Sous vide for a newbie?

[KitchenQueen]

Single household, but I can't hold out any longer.I want one.  I've read the threads, but now there are so many variations and brands, and newer ones every day, I'm boggled.    What's the best budget price for one that works? No point in buying something substandard.  Complete unit, or just the immersion thingy?   Help??    whimper ,whimper

 

[Chris Hennes]

I personally own an Anova Precision Cooker, Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator, and an Oliso SmartHub. All three get the job done. Of the three, the Precision Cooker is the least expensive. Amazon also lists good reviews for the less expensive Gourmia immersion circulator. Plenty of people also like the Sansaire circulator, at about the same price as the Anova. I think the market has matured a lot in the last year or two -- pretty much everything on sale today is going to give you perfectly respectable results. What is your tolerance for lost counter space?

[KitchenQueen]

I have no counter space left..  Zip,none.  It would have to be stored in another room, which I could do.  Using it countertop would mean moving something. I understand that.

 

 

[Anna N]

Single household here.  Have owned the PID controller plus rice cooker, the Sous Vide Supreme, the Sansaire and two Anovas. All but the Anovas were sent to find forever homes with others. 

[Chris Hennes]

Then don't get the all-in-one models like the Sous Vide Supreme or Oliso -- I use my Anova in all manner of pots that were already taking up space in the kitchen. The self-contained non-circulating models have very few advantages over the drop-in circulators. That Gourmia is on sale for $120 right now, that's the one I'd get.

[KitchenQueen]

Thanks ! I just ordered the Gourmia.   Appreciate the advice..

 

[Dave the Cook]

I have a PID controller with a slow-cooker, but that setup is extremely slow to come to temp, as well as to recover. In teaching cooling classes, I've also used the Sous Vide Supreme (and the bafflingly sized SVS Demi), as well as the Nomiku. As Chris says, most devices on the market now work pretty well, so it's really just a matter of price.

 

If you have a little patience, and you're in the US, the Anova goes on sale pretty regularly, for the flimsiest of excuses. I got mine last year for $100, based on a Father's Day discount. 

[KitchenQueen]

Now question number 2.  Is there any cookbook or website where I can learn to use this thing when it arrives?  I wouldn't know how to cook 2 chicken breasts from 2 scrambled eggs.

 

[Dave the Cook]

5 minutes ago, KitchenQueen said:

Is there any cookbook or website where I can learn to use this thing when it arrives?

 

I'd venture to say that you're already there. I mean, here. 

[Shelby]

What a timely topic for me.  I was JUST discussing getting one.  I figure since I can do a pressure cooker now, I can master sous vide   I told my husband it would change our meat forever lol.

[Dave the Cook]

39 minutes ago, Dave the Cook said:

 

I'd venture to say that you're already there. I mean, here. 

 

Having said that, if you're not interested in a lot of byplay and theorizing and just want to jump in with some times and temps, ChefSteps just released a week-long intro-to-sous-vide set of recipes and techniques. I've found Chef Steps to be pretty reliable.

[KitchenQueen]

The people here are just the best on earth !!!  Thank you all so much.  I'm ready to roll.  I was searching YouTube and I want some sous vide poached eggs bigtime.

 

 

[gfweb]

You are going to have some fun.

 

To start out and really see the difference of SV, try cooking a chicken breast. It will be amazingly juicy. https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/sous-vide-chicken-breast

 

Get some sturdy zip-loc bags till you decide if you need a vacuum sealer.

[Dave the Cook]

+1 on the chicken breast. That's what convinced us.

[KitchenQueen]

I already have a vacuum sealer.And I'm singing your praises to a friend over here. https://www.facebook.com/TheBigTL?fref=ts     

 

The comments are coming in fast and furious.

 

 

[kayb]

I'll second the recommendation on chefsteps.

 

I have the Anova. Love it. What it can do to a pork loin is a lovely thing.

 

[FauxPas]

I have the Anova, which I quite like but if the joule over at Chefsteps came down in price a bit more, I'd be all over it. You can store it in a fairly narrow drawer and that can be a big thing you have a small kitchen with limited space. 

