What Are You Cooking Sous Vide Today? (Part 3)

[Kim Shook]

Just now, Shelby said:

All I know is that I've done pork loin--but maybe it's not that thick...but I'm sure it's close--at the time and temp I listed above many many times.  Never had any problems.

I will measure it when I take it out to serve it again tonight.  heehee

[Kim Shook]

2 1/2-inches.

[Shelby]

2 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

2 1/2-inches.

Totally fine.  Well within the "rules".

[weedy]

The ‘my grandfather smoked for 40 years so smoking must be safe” argument...

 

 

This what the ChefSteps Joule app says at 131F

 

 

 

 

 

 

[weedy]

2.5 inches is a completely different story. It certainly looked much thicker (said the actress to the bishop...)

[weedy]

[paulraphael]

SV Dash will tend to give unreasonably long cooking times. It's not wrong; it's just being maddeningly accurate, and reporting the actual time it will take the very center to reach the precise temperature you've entered. The last couple of degrees may take well over an hour. 

 

You can have a much easier time if you compensate slightly. Whatever my theoretical target temperature is, I set the core temperature in SV dash 0.5°C lower than this. And I set the bath temperature 1°C higher. Results are exactly what I'd get if working it out by trial and error, and times can be as little as half. 

 

I suspect most recipes and most of the consumer apps build this kind of tweak into their tables. 

 

I wrote a post about this method here. 

[ElsieD]

https://anovaculinary.com/introducing-the-anova-precision-cooker-stand/

 

Just ordered one of these.  Not sure if this is the right place for this.

[haresfur]

Belted-Galloway Tri-tip at 59 degrees for 24 hours then smoked on the gas grill for about 15 minutes. Served with chimi-churi as suggested by a couple of online recipes which was a bit weird. Texture was good but should have dropped the temp was a couple of degrees high for this.

[MetsFan5]

I think I may need to throw myself into to Sous vide  world. 

   I’ve been Servesafe certified for ages. I’ve worked mostly in the FOH. I need to actually have a cooked protein for my husband when he gets home (anywhere from 7:15-9pm) during the week. It seems that sous vide could permit me to hold the protein until he comes home and maybe sear it If needed. 

 

  Keep in mind I am lacking basic cooking skills. I can’t cut anything to save my life. My mom is a really good Home chef and I went from living with my parents to eating on the go and spending the bulk of my income on rent. Mathematics is the devil as far as I’m concerned and forget trying to convert weights or temps. 

 

  Can I do this? I am a borderline millennial. Maybe an app can help? I’m tired of ordering out and I don’t trust myself to cook chicken in any way that would be appealing at all, or any other lean protein for a weeknight dinner. 

 

I sinply cant eat red meat more than 2x a week. 

  My husband loves it and will eat it at work. So I feel like sous vide could be more forgiving with poultry, pork and even shellfish like shrimp and scallops. 

 

  Any advice on a starting job point is appreciated. I don’t want to spend thousands but I also need someone advice about something that will be easy to use and can use imperial temps. Also what accessories would I need? 

[Duvel]

Suckling pig porchetta: deboned suckling pig belly, rubbed skin side with salt, garlic, rosemary, chilli and fennel. Rolled up, tied and SV for 24h @ 70oC. Then chilled, cleaned and dried in the refrigerator overnight. Deep fried for the crispiest skin you could imagine. Served thickly cut with rosemary flatbread and some of the incredible bag liquid, basted onto the flatbread ...

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, MetsFan5 said:

I think I may need to throw myself into to Sous vide  world. 

   I’ve been Servesafe certified for ages. I’ve worked mostly in the FOH. I need to actually have a cooked protein for my husband when he gets home (anywhere from 7:15-9pm) during the week. It seems that sous vide could permit me to hold the protein until he comes home and maybe sear it If needed. 

 

  Keep in mind I am lacking basic cooking skills. I can’t cut anything to save my life. My mom is a really good Home chef and I went from living with my parents to eating on the go and spending the bulk of my income on rent. Mathematics is the devil as far as I’m concerned and forget trying to convert weights or temps. 

