daveb

"Question though, with stove-top smoker like Cameron, once the smoke started, may I reduce the stove-heat to minimum? Will the smoke still produced? Is there any minimum heat that needs to be attained to get the smoke" Yes and yes. Heat may be reduced, the minimum may depend on the type and even the brand of chips used. If smoke stops prematurely then you've reduced too far. Camaron's sawdust product works well at low heat. For the planned duck breast I would turn off the heat after observing smoke - I do this with shrimp and they come out very well. The minimum to be attained will also depend on chips used and your particular stove top. There is no absolute answer but after a couple of uses you should have that dialed in. Finally suggest that if your thermo is reading +100C, that you're likely reading a bone or even the bottom of the pan. If's tough to get an accurate reading of the meat temp when smoking ribs. Good luck and enjoy the ride.

Sear first, not last.

Thanks for the replies. I'm fairly well versed in the use of the Anova (personal) and frequently use a SVS for catering (same culinary store). I've no experience with the PS unit as it's a recent product addition to store. I recall that a couple of contributors here have the PS unit and wondered if there was any functional difference I was missing.. Rotus - Good points. 20% discount expires at end of month. The store credit does not. Lacking a tangible reason to "upgrade" I'll probably sit on my hands or push the easy button and buy another VMix.

Is there any tangible advantage of the Sous Vide/Poly Science unit over the Anova? My local culinary store just started carrying the $399 PS. I ask because I have enough store credit, discounts and gift cards that I could buy the unit without going out of pocket. There is nothing else in the store in that price range that I want or do not already have. I tried but can't redeem store credit for gift cards. And I have two Anova's that serve me well. Somebody would have to go. The biggest difference I've found with google-fu is not in the PS favor, the "made in China" unit is not considered repairable though it will be replaced while under warranty. Any others?

Damn leftovers again. Skirt steak as originally plated for a BGE demonstration. (No SV, yet) Leftover flank bagged and tagged. Dropped into 130F bath to reheat while I got everything else together. Plated leftovers on top of greens. Dinner for two. Total active time may have been 10 min.

I own and occasionally use a Camaron smoker. For ribs I'll echo the above and smoke first and then go to the oven, though I would be looking for 5 -10 min in smoker. Max. If you use the supplied sawdust it will burn up in that time anyway. When moving to the oven I would think you could forgo the foil and just move the whole smoker over. Less handling, less mess. That's when I would sauce them. Use caution when opening as a lot of steam will be released/ I find the Camaron excells at shrimp and fish as they cook quickly, take on the smoke flavor and the box is a fairly moist environment for smoking. I've not done chicken but that would no doubt be good as well. It will product a good deal of smoke so have the hood fan on, windows open, etc. It also does very well on outdoor camp stoves for those that enjoy the RV lifestyle. . Edit: When using the smoker line the inside of the pan with foil and cleanup will be easy. I've forgotten this step a few times and.....

I came across a whole pork loin in original cryro bag, priced to sell. Portioned it into thick chops, seasoned about half of them for future SV, bagged em and tagged em all and into the freezer. Did reserve 2, and seasoned and bagged them. As described above they went into the bath at 140F for an hour (+ a few minutes). Seared them on the grill. Very nice, moist, a light pink, The only thing I'll do different next time will be to sear first and then SV. Would like to coax a little more flavor out of the grocery store pork. Nuked some leftover pasta to go with, active time for this quick and dirty meal was maybe 10 min.

My top three reasons to cook SV: Lamb Salmon Eggs It does not take much to put lamb on the shopping list and your post just did

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/150101-what-are-you-cooking-sous-vide-today/page-8 post 236 I've mixed the smoker and the SV a few times. Usually par-smoke (is that a word?) a tough cut that will benefit from an overnight or longer bath. Will sear somewhere in the process.

I like quail a lot. Especially shopping for them. As noted above the flavor is subtle and it's easy to overcook and dry them out. I typically cook wild or store bought birds on the grill. Recently I've brined them briefly in Keller's poultry brine - I'm sure others would work as well. I typically don't marinade them so as not to overpower the flavor but will glaze them with honey as they are finishing. Don't know why I left thghs on the back below - must have had a blonde moment. When I'm putting on the Ritz I'll cook the legs or thigh quarters seperatley and serve them as a hands on appetizer, usually with a spicy dip. Then plate the breasts with noodles or polenta and veg.

I did tell him that I kept my beef knife separate from my pork knife. He said that was close enough....

