What Are You Cooking Sous Vide Today? (Part 1)

[Chris Hennes]

I use mine to defrost frozen meats on a pretty regular basis, I just set the temp to 0 and let it circulate a cold-water bath.

[paulraphael]

Preparation with ziploc bags is pretty easy, and in many cases preferable to vacuum sealing. And there's no reason they can't be used for cook/chill. I do it all the time. They're a bit pricey, but some people wash them in the dishwasher and reuse.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Preparation with ziploc bags is pretty easy, and in many cases preferable to vacuum sealing. And there's no reason they can't be used for cook/chill. I do it all the time. They're a bit pricey, but some people wash them in the dishwasher and reuse.

 

I am not convinced.  It was only after I tried using Ziploc bags that I invested in a chamber vacuum sealer.  However I do use Ziploc bags (or the generic equivalent thereof) for pasteurizing eggs.

[nickrey]

Erk.  No, I have not yet cooked anything sous vide since I first posted.  Still standing at the precipice.

Sounds like we need to come around and stage an intervention.

 

Unfortunately, I'm in Sydney, Australia; any volunteers? 

[paulraphael]

Dave Arnold and Nils Sorensen on Ziplocs for sous-vide:

 

The advantages of the Ziploc are:

• you don’t need to buy a vacuum
• food can be bagged hot
• food can be removed from the bag and re-bagged easily
• the process is very gentle on foods and doesn’t change food textures the way vacuum bagging can
• it’s just as effective for cooking as vacuum bagging for most items

The disadvantages of the Ziploc are:

• not as convenient for bagging a lot of items as the vacuum machine
• Ziplocs cost more than vacuum bags
• doesn’t provide some vacuum benefits –fast marination, extended storage, oxygen removal.

Dave's summary, which mirrors my experience:

 

"While I love a commercial vacuum machine, about 90% of what a cook wants to accomplish with low temperature cooking can be achieved without a vacuum machine. When Nils was at restaurant Aquavit he did a lot of low-temperature work with a circulator, but didn’t have a vacuum machine. Back then restaurants weren’t required to have a HACCP plan; he didn’t have a commerical vacuum because they cost too much. Today many home cooks use the Food Saver vacuum for low temp. I don’t use my Food Saver any more. I use Ziploc bags, without a vacuum. I find Ziplocs easier than the Food Saver – I don’t have to hunt down the special bags, I can easily bag sauces (a pain with the Food Saver), I can bag hot foods (foods to be vacuumed need to be cold – more on that in the next primer installment). My Food Saver has been relegated to potato-chip-bag-resealed."

 

 

At cookingissues.com

[paulraphael]

Sounds like we need to come around and stage an intervention.

 

Unfortunately, I'm in Sydney, Australia; any volunteers? 

 

I'm sure someone will volunteer to buy the O.P.'s circulator

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Dave Arnold and Nils Sorensen on Ziplocs for sous-vide:

 

The advantages of the Ziploc are:

• you don’t need to buy a vacuum
• food can be bagged hot
• food can be removed from the bag and re-bagged easily
• the process is very gentle on foods and doesn’t change food textures the way vacuum bagging can
• it’s just as effective for cooking as vacuum bagging for most items

The disadvantages of the Ziploc are:

• not as convenient for bagging a lot of items as the vacuum machine
• Ziplocs cost more than vacuum bags
• doesn’t provide some vacuum benefits –fast marination, extended storage, oxygen removal.

Dave's summary, which mirrors my experience:

 

"While I love a commercial vacuum machine, about 90% of what a cook wants to accomplish with low temperature cooking can be achieved without a vacuum machine. When Nils was at restaurant Aquavit he did a lot of low-temperature work with a circulator, but didn’t have a vacuum machine. Back then restaurants weren’t required to have a HACCP plan; he didn’t have a commerical vacuum because they cost too much. Today many home cooks use the Food Saver vacuum for low temp. I don’t use my Food Saver any more. I use Ziploc bags, without a vacuum. I find Ziplocs easier than the Food Saver – I don’t have to hunt down the special bags, I can easily bag sauces (a pain with the Food Saver), I can bag hot foods (foods to be vacuumed need to be cold – more on that in the next primer installment). My Food Saver has been relegated to potato-chip-bag-resealed."

 

 

At cookingissues.com

 

I concede bagging liquids and/or hot foods is an advantage.  Though when I want to bag a liquid I usually make sure it's solid first.

