One Sous Vide Bath, two different tastes for steak

[flightcook]

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

[rotuts]

Well here is what Id do:

1) get a new wife

since thats not going to be happening, put her meat in a the higher temp for '???? time"

then drop it down to your temp

soooooooooooooo much better!

then after you are done I think that would work?

send pics.

I cant imagine anyone not enjoying the pic you posted.

I think a new wife is the way to go if she doent like that.

and No thats not a sexist comment

some might want a new Hub.

Edited January 16, 2012 by rotuts (log)

[flightcook]

Well here is what Id do:

1) get a new wife

since thats not going to be happening, put her meat in a the higher temp for '???? time"

then drop it down to your temp

soooooooooooooo much better!

then after you are done I think that would work?

send pics.

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

Thank you.

[BadRabbit]

You could set your rig to her temp and then figure out how long you need to cook yours with a delta-T calculation. Or you can just cook hers longer on teh grill though that would mean a bit of the benefit of cooking sous-vide would be lost.

[flightcook]

You could set your rig to her temp and then figure out how long you need to cook yours with a delta-T calculation. Or you can just cook hers longer on teh grill though that would mean a bit of the benefit of cooking sous-vide would be lost.

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...

[Chris Hennes]

I think the temp difference here is probably too great to go the delta-T method: IMO the gradient in the rarer steak will be unacceptable. I'd go with the first suggestion of cooking your wife's steak to her desired temp, then dropping the bath temp and adding yours. Hers will be served cooler than normal, but the texture will be that of the higher-temp steak.

[flightcook]

I think the temp difference here is probably too great to go the delta-T method: IMO the gradient in the rarer steak will be unacceptable. I'd go with the first suggestion of cooking your wife's steak to her desired temp, then dropping the bath temp and adding yours. Hers will be served cooler than normal, but the texture will be that of the higher-temp steak.

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

[BadRabbit]

I think the temp difference here is probably too great to go the delta-T method: IMO the gradient in the rarer steak will be unacceptable. I'd go with the first suggestion of cooking your wife's steak to her desired temp, then dropping the bath temp and adding yours. Hers will be served cooler than normal, but the texture will be that of the higher-temp steak.

You may be correct on the temp difference issue though I think the gradient would still be far less prominent than on a traditionally cooked steak.

My concern with the adding the other steak after cooking the first steak completely method is that it will effectively double cooking time. That may or may not be an issue for the OP but I like to cook some cuts long enough to get some texture change. Doubling the time would make that duration unreasonably long for steaks (and may cause problems for the steak that's in the longest).

Edited January 16, 2012 by BadRabbit (log)

[BadRabbit]

You could set your rig to her temp and then figure out how long you need to cook yours with a delta-T calculation. Or you can just cook hers longer on teh grill though that would mean a bit of the benefit of cooking sous-vide would be lost.

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...

Delta-T just means there is a difference between target temp and the bath temp. There are programs and website calculators that can do the calculation for you (e.g. Sousvide dash).

[rotuts]

Take your 'former wife's' steak out about 30 min before it 'cooks'

add a little ice to make sure when you put the " Money steak" in its at the right temp

then move on.

OK 15 mins.

Edited January 16, 2012 by rotuts (log)

[OliverB]

How about making some batches of each? Say cook 4 steaks you like, 4 she likes, do the quick chill with both (meaning dumping them into a bath of 1/2 water 1/2 ice until cold).

Then you can just put both into a bath at your temp to bring them back up to dining temperature, sear and eat. A bit of a round about, but you'd also have several steaks at the ready any time, as you can even freeze them once chilled (and put them in the bath frozen).

Alternatively you could cook both, take your wife's steak out, insert a probe thermometer and stick it in a low oven at 200-250 degree until done, while yours floats a bit longer at 131. Sear both once your wife's piece is at temp.

Seems easier than doing some science calculations...