 

  Can I do this? I am a borderline millennial. Maybe an app can help? I’m tired of ordering out and I don’t trust myself to cook chicken in any way that would be appealing at all, or any other lean protein for a weeknight dinner. 

 

I sinply cant eat red meat more than 2x a week. 

  My husband loves it and will eat it at work. So I feel like sous vide could be more forgiving with poultry, pork and even shellfish like shrimp and scallops. 

 

  Any advice on a starting job point is appreciated. I don’t want to spend thousands but I also need someone advice about something that will be easy to use and can use imperial temps. Also what accessories would I need? 

 

Steak, purchase anova, vacuum sealer, and a pot.  Sear when dinner guest arrives.  Bath temperature depends on cut and preference.

 

Pork sous vide has not been my friend.

 

Poultry, purchase CSO, wine glass, and a fork.  Steam bake whole chicken or parts 450F 12-15 minutes per pound.  (Though thighs for an hour at 300F are actually my favorite.)

 

Camel, stuff with sheep and burry in a pit of coals.  Best started early in the day.

 

[Duvel]

4 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Camel, stuff with sheep and burry in a pit of coals.  Best started early in the day.

 

 

Ahh ... that's so 1990's. You'd be surprised what Google tells you on Camel sous vide 😋

[gfweb]

@MetsFan5 SV make a lot of things easier and doesn't expose bad technique (perfect for me).

 

You can't accidentally overcook. eg  Shrimp have moments between nicely done and overcooked.

 

You can make the tough cuts tender and juicy. Pork loin is a great example. Or a chicken breast or turkey breast which are actually tasty done SV.

 

You can deal with an unpredictable arrival. Have the strip steak in the bath at 128F and sear when he gets home.

 

Times and temps are here on eG or on the webs.

 

SV isn't great for everything though.

 

Hamburgers are , to me, better cooked traditionally. SV makes them too soft. I like the taste of a braised short rib much more than a SV one.

[chromedome]

6 hours ago, Duvel said:

 

Ahh ... that's so 1990's. You'd be surprised what Google tells you on Camel sous vide 😋

So that's Wednesday night's dinner taken care of...

[rotuts]

@MetsFan5

 

SV will solve most of the problems you mention.

 

currently the Anova is $ 90 on Amazon

 

Anova Culinary A2.2-120V-US Sous Vide Precision Cooker Bluetooth, Immersion Circulator, 800 Watts

 

it was a few dollars less a few days ago.  a very good price

 

you can use Freezer Zip-locks , rapidly chill several similar items you Sv at the same time

 

and freeze  , then reheat from fz.

 

SV is excellent on saving time , you SV unattended , and all you have to do is re-therm

 

all the information you might want is on eG

 

 

Edited July 22, 2018 by Smithy
Adjusted link to be eG-friendly (log)

[MelissaH]

9 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

I think I may need to throw myself into to Sous vide  world. 

   I’ve been Servesafe certified for ages. I’ve worked mostly in the FOH. I need to actually have a cooked protein for my husband when he gets home (anywhere from 7:15-9pm) during the week. It seems that sous vide could permit me to hold the protein until he comes home and maybe sear it If needed. 

 

  Keep in mind I am lacking basic cooking skills. I can’t cut anything to save my life. My mom is a really good Home chef and I went from living with my parents to eating on the go and spending the bulk of my income on rent. Mathematics is the devil as far as I’m concerned and forget trying to convert weights or temps. 

 

  Can I do this? I am a borderline millennial. Maybe an app can help? I’m tired of ordering out and I don’t trust myself to cook chicken in any way that would be appealing at all, or any other lean protein for a weeknight dinner. 

 

I sinply cant eat red meat more than 2x a week. 

  My husband loves it and will eat it at work. So I feel like sous vide could be more forgiving with poultry, pork and even shellfish like shrimp and scallops. 

