flightcook

<<<I'm afraid you need new friends as well. Some open-minded folks you can guide to the light, some you have to rethink your menu for. I save my prime steaks for friends/family that appreciate beef in the rare to med-rare range>>> I agree but my goto steak for company is prime sirloin from Costco, it is under 8 bucks a pound (was 6.00 not too long ago), so it they want it over cooked, at least mine will be good. The prime filets and Rib Eyes are only for those who will eat it med rare (and my wife who gets it however she wants it - I just leave it on the grill longer) I now have two baths to make this trial easier to bear. (Actually, I used this as an excust to get two. I use a Sous Vide Demi for daily meals and I have a Sous Vide Magic I use with a full size food warmer when I am cooking for a crowd.

I have worked out cooking two steaks and I do have to put hers on the grill for a few minutes. I even tried one at 155 and it was dry like a well done steak but it was still pink; she thought I was serving her a raw cow. Now I have a larger problem. Having guests over and asked them ahead of time how they like their steak, I was shocked when the answer came back well. They will be looking for a grey steak. I am thinking I probably need to cook it to 155 and let it stay on the grill a few minutes longer. Has anyone else done a Sous Vide Steak to well? Mike

I have read the entire fish taco thread just to see if anyone got the white sauce right, and everyone has missed it. Think about it, everyone is talking about Mayo, Crema, etc. This sauce sits out in the sun all day long; I don't care how much lime you add, mayo will kill you after a few hours in the Baja sun. I got to watch the sauce being made by a nice elderly lady in Ensenada, MX and the ingredients make perfect sense. Not Mayo or Crema, but canned evaporated milk and lime juice, that is all it is. The Ultra Pasteurized Evaporated Milk is the safest dairy there is for sitting in the sun all day and the lime juice thickens it and adds an additional level of protection. The batch I saw made was several gallons but I have found that 2 to 3 limes squeezed into a 15 oz (maybe not 15 oz, but the standard size can), stir and let sit for a few minutes. I cannot speak for the rest of Mexico, but this is the true white sauce for Baja Tacos de Pescado. The other ingredients are correct. I like a beer batter, just some shave cabbage and a real taqueria salsa (as mentioned, made with a base of roasted tomato and rehydrated chili peppers). Try it, you will like it.

Chris, Just bought a pack last night to try. I was thinking, I got one on a white shirt one time and it would not come out in the wash, might stay on a vacuum bag through a couple hours in hot water. Next weekend I have my first attempt to make steaks for a crowd, probably about 8 to 10 people and that probably means at least 4 different finish temps. Should be fun, if not, there is always take out pizza.

Sculptor, I haven't done steaks again yet but that is what I will try. I think we may have a group over on the 11th for steaks which will mean several different temps. I plan on starting with the highest and working my way down. Anyone have any ideas on how to mark the bags so I know which steak is which? Mike

I guess I should say, no affiliation with Quality Matters, they just gave me a great price with very quick shipping and were there to answer my questions.

Have you purchased the VP210 yet? The research I have done says the 112 and the 210 have exactly the same pump/motor and at over 50 pounds the 112 must have some substance to it (although it does make me wonder what the other 40 pounds of the 210 is made of). Regardless of what the ARY rep told SCT4a, according to all literature, they reach the same vacuum and with the same pump and motor the longevity should be similar (if you look closely at pictures of each, the controls look very similar also). I have ordered the VP112 from Quality Matters for 599.00, no tax and free shipping. I thought about the VP210 and was not concerned about the difference in price, more the weight of the unit and wondering what you are really getting for the price difference. If you are really concerned about higher quality than the VP112, I would not buy the VP210, but rather the VP215 with its more powerful oil pump. For less than 100.00 more than the VP215 you get more power and longevity than the 210. Quality Matters has this ready to ship for less than 1000.00 dollars.

Todd and Rotuts Now it is making sense, thanks for hanging in there with me. Since I by most of my meats at Costco, rather than SV some, vacuum seal the others and freeze them raw, only to later thaw them, season and re vacuum seal and SV, I can take half and SV at my wife's temp, to the other half at mine, eat some now and save the rest for latter, ready to warm up, sear and eat. This sounds like a great idea. Does everyone know that the USDA Prime Sirloin at Costco is only a couple bucks more than the USDA Choice (at least in the Chicago area) and worth every penny. Thanks again, Mike

Oliver and Matthew, Thanks for another idea; I will probably try both. I am having a hard time understanding why cooking a steak at 140 until done, then droping the temp to 131 while I cook the second steak would change the texture of the steak anymore than cooking at 140, freezing, then reheating at 131 (along with my steak) until warm - unless you are saying the reheating time at 131 would be less than having the 140 steak sit in the 131 bath while the second steak cooks. I am talking about steaks that would cook in 45 minutes to an hour (rib eye), not something that would have to cook for 6 hours or more. For a 6 hour cook (like the sirloin last week) I would probably just leave hers on the grill a bit longer - as long as it is not red she will be OK with it.

Chris, I don't think she will notice the temp, only the color. if it is pink and not red she is happy. (I once dunked her prime rib into the au jus so she would not see how red it was and she was perfectly happy - it is just a color thing with beef for her. Again, thanks to all. I just changed to a supporting member because I realize this is will be my go to website; I have been reading for 2 days and cannot believe all the information to be found here

Delta T Calulaction? When I said I was new at this I meant "brand new", I have made steaks one time, 3 soft boiled eggs (loved them) and a dozen hard boiled eggs Now searching for Delta T...

Well, that just makes too much sense. I am embarrassed I did not think of that - of course that will work. Thank you.

I am sure this has been discussed before but I could find nothing by searching. I am new to Sous Vide and am using the Sous Vide Professional by Poly Science. The Problem; I like my steak about 131 and my wife likes hers at 140. Short of buying a second cooker, is there a way to accomplish this? My thought is to cook both to 131, then take mine out and keep it in warm water (maybe the saute setting on the stove) while I increase my wifes steak to 140 for 45 minutes. Will this work, safety issues if my steak is in 115 or 120 water for 45 minutes? I have also thought about taking my wifes out at 131 and putting it on the grill for 5 to 7 minutes before I add mine but seems like that is defeating the purpose. I know someone has this figured out, please help The picture below is my first attempt at Sous Vide with a sirloin cooked for 6 hours at 131 and put on a 700 degree weber grill with a good amount of smoke for 2.5 minutes per side. Tasted great but I have a lot to learn and advice is appreciated. Mike