Sous vide cooking directly in packaging?

[chris_s]

I buy racks of lamb from costco that are vac packed in a pretty heavy plastic. Does anyone have any opinions on just throwing this right into the SV water? I would cook these to the appropriate doneness, then remove from water, apply provencial herb/garlic/wine rub and sear on grill. The racks I get are trimmed the way I like so there isn't any pre-cooking prep needed. 

 

My thoughts are that the packaging must be food safe otherwise costco wouldn't be using it. maybe this logic is flawed?

 

 

 

I also get pork back ribs in this type of packaging, but on those I need to remove the membrane before cooking so wouldn't be able to put them directly into the water

[jayt90]

Heavy vacuum pack seems to be fine, but some IQF seafood shrink wraps are unreliable, so I look at them carefully before dunking. I heard somewhere that Ziploc freezer bags are safe past boiling, so that is what I use for most fish and vegetables.

[Shalmanese]

Costco once had sealed, pre-seasoned racks of lamb inexplicably for $3 each. You better believe I cleared out the entire case and froze the lot. I put them directly in the bath from frozen for 2 hours, then a quick sear for an easy weeknight meal. The ink from the labels faded in the cooking but apart from that, it was a great. Would do again.

[paulraphael]

I buy boned chicken thighs from the local food coop that come vacuum packed. I don't completely trust the packaging to hold, because it's been made "easy opening" on one of the corners. So I just put the whole thing into a ziplock and evacuate the air by immersing it. The ziploc is just backup. If the inner bag doesn't leak I reuse it.

[FeChef]

I buy boned chicken thighs from the local food coop that come vacuum packed. I don't completely trust the packaging to hold, because it's been made "easy opening" on one of the corners. So I just put the whole thing into a ziplock and evacuate the air by immersing it. The ziploc is just backup. If the inner bag doesn't leak I reuse it.

I never seen thighs vacuum packed but i do buy boneless chicken breast that come individually vacuum packed portions that have dotted lines you have to cut. I have SV them in the package but i found they turn out tough for some reason. If i remove them and butterfly them a little bit and use a ziploack bag via water dispersion they come out tender and juicy. I really dont know why they came out tough with an odd texture when they were SV in the package.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I don't trust anything to go in the circulator that I haven't vacuumed sealed myself.

[FeChef]

I recall a long time member here claimed he/she SV a whole frozen turkey in the vacuum package they come in.

[ElsieD]

I purchased some pork chops the other day that were vacuum packed and cooked them sous vide in that packaging. They then got the ice bath treatment and are now in the freezer in that same packaging.

[weedy]

I don't trust anything to go in the circulator that I haven't vacuumed sealed myself.

 

that's exactly how I feel

 

from both a plastic chemical safety AND a 'won't leak' standpoint.

Edited April 2, 2015 by weedy (log)

[scubadoo97]

that's exactly how I feel

from both a plastic chemical safety AND a 'won't leak' standpoint.

Same here

[ChrisTaylor]

I don't trust anything to go in the circulator that I haven't vacuumed sealed myself.

 

This.

 

I have no idea about the quality of the packaging materials the butcher/supermarket/etc used. It's possible she's used better bags than I have. It's also possible she's used cheap crap or that the seal isn't very good. I'm sure we've all had the bag that looked fine until it went into a water bath.

 

Also, sometimes pre-packed meats can contain things I don't want in my water bath--e.g. those little absorbent pads. Depending on the packaging process, sometimes I don't notice them until I've unpacked the product. I have no idea what those pads contain but I'm not sure that letting them swim for 48 hours at 60 Celsius would be a good idea.

[dcarch]

Every year, I SV the entire frozen turkey in it's original packaging.

 

One minor problem, the giblets will be cooked inside the turkey as well.

 

I have also done the entire ribs the same way.

 

dcarch 

[FeChef]

Every year, I SV the entire frozen turkey in it's original packaging.

 

One minor problem, the giblets will be cooked inside the turkey as well.

 

I have also done the entire ribs the same way.

 

dcarch 

I knew it was somebody thats been a member here for quite some time. Obviouslt your still alive, but what concerns me is not the packaging, but the cavety will take a really long time to reach a safe temp.

[dcarch]

I knew it was somebody thats been a member here for quite some time. Obviouslt your still alive, but what concerns me is not the packaging, but the cavety will take a really long time to reach a safe temp.

 

Much shorter time than thawing by any other method. 

 

dcarch

[FeChef]

Much shorter time than thawing by any other method. 

 

dcarch

Yes shorter, but not in the safe temp range. I always thaw in 40F or lower water. Takes roughly 30 minutes per pound.

[dcarch]

Yes shorter, but not in the safe temp range. I always thaw in 40F or lower water. Takes roughly 30 minutes per pound.

 

Cooking in 155F water, no part of the turkey will in 40F to 140F danger zone for more than two hours. 

 

Meat gets pasteurized quickly in 155F.

 

OTOH, thawing a big frozen turkey in a refrigerator can take up to a week. Having the outside of turkey at close to 40F uncooked for a week is problematic in my thinking.

 

dcarch