Merkinz

Made some deepfried egg yolks yesterday and they were delicious! 64.5°C for 60 minutes, cool for 10 minutes in cool water (not ice water), remove white, flour, egg wash, crumb, deep fry, salt, devour. The reciepe came from the seattle food geek site.

Hmmm. Can I ask what the issue was? I'm wondering if I have a failing new unit.... Sure, To be honest I think it was transportation damage but either way the screen had this big water smudge underneath it, it made a very slight grinding sound as the pump blades spun, and for some reason it's memory didn't work, every time I turned it on the temperature was reset to the low factory setting ... takes a long time to turn the temp from 18°C all the way up to 64°C on that thing! It was a real bummer. ... Whats going on with your unit?

Hey all, I'm back in the sous vide topic. I had some horrible technical issues with a brand new Polysciene Sous Vide took a month of stress and awkward phone calls to sort it out. Really put me off sous vide for a while but now I'm getting back into it after getting a replacement unit. Phew!!! Anyway, anyone have any recommended times & temps for pork belly? Specifically for a traditional braised texture that will then be portioned then deep fried. Thanks

Hey, Can anyone here give me some advice on "The Kimchi Cookbook" by Lauryn Chun. Has anyone got it? Is it good? etc... http://www.amazon.com/The-Kimchi-Cookbook-Traditional-Modern/dp/1607743353/ I loooooove my pickles and am only starting to get into Kimchi. It looks like an interesting book but am having a hard time finding reliable reviews. Cheers.

Thanks for all the replies I'm gonna drop a few in the bath this afternoon... Will report back.

Hey Everyone, I'd like a bit of advice on cooking sausages Sous Vide, specifically I will be cooking Boerewors and maybe a little Bratwurst in the next couple of days, but I've found very little advice in general on this method. Boerewors We often get flat coils of boerewors vac packed from the butcher. These go on the BBQ until the fat melts, blisters under the casing and then fountains across the porch. At this point the sauage is about done and delicious. However I want to cook this thing sous vide followed by a quick sear on a hot grill. So my questions are: - What temp range should I be shooting for? And how long? - Can I simply cook in the vac bag the butcher packs it in? - Would it taste better if re-bagged it with some seasonings / liquids? - Any other tips with this specific sausage? Bratworst We eat less Bratwurst than Boerewors but we still enjoy it! Similarly does anyone have any tips on cooking this that may differ from Boerewors? I plucked the following from some comment on a website and thought it sounded quite interesting. Has anyone tried this or anything similar?: I have cooked bratwurst sous vide a few times now, and it turns out great. I put fresh, raw brats in a ziplock bag with beer (beer left out overnight so it’s flat), throw some onions in, seal the ziplock bag while getting air out (explained on other sites) and put in waterbath at 140F for 2-4 hrs. About 30 min into cooking them, you have to open bags to let air out, because both the beer and the onions release gas into the bag, but it’s not a big deal. When you’re ready to serve them, just throw them on the grill at high heat for 1-2 min to brown them. It’s a similar concept to poaching brats in beer, but this way doesn’t have the potential to overcook them if you let them sit on the stove for too long. Other Sausages I'd be interested in any other tips / stories / experiences on cooking sausages sous vide. Cheers.

Amazon shows the book coming out next Feb. Do you have an advanced copy? How practical is it for daily cooking? Is it vegetarian friendly? I'm really just echoing Gruzia's comments here: - It is hugely practical for everyday cooking. Thats one of the reasons I love it: it is one of the few cookbooks I cook from 1, 2 even 3 times a week! Even when I'm pressed for time. Fuchsia also gives alot of variation suggestions which give insight into how you might substitute ingredients (i.e. mostly veg). - It is also VERY vegetarian friendly. Without counting I'd say it is at least 50% vegetarian (add the variations into that and it might go higher). This is also another reason why I love the book because although I enjoy meat my partner is a vegetarian so we eat a vegetarian diet 90% of the time. ... As you can tell I really love this book

This has made the show so much more watchable! ... She was insane!

I think its fun! ... I cook mainly for fun and I love trying the same dish many ways. It's a great way to learn (for me). I don't cook with the objective of "a meal" at the end. If I did I would totally agree with you. It all depends on what you want to get out of it.

I've tried a number of recipes from a number of places and the ones I like the most came from the Modernist Cuisine at Home cookbook. They really show the versatility of this piece of equipment.

Haha! ... But the antioxidants, the precious precious amazonian antioxidants will heal your relationship woes!!!

