Sous vide pork roast instead of pork butt: should time/temp change?

[TdeV]

I'm used to cooking pork butt sous vide, but I've just purchased a pork roast. Usually I cook at 140 F for three or four days. Should I change the time/temp for a regular pork roast?

[KennethT]

From what cut is the pork roast? Is it the loin? Is "pork roast" an industry term for something specific?

[TdeV]

Yes, Kenneth, the roast is pork loin.

[rotuts]

Ill assume this is the 'big' loin, not the tender loin

 

Baldwin suggests 130 med-rare 4 - 5 hours   140 medium 3 1/2 - 4 1/2

 

these have served me well.  slice thin.  enjoy

[TdeV]

I dug out the label from the trash: "Pork Chef's Prime Roast"

[KennethT]

If it is, indeed, a pork loin, then I would go for the medium rare temp - about 135 or so, long enough to pasteurize to the core. This time is dependent on thickness. For those values, Google Douglas Baldwin Sous Vide for his informative online guide, or see the original Sous Vide post here on Egullet- in the index should be links to tables of thickness/time for different meats and temps. Or, like many of us, download the SousVide Dash app for an ipad or iphone.

[rotuts]

if you have good knife skills and a very sharp knife, this cut will be greatly improved by trimming off any knarly lookiing bits.

 

well worth your time.

[TdeV]

Kenneth, I have the SousVide Dash app, but I haven't a clue how to make it work! <blush>

[Smithy]

If it is, indeed, a pork loin, then I would go for the medium rare temp - about 135 or so, long enough to pasteurize to the core. This time is dependent on thickness. For those values, Google Douglas Baldwin Sous Vide for his informative online guide, or see the original Sous Vide post here on Egullet- in the index should be links to tables of thickness/time for different meats and temps. Or, like many of us, download the SousVide Dash app for an ipad or iphone.

TdeV, in case you haven't noticed it at the top of the Cooking forum, here's a link to the Sous Vide index to which KennethT refers:

General Sous Vide index: http://forums.egullet.org/topic/136274-sous-vide-index/

The index links to a wealth of information, including charts that you may find useful.

[FeChef]

I dug out the label from the trash: "Pork Chef's Prime Roast"

If its a prime loin roast then 3-4 days will turn out like mushy saw dust. Even pork butt/shoulder roast i never cook for more then 30 hours @ 145F for tender slicing and 33 hours @ 155F for the most tender/juicy pulled pork. I would do a loin no more then 12 hours @ 135-140F.

[pep.]

I have had good results at 58 °C (136.4 °F) for 3 to 4 hours. I've documented the recipe on http://mundschenk.at/schweinsbraten-sous-vide/ (German language, but the pictures should be universal ;-). If anyone is interested, I can translate the ingredients here (although it is pretty self-explanatory with the photos).

[TdeV]

SousVideDash had me do it for 6 hours 20 mins at 140. Delish!

 

Pep, my friend is Swiss, so I'm always translating her recipes. I see you put garlic, rosemary and pepper directly inside the vacuum bag. Someone (maybe Douglas Baldwin) recommended not to do that, so please tell me how it came out. Thanks!

[pep.]

Yes, I've read that too, and I initially even bought some granulated garlic because of that "taboo". However, after some further reports by other people and some experimentation, I've found out that this is not an issue for me. In theory, there might be two (or even three) different aspects at work.

1. Localized flavor "hot spots" because of tight vacuum packing.
2. Less flavor loss, so people unfamiliar with SV might "overseason" their meats.
3. A possible tendency by plants of the allium family (garlic etc.) to change their aroma in very long cooks (possibly enhanced by anaerobic conditions in a vacuum bag).

Issue 1 is not a problem for me, never has been. Yes, some parts of the meat probably taste slightly more of rosemary than others, but that has always been the case even with oven roasting. As for the garlic, I took care to mince it and to coat the meat pretty evenly. The additional tablespoon of olive oil probably also helped to allow some "flavor circulation". Issue 2, well, I like my pork roast to be garlicy. And if you want to be more subtle, just use less. Granulated garlic IMHO is an abomination. As for issue 3, for really long cooks (> 12 hours), in general I season my protein very frugally. I have not tried garlic in a long cook, so I can't say if there really is a problem.

[TdeV]

Danke, Pep. I'll try it.

[pep.]

Let me know how it turned out for you. A quick caveat: The olive oil instructions assume you have got access to a chamber vacuum machine. I never had any luck with liquids while using a clamp style vacuum machine. If you use one of those, either freeze the oil into an ice cube before or leave it out.

[TdeV]

I learned a trick from someone on this forum. Drag the vacuum sealer to the edge of the counter then hold up the bag so it's vertical when you seal. That extra bit of drop is enough to keep many/most slightly-liquid things in the bag, rather than getting sucked into the vacuum sealer.

[KennethT]

If using oil in the bag, you can also use a zip-lock bag with the displacement method - also described in depth in the sous-vide thread. Very convenient for short cooks.

[pbear]

SousVideDash had me do it for 6 hours 20 mins at 140. Delish!

 

Pep, my friend is Swiss, so I'm always translating her recipes. I see you put garlic, rosemary and pepper directly inside the vacuum bag. Someone (maybe Douglas Baldwin) recommended not to do that, so please tell me how it came out. Thanks!

 

My solution to the latter issue - and I'm sure I'm not the only one to think of this - is to cook the garlic, etc. before bagging.  This works with seafood and poultry, as well as meat.  For a marinade like that, I'd use a light saute, deglaze with a couple tbsp water and steam covered for several minutes.  For something with onions, I'll generally simmer half an hour or so, not so much to eliminate off flavors as to create the texture I prefer in an onion-based sauce.  Anyhoo, once done, I let the marinade or sauce cool before bagging.  If convenient, it can be prepared a day or more in advance.

[EnriqueB]

Let me know how it turned out for you. A quick caveat: The olive oil instructions assume you have got access to a chamber vacuum machine. I never had any luck with liquids while using a clamp style vacuum machine. If you use one of those, either freeze the oil into an ice cube before or leave it out.

 

Using the technique explained by PedroG here and in video here, I regularly vac pack with (low amounts) of liquids without any problem.

[TdeV]

Yes, PedroG was the man! Thanks, EnriqueB.

[pep.]

Using the technique explained by PedroG here and in video here, I regularly vac pack with (low amounts) of liquids without any problem.

 

Somehow that technique has never worked very well for me. For various reasons (liquid sealing being one of them), I switched to a chamber vacuum machine in 2012. I haven't looked back.

[dunham]

For small amounts of liquid, I've had some luck placing with a small, folded piece of paper towel across the bag to act as a barrier to the liquid, and letting the bag hang vertically while sealing.  It looks like Food Saver has started selling bags that do something similar: http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Quart-sized-Liquid-Block-Bags/dp/B00851QSDE 

[TdeV]

That link doesn't seem to work for me, Dunham. Is this what you meant?

http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Quart-sized-Liquid-Block-Bags/dp/B00851QSDE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406896216&sr=8-1&keywords=foodsaver+quart+sized+liquid+block+bags

Edited August 1, 2014 by TdeV (log)

[TdeV]

Hmmm. Might that mean that a folded up paper towel would work as well?

Is there any reason not to cook one's food with a paper towel in it?

[pep.]

Hmmm. Might that mean that a folded up paper towel would work as well?

Is there any reason not to cook one's food with a paper towel in it?

 

Well,if it gets soaked with juices, I would assume that there will be some taste transfer. (I'm not going to argue about health issues because I don't really know enough about what goes into a paper towel.)