 

  Any advice on a starting job point is appreciated. I don’t want to spend thousands but I also need someone advice about something that will be easy to use and can use imperial temps. Also what accessories would I need? 

SV boneless skinless chicken breast is terrific when you don't know exact timing. It's not pretty, and you don't get the crunchy skin like a CSO will give you, BUT it will give you safely cooked meat when you need it. And if you don't necessarily want it hot, you have perfect meat for a chicken salad of any kind you like. Go for it!

[rotuts]

the above applies to turkey breast , which is very inexpensive when whole fz Tb's go on sale

 

just bone out the two breasts , ( I cut easy br, in 1/2 as they are large  ) SV , chill , freeze

 

you can also make much tastier , and much much cheaper  ' roast beef '

 

for RB sandwiches.

Edited July 22, 2018 by rotuts (log)

[MelissaH]

1 minute ago, rotuts said:

the above applies to turkey breast , which is very inexpensive when whole fz Tb's go on sale

 

just bone out the two breasts , ( I cut easy br, in 1/2 as they are large  ) SV , chill , freeze

 

you can also make much tastier , and much much cheaper  ' roast beef '

 

for RB sandwiches.

 

If you're going this route, I'd suggest taking the route Kenji Lopez-Alt uses in his Thanksgiving turkey post: bone out the breasts (no special knife skills required—just stick the point into the junction between meat and bone and work it free a little at a time), arrange the two nose-to-tail, and tie them into a cylinder. When you cook this, you can then just slice the cylinder into pieces of whatever thickness you like, to eat hot or cold. Leftovers can freeze when you get sick of turkey, or use them in whatever casserole you like (another thing that can reheat well, if timing is uncertain).

[Smithy]

@MetsFan5, there's a wealth of information around here on sous vide, and it can seem a bit intimidating - especially where experienced users come up with different preferences. If you should decide to try it, you can do so for under $100 for a sous vide circulator. A vacuum-packer is nice but not necessary; simple Ziplock-style bags will do. You don't need a special container if you have a large stockpot (or canning kettle) or a small waterproof cooler. 

 

The Chefsteps web site has a week-long menu for sous vide newcomers; I haven't worked my way through it, but in reviewing it I see I should, since I'm still not using my circulator(s) to best advantage: Chefsteps' Get Started with Sous Vide: Your First Week's Menu.

 

In addition, this topic does a pretty good job of showing how other sous vide newcomers became comfortable with their new technology: Sous vide for a newbie. This post in particular should inspire you to take the plunge.

 

You can do this!

Edited July 22, 2018 by Smithy
Added another link (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Maybe it's just me but I don't care for SV chicken breast.

 

[Smithy]

1 minute ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Maybe it's just me but I don't care for SV chicken breast.

 

 

Tastes differ. I like it, especially for chicken salad. My darling thinks sous vide may be the only reliable way to cook chicken breast without drying it out. To be honest we think it can be better fried, but only if we are lucky enough to arrive at the deli counter just as the chicken breasts are coming out of the fryer.

[weedy]

I think it’s far and away the best way to cook chicken breasts. 

 

no matter how I finish them afterward. 

 

Also the best duck breast, chicken thighs, pork chops, short ribs, steaks, and burgers. 

Other than occasionally butter poaching shrimp or lobster SV, I’m not generally a fan for fish because it’s too easy and quick to do fish in a hot pan. 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2018 by weedy (log)

[btbyrd]

20 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Maybe it's just me but I don't care for SV chicken breast.

 

 

I don't care for it either, but I don't seem to have the problems cooking chicken conventionally that other people seem to have.

 

[btbyrd]

I also don't particularly care for SV steak. It is liable to develop a grainy texture that I don't care for and don't experience with other cooking methods. Also mushy. Chipotle's steak got markedly worse in texture when they made the switch over to SV. Perhaps we should start a "what are you NOT cooking sous vide today" thread where we air our grievances with the technology. SV egg whites anyone?