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

[Bernie]

12 hours ago, scubadoo97 said:

...........

interestingly, the vac bags have puffed and are now floating after a few hours in the bag.   .........

If the meat was pretty cold when you vacuum bagged it there may be a very small amount of air trapped in the process. The vacuum formed will be good at the temperature you bagged it but that little bit of air will expand when heated  you know "volume of gas=temperature and pressure"..... and other mathematical stuff you can google ( because I forget ) Basically half the temperature double the Vacuum (or if you are pedantic half the pressure)  but I did work in a field of super cooling where we needed super high vacuums and the best way to get super high vacuums is to form the vacuum in the chamber at room temperature (or above) the cool it down.

Works for freezing foods too. Make sure you vacuum pack them at close to room temperature (if you can) then as they cool the vacuum actual increases. The resultant vacuum is really high while it remains frozen.

 

But it works in reverse. Double the temperature and you double the  pressure so a little air becomes a big bubble when its heated.

 

As longs as the meat was handled and treated properly (clean hands, clean utensils) then you should have bacteria counts not high enough to cause decay (and gas off) as it is heated.

 

Brings back memories, getting really good vacuums but have them lose vacuum because the materials used "gas off" (release various gasses used in manufacture) and realize you used some small component that was not actually specified for vacuum use...weeks of work down the gurgler...

[Bernie]

Bit of trivia for your contemplation.

I SV my steak at 48C that's  ~118F

Its summer over here on top of the world (why do all the earth globe manufactures insist on putting the north pole at the top when everyone knows that Australia is the top of the world..but I digress)

There is a place called the Nullarbor in South Australia where the air temperature reached 49.9C that's ~122 F

 

If I was to SV my steak at Nullarbor, I would probably have to it in the fridge.

 

Or I could vacuum pack my meat and just leave it on the table.....

 

Yes there are hotter places in the world but not usually towns where people live...

 

 

[Anna N]

9 hours ago, scubadoo97 said:

Me neither but....This was in the first hour of cooking.  Again I had applied pink salt and liquid smoke in the bag.  After rebagging all is snug as a rug.  It was a cryo packed whole brisket from Costco.  I ate a burger, medium rare ,  made from the trimmings with no issues 

I am quite happy to know that all turned out well for you. 

[rotuts]

ive never had meat float using a chamber vac.

 

and a good seal.    the vac w my weston was not as high as my chamber vac.

 

and once and a while meat would float a bit.

[gfweb]

20 hours ago, scubadoo97 said:

I broke down a packer brisket this morning, removing point from flat.  Both are in the SV bath and will get used for a get together on my daughter’s birthday the 25th aka Christmas, along with her in-laws and family and a few friends.   
 

interestingly, the vac bags have puffed and are now floating after a few hours in the bag.   I did sprinkle some pink curing salt on the surface of the meat to force a pink “smoke ring”.     I plan to finish the meat on the grill or smoker on the day to be served 

 

I  used a steel sharpening plate to hold them down but am thinking of rebagging since I really want them to be fully submerged 

 

Okay so just rebagged, removing air and any liquid that had formed.   The liquid was quite salty from the pink curing salt.   Multiple clay tiles applied to make sure they stay submerged.  Fingers crossed

I'd worry about contamination. What temp is the SV?

[gilbertlevine]

from Douglas Baldwin.com A practical guide to sous vide cooking

BRISKET

" since some of the liquid in the bag will change phase ( to gas ), the bag will puff and may float to the surface.... "

Had  a similar problem with a costco whole flat cut brisket today

 

[rotuts]

OK

 

but at what temp ?

 

never happened to me at 142.5

[gfweb]

Never had this happen with that cut, but every brisket I've SVd has been cured first, so this may draw out water.

 

Is brisket that wet? Pork loin and shoulder doesn't puff on me even though there are bag juices that could vaporize

 

On the other hand, the time the meat is in the temp zone where bacteria could grow is small, so I guess that would be unlikely.

Edited December 20, 2019 by gfweb (log)

[scubadoo97]

The brisket was right out of a very cold fridge prior to prepping it.   Smelled fine and was cryovaced from Costco.   No sign of further puffing after rebagging.  I’m not too concerned.  I ground up some of the trimmings for a very rich ~60/40 burger yesterday and today.   No symptoms of a problem.   Yesterday’s was a decent thick burger.   Felt a bit too fatty.  Today’s was a very thin pressed patty.  just right with good crisp browning 

 

I have done fridge aging of briskets in cryo in the past, like weeks without incidence.  This one was two days.  
 