I don't really see what is wrong with organic - the environmental impact of current, conventional agriculture is huge so supporting ways to lessen this impact even in restaurant setting is very positive. If you think organic is only for advertisment you might want to read some articles or books from Nestle, Pollan etc. Same with grassfed beef - are you aware that cows can't digest corn and that the corn-based diet is very painful for them (and often requires medication) ? Grassfed beef not only taste better (beef vs "buttery") but is also a statement against animal cruelty. I prefer that restaurants include their sources of produce, meat etc. so I know who I support with my money. Eating (at home or at the restaurant) should be more than eating the actual food - it is not always possible to make the perfect choices but such "labeling" helps. I am 100% against animal cruelty and buy certified "happy animal" protein where possible. Organic has nothing to do with this. "Organic" is what I take issue with. Lets turn back to the plants: I would agree with you if "Organic Produce" was proven to be better for the environment than "non-Organic Produce" ... which is simply not the case. Organic crops are also susceptible to pests and disease and large scale farmers dump large quantities of "Organic" pesticides (such as nicotine, mineral oil) on crops to fight these issues. In the reading I've done I've seen no evidence that modern day "organic" practices are any better for the environment than those non-organic practices. Need I quote?: "A new University of Guelph study reveals some organic pesticides can have a higher environmental impact than conventional pesticides because the organic product may require larger doses." "The consumer demand for organic products is increasing partly because of a concern for the environment," said Hallett. "But it's too simplistic to say that because it's organic it's better for the environment. Organic growers are permitted to use pesticides that are of natural origin and in some cases these organic pesticides can have higher environmental impacts than synthetic pesticides often because they have to be used in large doses." "Ultimately, the organic products were much less effective than the novel and conventional pesticides at killing the aphids and they have a potentially higher environmental impact," she said. "In terms of making pest management decisions and trying to do what is best for the environment, it's important to look at every compound and make a selection based on the environmental impact quotient rather than if it's simply natural or synthetic. It's a simplification that just doesn't work when it comes to minimizing environmental impact." Source: http://www.scienceda...00622175510.htm

Although it is a trend that has been around for a while now I find "Organic" to be the most irritating. If I am thinking about going out for dinner and I look at the menu and see anything along the lines of "Organic, grass fed beef" or "made from hand picked organic produce" I probably won't end up going there. When I go out for a meal I want to get the most flavor and the best experience for my money - and if that is actually organic produce then so be it. But I don't want to pay of an ideal where in some cases the chef or owners think it is better to eat organic than it is to eat the best tasting food. I guess it irritates me so much because I see many people buy into it

@PedroG: Thanks for the insight! Although I did a lot of reading (books and this forum) about short ribs prior to this test run I read nothing about this (or I simply missed it!). This is helpful. I'll do the next batch at a lower temp. @Ranz: I might stick to 48 hours for my next cook so I can see the effects of changing one vairiable (temp)... But I'll definitely try 60h on my following cook. Also I never deepfried until this year and I'm really getting the hang of it and realizing that it is not the devil I always assumed it was. ... And I just use a pot + thermometer. @Rotuts: Thanks for your time and temps! ... Also thanks for prompting me to go back and read through some of the history here. I have skimmed a few dozzen pages here but now I'm using the SV index and search and I have at least a dozen tabs open now to read. Thanks for the help everyone.

Sous Vide Short Ribs (The test rib) OK so I got to chow down tonight on my first SV creation! Here's what I did and these are my thoughts: I wanted to start simple so: 1x Beef Short Rib - No marinade or seasoning - Double bagged - cooked at 62°C for 48 hours - Removed from the bag, taken off the bone and trimmed - Deep fried at 200°C for 50 Sec (or there abouts). Out of the bag: Off the bone and trimmed up a little: Deep Fry sear: The goods: The good: + It tasted fantastic! Very "Beefy". + The deep fry sear is nothing short of a revelation! Amazing crust. + Easy: just spray n walkaway. + Came off the bone REALLY easily! The not so good: - I thought it was still a little "tough" and fibrous. As you can see I cut it across the grain in the pic. I tried to do this with a regular dinner knife and it didn't really work, was a bit of a struggle and it kinda pulled it apart. It was the actual meat that was tough, not the connective tissue between the meat fibers. - The deep fry sear sent some relatively large "bullets" of scalding hot oil just past my face! - I didn't make enough and I'm craving another one... but it would be at least 48 hours away - The butter knife didn't soften at all. The follow up questions: * How do I get the meat more tender? More time... say 60 hours? Or is what I'm experiencing "normal"... I can't say I've ever had short ribs before. * Is that greenish grey stuff on the outside of the meat ok? do I need to wipe it off or do I need to trim it all off? * What are your searing logistics / tips for doing 6 - 8+ ribs? * Any other pointers?