I volunteer at a local charity fund raising event every year, prepping apps for ~1000 peoples. I've long maintained that SV would be the optimal way to cook proteins for a large group and this year the Chef in charge gave me free reign on the beef tenderloin. She also asked if I could do pork shoulder steaks "in that thing?" . Armed with my two Anova's and two house SVS's and a POS sealer, the fun began. Ten tenders trimmed, halved, bagged and tagged. Tenders swimming for 3 hrs at 129F Ice bath, overnight in fridge, on serving day seared them then into a warm cooler to hold. To extend the yield I cut them in half lengthwise and served as half rounds. Eight pork shoulders steaked, bagged and tagged. Half went into 147F and other half into 154F bath for 16 hrs. The 147 held their sliced shape well, the 154 broke into chunks. Both were tender, not greasy and definitely fit to eat. As a side note, the Chef had determined the pork would be served over cous cous. A tasty but "interesting" combination. One guy got it and asked if the pork was Kosher... Serving station. I never, ever, under any circumstance do front of house stuff. 15 min before start I was naively wondering who the poor bastard was that would be carving for all these folks. Cheers, The poor bastard.

ntxt

DDDDamn.

The terms saute and skillet are often used interchangeably, though incorrectly. Straight sides, flared sides and most of the differences are described above. A saute will always have a lid. A traditional skillet will not but.... In addition to boiling a product I prefer a saute (with lid) when moving a pan into the oven to finish. All-Clad offers both pans in their various lines so there will be more distinction between the saute and skillet. The last time I looked at Calphalon they only offered a "hybrid" so they split the difference on side slopes and had a lid. You definitely upgraded when you bought the AC.

I like the part about the martini shaker...

Japanese Knives and Stones is a fairly new vendor in Sydney. http://www.knivesandstones.com/ Some are pricey, some less so. I want this one: http://www.knivesandstones.com/sakai-takayuki-syousin-sakura-wa-gyuto-240mm/

I concur with Hassouni that Globals are considered by most knife geeks to be Euro knives, made in Japan. I personally don't like the metal handle or the rocker profile - I used one for a lot of prep once and that was enough. That said, if you like them you are not alone. They have their fans just like any other major brand and I have a chef friend that would not have anything else.. A brief look at their offerings suggests to me that the G16 is more Japanese knife-like than the 33 or 2. Looks like WS, SLT and the usual suspects carry them, can you try them out before you buy?

Stranger things have happened in shipping. I don't think Carter was inferring that you broke the chip off, only that it did not leave the shop that way. That would be consistent with what I know about Carter. Regardless it sounds like you are on the way to being made well. Are they "replacing" vice "repairing" the knife? In the original pic that looked like a 3-4 mm chip. Removing the chip would be a significant change of the knife. Better he send you a new one to original specs so that you can pit the avocados without fear. Hope you enjoy what may become a heirloom piece. .

Looks like Alton is off the Shun teat. Good on him (though my cynical side says this may not have been his call).. Recall he had a Kramer once upon a time. "Best" knives are pretty subjective. My preference is for Japanese makers when buying Japanese knives. But I happily own a couple of Carter's, a couple of Marko's a couple of Butch Harners and a couple of Ian Haburns. Fine knives all. I'm not a fan of "Cut Brooklyn" but if you like them then you should have them. Will suggest that the Santoku and Nakiri are largely redundant and if a minimal approach is desired there is no reason to own both (or either). A Gyuto can do anything a Santoku or Nakiri can do and has a tip for dicing. But a Nakiri is fun. @ Rotus "these boards benefit from a cloth of some kind under them so they don't wiggle around etc." A damp cloth underneath any board will help secure it and provide a tool for clean-up after the cutting.

I doubt coming into contact with actual food is high on the design requirements list. All show, no go.

My favorite is quick blanch and grill, though sometimes steamed. Serve warm or at room temp. For lunch or dinner though breakfast works. Like Asian or tradional dressing. Spears facing right or perhaps left. Traditional salad Panzanella (sort of) with grilled asparagus, grilled baguette With Somen noodles

Nice knife. I've a couple smaller Carter's and enjoy them quite a bit. The chip is on what is termed the "chin" or "ago". The corner of the heel. Can't imagine that being intentional - it should be one of the strongest parts of the knife.. Did Murray respond to your email / pic or was it one of his "guys". Jason? I've been wrong before, in fact twice today, but I would revist the question.

This is a classic case of beauty is in eyes of beholder. The knives appear to have no utility value. Poorly designed for any kitchen tasks. IMO. They seemed to be positioned to appeal to folks that can afford a "look at this" equivenlent of a coffee table book. I doubt that potential buyers even know what prep means. And thats OK. Does not hurt that she is an attractive lady with an interesting story. I would not buy one at any price but good on her for creating a market and filling it.

I've enjoyed this discussion, enough that I've bought the cookbook. (Chris - you should get a commission) Looking forward to catching up.