[mkayahara]

How about making some batches of each? Say cook 4 steaks you like, 4 she likes, do the quick chill with both (meaning dumping them into a bath of 1/2 water 1/2 ice until cold).

Then you can just put both into a bath at your temp to bring them back up to dining temperature, sear and eat. A bit of a round about, but you'd also have several steaks at the ready any time, as you can even freeze them once chilled (and put them in the bath frozen).

This seems like the best approach to me. My first instinct was to start with the higher-temp steak and finish with the lower-temp one (as suggested above), but I agree that this could end up having a detrimental effect on texture, depending on the cut. If you do cook-chill, then you can just heat at a lower serving temperature and not worry about the texture being off.

[rotuts]

I do cook-chill a lot. and freeze. but i only do one temp for each cut.

[weinoo]

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

Nice looking steak, Mike...welcome to the forums.

[flightcook]

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.

[rotuts]

you will be fine either way.

once you get the 'hang' of SV, and have refrig. (cold) space or freezer space (depending on the thinkness of your plastic bag) you may enjoy SV a lot of stuff at once and saving it for later.

it just needs a re-heat.

[Todd in Chicago]

I also am a fan of "Cook much, chill, freeze, re-heat".

What seems to work for me is to look in my FREEZER and say....hmmmm....tonight for dinner for my wife and I....I'll take out 1 pkg of a steak previously cooked at MY temperature, 1 pkg of steak cooked to my WIFES temperature, a pkg of carrots with butter and vadovaun curry, and a pkg of diced parsnips with salt, pepper and butter. All previously cooked to the desired temperature. Everything goes frozen into the SV at 130. Typically, once the temperature stabilizes, I'm able to start pulling things out in about 30 minutes - flash steaks on pan to sear, plate carrots and parsnips, add the steaks to the plates, and voila! A lazy cooks pretty decent dinner for a Tuesday night that is cooked ABSOLUTELY PERFECTLY! EDIT (this only works as long as nothing was cooked less than 130, which for me is most of the time). Even if the cook started cooking and then and went an screwed around on the Internet and posting to eGullet for an hour or so. I'm not sure we've ever had an undercooked or overcooked piece of food since I really started relying on my SV. Now that's pretty awesome! That's not to say I don't make special meals - I do. But the convenience of what I just mentioned above has significantly changed regular dinner preparation in this household! Right now if I had to guess, I'd say I have something like this in my freezer right now (all pre-cooked and ready to re-heat): 10 chicken thighs, 4 portions beef tenderloin, 8 chicken breasts, 1 pkg beets, 2 pkg parsnips, 2 pkg leeks, 2 portions beef tri-tip, 8 pork chops, and probably some other assorted stuff. Good times....

Cheers...

Todd in Chicago

Edited January 18, 2012 by Todd in Chicago (log)

[flightcook]

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

[Msk]

Anyone know offhand how long a cook-chill piece of SV meat will last in the fridge?

Mike

[rotuts]

this has been mentioned by pedroG. search his stuff. if your refrig is very cold or you put it at the very back as long as 90 days. look to him for the details.

i generally go for 30 or freeze. unlike others I thaw if I remember for 24 hours first.

[rotuts]

BTW on your next voyage to Costco, look for a large chunk of chuck. the bigger the better.

deconstruct it and bag the pieces for 'two' do a long SV and you get the best 'roast beef' ever. see other threads.

[mgaretz]

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

Somewhere here there was a comment that it really didn't take much longer for frozen steaks to come up to temp compared to thawed. 15 minutes or so if I recall for the average thickness steak. Since then that's what I've been doing. Season, vacuum pack and freeze. Then to cook it goes straight into the bath.

[rotuts]

I noted that. im energy Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

[sculptor]

Here is an idea. Go for a core temp on her steak a hair under 140 (you don't want to denature the enzymes with too high a heat.) After you've got that, lower the temperature to 120 (maybe changing out some water to help) then add your steak. If the steaks are not too thick or too tender that the extra cooking time to color hers shouldn't be too detrimental.

[flightcook]

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