aka: Insta Cure #1 & #2

Thanks for all the tips. I checked it this morning and the knife was still quite tough, no 'give' what-so-ever. Pitty my SV doesn't reach 1500°C... That'd get the knife nice and tender in no time. Don't think the beer cooler would hold up tho. I checked the water this morning and I'd lost about 1 - 2 cm's so I topped it up a little with hot water. I had it covered with cling wrap to prevent too much water loss. I'm quite impressed how quiet this beast is! Definitely looking forward to tomorrow night. @Rotuts: Cheers! I LOVE doing that kinda stuff so expect a few pictures in the coming months

Well the butcher didn't use very good vac bags and more than half of them failed in the freezer! so I kinda went into panic mode and bought a foodsaver ... thanks to a short term loan from a friend Anyway this is whats going on here right now. 1 Test rib, 62°C ( MCAH's Temp) for 48 hours. It just went in. I padded the sharp end of the bone with some plastic wrap and double bagged it (with a butterknife as a weight (no idea if it'll float or sink)... Also I'm using a beer cooler that is quite tall so the SV sits very high. I didn't think this would be too much of an issue since it is circulated and insulated (and only 20 - 25L). Just to be sure I put a cake rack in there to prop it up from the bottom a little. Now we play the waiting game ...

Ooops, I don't know why I was thinking of salmon skin when you were talking about pork skin

As you suggested beef short ribs are a great meat that can highlight the capabilities of sous vide cooking. My personal favoritie cut to cook sous vide is pork belly (1 day brine/1 day rest + 72 hours/140 F). It really will yield a melt in your mouth texture no other cooking technique can achieve. I'll probably be attempting this soon, I've read through the thread and see some people have problems with crisping the skin, what do you do, if you don't mind me asking? I definitely got the answers ... and then some! I read a tip about crisping salmon skin in MC the other day. They say to NOT wipe / wash the 'slime' (for lack of a better word) off the salmon skin as this 'slime' contains carbohydrates (if I recall correctly) that crisp up like glass. That might help, but I rarely cook salmon so am not much use otherwise.

Thanks everyone for the advice! It is incredibly helpful and most appreciated. I'll be sure to use all this advice when cooking, packing, and buying... I can't wait to get my own sealer!

Ranz, paulpegg & PedroG Thank you all for your replies. This thread never fails to deliver. Sorry Pedro but I'm commited now to the ribs, but I will try your recipe in the coming months! Sounds delicious. Ranz and paulpegg I have a couple of follow up questions that I'm hoping you can answere: - Is there any reason why I couldn't do the 'well done' piece first and then dial down the temperature and do the lot (including the 'well done' piece) for 48h? Would the results be the same? - If I cook then chill the meat how can I be sure that it will be warm when it hits the table? Will the searing in oil heat it through? or should I bring it up to temp in the SV for an hour or so before searing? - My butcher can vacpack cuts for me but I'm not so confident on taking the marinade in (he didn't seem so keen). I'll still make it to dress the meat but will it be fine if I cook them without the seasoning? paulpegg: Money is the only thing holding me back from buying a vac machine at the moment after all the xmas shopping I've done already I can't really afford one until the new year. It is at the top of my list tho and if I come into a windfall anytime soon it'll be the first thing I buy. Ranz: I'm an export from Pretoria so I'll also be happy when you get the RWC back!!! Thanks again everyone

Wouldn't mind a few suggestions here. In a couple of weeks the inlaws are coming for a family meal and I JUST got a Sous Vide. I don't have any time to test it out so what can I do straight off the bat that will be a sure fire hit. I was thinking beef short ribs so I have the following question about short ribs: - Whats the consensus on the best time for short ribs? 48? 72? ...? - There will be 6 meat eaters and one of them only eats meat that has been cooked "VERY WELL DONE" ... How do I deal with this if I make the short ribs? - Ranz & paulpegg: Is the Momofuku recipe you are talking about the one he makes in the book with hanger steak? ... any other suggestions? Note that I don't have a vac sealer but I believe I can get my butcher to vac seal fresh cuts. Thanks.

Seriously? Ya'll have created an unreasonable hurdle to registration for those of us without smart phones and can't be bothered to fix the problem. But the silver lining (for ya'll) is that it might be a pretty good marketing strategy. Seriously? You can use QR readers with computer webcams, 99% of computers have them these days. I've even seen programs / sites that will decode a photo of a QR code, so there are other ways to do it. And if you still can't manage that then don't worry about it. Registering your copy doesn't give you any benifits so you're not missin out on anything.

McGee's 'On Food and Cooking' is up there for me.