 

Some of my fave sous vide revelations - pork tenderloin, pork chops, salmon and other fish/seafood, veggies. Pomme purée, mmmm. I still have lots to try and learn with SV, but it's definitely a keeper in my kitchen. 

[Shelby]

Ok, the Gourmia is in my Amazon cart.  I have a vacuum sealer.  Anything else that I need?  I have multiple sizes of pots but they all have a bit of a "lip" on them.  Will the Gourmia still clip on ok?  I keep seeing these clear tubs that people buy, do I need one?

[LindaK]

I was just browsing the ChefSteps site that's been mentioned. It seems that their Joule is on sale for $199 (reg $299) until Jan 15. The catch is that it doesn't ship until May.

[rotuts]

Anova, 

 

everything you need to know abut SV is here on the Sv threads.  if its not on these threads, its referenced to the web from those threads.

 

such as the Chicken ref above.

 

take your time and read them over.

 

if you have a library system see if they have this book :

 

Cooking for Geeks

 

http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Geeks-Science-Great-Hacks/dp/0596805888

 

the SV chapter is not very long and very easy to understand.

 

for CkBr's, consider getting rid of the two tendons , one for the larger muscle, one for the smaller.  they will remain tough

 

after you master CkBr's plain, consider pounding one  ( wine bottle is nice here ). stuffing it, tie it up to hold its shape and

 

you will be very surprised how easy and delicious this is :

 

 

these are CkBr's stuffed with various things, tied, bagged ready for the SV rig

 

when St.Particks day rolls around, try to SV some corned beef, on sale of course

 

nothing better.

 

enjoy

[kayb]

2 hours ago, Shelby said:

Ok, the Gourmia is in my Amazon cart.  I have a vacuum sealer.  Anything else that I need?  I have multiple sizes of pots but they all have a bit of a "lip" on them.  Will the Gourmia still clip on ok?  I keep seeing these clear tubs that people buy, do I need one?

I presume the Gourmia is like the Anova and will accommodate varying sizes of lips on pots. I use my water bath canner for big stuff, my biggest stockpot for others.  I presume you have a good set of tongs; that's the only other thing you need.

 

You'll love it. I bet it's marvelous with venison, which as I recall has a tendency to be tough, particularly if Mr. Deer was older. 

 

One tip -- when you're ready to cook, fill your container with HOT tap water. That way the SV circulator doesn't have to work so hard to bring it up to temp. My hot tap water is about 110-115, so no biggie to take it up to 125-130, where most of my stuff cooks.

 

Highly encourage you to try a pork loin, starting out. Lord, I love 'em.

Edited January 2, 2016 by kayb (log)

[rotuts]

"""   fill your container with HOT tap water ""

 

Most excellent Advice

 

at the point that you move to 24 - 48 hr sv

 

and you will

 

look into Colman ( beer ) coolers

 

less stress on the Gourmia

 

the top of coolers is not insulated.  get some of those in expensive blankets to put on the top :

 

[Dave the Cook]

If you click on the photo of the Gourmia, you'll get several more pictures. One of them shows it clipped to a pot with a pretty serious lip on it.

 

I usually use a 16-qt. stock pot or the bottom of our 6L pressure cooker. I think I once had to resort to a 22-qt Cambro, but i can't remember what for, and I was almost certainly being over-cautious about maintaining good circulation. The point is, you probably already have what you need.

[Shelby]

I pushed the buy button.  It says it'll be here the 6th.  

[gfweb]

20 hours ago, Chris Hennes said:

Then don't get the all-in-one models like the Sous Vide Supreme or Oliso -- I use my Anova in all manner of pots that were already taking up space in the kitchen. The self-contained non-circulating models have very few advantages over the drop-in circulators. That Gourmia is on sale for $120 right now, that's the one I'd get.

 

I have a sous vide supreme and a first generation anova. I like them both but I find I use the SVS the most. Its sitting in the basement filled-up and ready to go. If I had no basement the SVS would be a space hog and never bought in the first place (but it was all you could get early-on).

 

Chris, what are the strengths of the Oliso? That it doubles as an induction burner?