[Anna N]

Six lamb chops at 56°C for two hours. I will then chill them down and store them. And when they come out of their bath, these will go in:

Are they not amazing? I could set up another Anova but I'm rather lazy today so will simply take out the lamb chops and put in the steaks in an hour or two. Then I'm thinking of pre-cooking some potatoes to be roasted for tomorrow. Like the lamb chops the steaks will be chilled down and stored.

The meat was a gift from someone who knows me much too well!

[rotuts]

Ill have the steak on the R please.

 

do you coat your meat w some 'fat' while SV'ing ?  oil or butter ?

 

it seems there might be some w the Lamb.

 

Yum.

[Anna N]

Ill have the steak on the R please.

 

do you coat your meat w some 'fat' while SV'ing ?  oil or butter ?

 

it seems there might be some w the Lamb.

 

Yum.

Yes. There is a hunk of cold butter in with both the lamb and the beef.

[rotuts]

thank you.

 

you've noticed a difference Im guessing.

 

I'll add that to my SV Routine once I have a few empty shelves in the SV Freezer.

 

in the basement.

[Anna N]

thank you.

 

you've noticed a difference Im guessing.

 

I'll add that to my SV Routine once I have a few empty shelves in the SV Freezer.

 

in the basement.

I was persuaded by this.

[rotuts]

thank you  stunning ref. 

 

as goog as it gets.

[chris_s]

Yes. There is a hunk of cold butter in with both the lamb and the beef.

 

Not necessary with those heartstopping (literally?) lamb chops or ribeyes, but have you found that adding butter helps lean cuts come out juicier, albeit artificially so? I'm still trying to find a way to make round steak excellent... 

[Anna N]

Not necessary with those heartstopping (literally?) lamb chops or ribeyes, but have you found that adding butter helps lean cuts come out juicier, albeit artificially so? I'm still trying to find a way to make round steak excellent...

I don't think I can be much help. I think the last time I bought round steak I was so young and naïve that I thought it would be better than ribeye because it had so much less fat! Anyone who can make round steak excellent in either taste or texture stands to make a lot of money!

[weedy]

IF you have not seen it, I also recommend a look at this:

 

http://www.cookingissues.com/index.html%3Fp=3908.html

 

 

I wonder, in a restaurant setting, especially, they thoroughly clean a circulator after it's sitting in a tub of butter or oil

[weedy]

...but husband prefers lean meats, well done and dry, ...

 

Divorce is the only sensible option

[rotuts]

or two eating spaces

 

cheaper   no lawyers

[paulraphael]

IF you have not seen it, I also recommend a look at this:

 

http://www.cookingissues.com/index.html%3Fp=3908.html

 

 

I wonder, in a restaurant setting, especially, they thoroughly clean a circulator after it's sitting in a tub of butter or oil

 

The cooking issues guys say they circulate detergent water.

[chris_s]

I don't think I can be much help. I think the last time I bought round steak I was so young and naïve that I thought it would be better than ribeye because it had so much less fat! Anyone who can make round steak excellent in either taste or texture stands to make a lot of money!

 

We came into a few 3# round roasts when splitting a cow with some family members. I'm almost sick of beef dips (did NOT expect that to happen) so I've been cutting them into 1" steaks to see if I can get rid of them that way

 

 

IF you have not seen it, I also recommend a look at this:

 

http://www.cookingissues.com/index.html%3Fp=3908.html

 

 

I wonder, in a restaurant setting, especially, they thoroughly clean a circulator after it's sitting in a tub of butter or oil

 

Interesting! I love how they just throw literally anything into the vat to displace oil. 

I almost stopped reading at "paying five bucks to drink a cup of cooking water from a New York City hot dog vendor"

[Fernet-Bronco]

Do you actually use your sous vide circulator?

 

Yes!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I was persuaded by this.

 

Thanks for the link!  So too was I.  Will have to try adding oil.

[weedy]

in the last week I've done duck breasts, chicken, lobster (poached in butter), potatoes (cubed, which I later finished into patatas bravas), and hamburgers all in the circulator.

 

It's like asking "do you use your stove" or oven or microwave or blender...

you can use it as much or as little as your imagination and cooking style determines

[glepore]

To answer the op, yes, I use mine. For me, rack of lamb is the killer ap, its already cryo'd, just toss in for 1.5-2 hrs. Steaks too, along with the aforementioned bogus confit.

 

Haven't really found a sweetspot for vegies.

[rotuts]

Tj's has some nice Racks.  Ill have to give them a try.  already cry's and seasoned and the seasoning is spot on.  which is unusual

 

TF from Canada.  although the price just keeps going up and up.