stainless steel, regardless of concentration and (kitchen) temperature. I am not sure in the kitchen you can find another metal which has more negative electrochemical potential to cause galvanic corrosion to chromium (stainless steel). In the manufacturing industry, stainless steel tanks are use to transport and cook the most corrosive chemicals. I have been cooking tons of tomatoes to make tomato sauce every year for centuries, never have I found any pitting on my stainless steel cookware. In the kitchen, aluminum cookware pits very easily, but not typical stainless steel cookware. dcarch

As long as you have water around, You are perfectly OK. That's why you can boil water on fire using a paper container. You can find youtube videos of that. dcarch

And BTW, turkey necks, chicken hearts, and gizzards make very potent chicken stock. They sell them cheap in packages here in stores in NY. And BTW, what do they do with turkey feet? I have never seen them in stores here in NY. dcarch

Bones by themselves have basically no flavor. The marrow inside, and the small amount of meat give the stock flavor. Skin also has no flavor. I think skin, tendons, and cartilage contribute to texture of the stock (gelatin). That's why chicken feet by themselves for stock will not have much chicken flavor. If you want good chicken flavor stock, go to a Chinese store and buy old chickens. They sell old chickens specifically for making stock. Very flavorful. dcarch

In addition to what KennethT said, also you need to understand D:S ratio when selecting one. The distance-to-spot ratio (D:S) is the ratio of the distance to the object and the diameter of the temperature measurement area. For instance if the D:S ratio is 12:1, measurement of an object 12 inches (30 cm) away will average the temperature over a 1-inch-diameter (25 mm) area. Also, reflectivity effects all thermometers measuring by IR radiation, does not matter cheap or expensive. The ones with adjustable emissivity control allow you to compensate the effect. dcarch

Perhaps it was a cast iron pot. After a while a cast iron pot will turn totally black (seasoning) from cooking other stuff. dcarch

If you don't mind doing conversions, laboratory beakers are highly accurate and heat resistant. dcarch

I am not sure who first used the word "slash". It is so violent. "Slit" is a much more correct word to use, IMHO. Slash is when you use a sword with the intention of cutting something (someone) in half. dcarch

Never seen scallops with more than adductor muscle in NY area. I have seen scallop sushi and lobster sushi. dcarch

A metal pan in a high heat convection oven will probably work much better. dcarch

Curving the blade perhaps is the most important factor ?. It separates the two sides of the dough being slashed. dcarch

In the USA, scallops are sold only the adductor muscle. I don't remember the reasons, but isn't that because of some health related issues? Does that mean USA waters are dirtier, and Lobsters should be cooked at different temperatures? dcarch

I am beginning to suspect that many of you hire professional photographers to take pictures of your dishes. Amazing work! A couple of my ordinary meals. dcarch SV pork shoulder, apple sauce SV chicken, spaghetti squash

That's why you need to buy one of this. No more accidentallt cutting yourself. dcarch

Isn't there a difference seafood cooked at 212 F v.s. 160 F? dcarch

"Under vacuum" - that's canning? "Under pressure"- that's using a pressure cooker? dcarch

Some stoneware heat up to very hot in a microwave oven. dcarch

I think I have an idea the thinking behind your device. But I will not disclose the idea, since you want to have a marketing advantage. It is a clever way to make SV appliance better. Clean, and less maintenance. You should definitely market it. dcarch

Is that due to higher temperature chemistry? or the mechanical energy of boiling? I am curious, if you add fat to water, and put the mixture in a blender, will you get a cloudy emulsion that will last? dcarch

I am not familiar with the chemistry why and how the stock or soup gets cloudy, but I am doubtful that the mechanics of boiling is causing it. One way to make an emulsion is to use ultrasonic energy. Ultrasound causes very powerful "cavitation" to occur. Basically, cavitation is a lot of tinny bubbles collapsing in the liquid. The energy of the collapsing bubbles creates emulsification. In the case of boiling, the bubbles created are steam bubbles. Those bubbles do not collapse, they shrink instead due to lower than 212F temperature. There is no energy to cause emulsification to happen. Do you get 100% clear stock if you use 100% vegetables, no fat at all? dcarch

Not always. dcarch