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by scubadoo97 (log)

[gilbertlevine]

but at what temp ?

 

Mine :  58 C ( 136.4 F )  for 6 hours

then     61  C ( 141.8 F ) for 24 hours

Douglas Baldwin doesn't specify

I find this only happens with with large ( whole ) cuts of beef

when using a food saver sealer ( chamber vacs give better vacuum )

also smaller cuts seal better

[haresfur]

On 12/20/2019 at 8:08 PM, Bernie said:

Bit of trivia for your contemplation.

I SV my steak at 48C that's  ~118F

Its summer over here on top of the world (why do all the earth globe manufactures insist on putting the north pole at the top when everyone knows that Australia is the top of the world..but I digress)

There is a place called the Nullarbor in South Australia where the air temperature reached 49.9C that's ~122 F

 

If I was to SV my steak at Nullarbor, I would probably have to it in the fridge.

 

Or I could vacuum pack my meat and just leave it on the table.....

 

Yes there are hotter places in the world but not usually towns where people live...

 

 

 

Relevant internet link Datsun pork roast

[haresfur]

Mountain pepper crusted flatiron steak. Mountain pepper berry is an Australian native that doesn't taste particularly peppery to me. I coat the steak with ground berries, seal and sous vide at 58 for an hour 15 min. This one was chilled and sliced. No searing although I have done that and decided it took away from the flavour of the berries. I actually went a bit overboard on the coating this time because it was a touch gritty. Or maybe it wasn't ground as fine. Still was happy with the result.

[lindag]

CI has a SV recipe for glazed carrots that I plan to try today.

A pound of carrots, ckn broth, butter, lemon juice, honey, fresh thyme and s&p. 

Can't post the recipe but those are the ingredients.  

In the bath at 190F for 1 to 2 hours.

[lindag]

More beets in the circulator today.  The last batch was so good I wanted more.  This time, as @ElsieD suggested, is the same recipe except balsamic instead of sherry vinegar.  I have another big bunch of beets in the fridge for next time.

I also have a couple of thick cut pork loin chops in the freezer for next week.

[lindag]

I had some questionable cod in the freezer that’s been there a long time.  I decided to put them in the circulator and see what happens.

I cooked them for 45 minutes as they were still partially frozen.

We’ll see what I get.

Can’t be much of a loss whatever since I’ll at least recover some freezer space.

I have a baked potato standing by along with some SVd carrots and beets.

And some bakery ginger snaps picked up today at the in-store bakery.

If I have to toss the cod it’s still not a big loss.

[Smithy]

@haresfur, more info on the mountain pepper berry, please? I don't want to derail this topic, but I do want to know more about that spice.

[lindag]

Update on the cod.

it was pretty dried out but not stinky.

I will try putting a pinch of it in Lucy’s breakfast.  If she turns her nose up then it will go the way of the disposer.

[haresfur]

3 hours ago, Smithy said:

@haresfur, more info on the mountain pepper berry, please? I don't want to derail this topic, but I do want to know more about that spice.

 

It is native to cool parts of Tasmania and Victoria. I tried growing one once but cooked it. Perhaps I'll try again but with my luck will probably end up with a male plant and no berries. I haven't tried the fresh berries but the ground dry one are brown that some people think taste peppery. I don't but there is a nice subtle flavour to me. I just coat the meat, bag and sous vide. It ends up looking like it has been seared so that helps with the presentation IMO. I don't know where you can get it in the US. Here are a couple of links Tasmannia lanceolata and This native berry has four times the antioxidants of blueberries. I also found a recipe where they mixed it with wattle seed as a rub on lamb which I'm keen to try.

[lindag]

Further update on that cod.

It turns out that my Lucy loves it.

She got a Tbsp or so with breakfast and scarfed it up.

Tonight she got a couple Tbsps in her food and same thing happened.

I’m so glad.  A good purpose for the fish and it makes my bestie happy.

[chromedome]

12 hours ago, lindag said:

Further update on that cod.

It turns out that my Lucy loves it.

She got a Tbsp or so with breakfast and scarfed it up.

Tonight she got a couple Tbsps in her food and same thing happened.

I’m so glad.  A good purpose for the fish and it makes my bestie happy.

My elderly Willow critter is indifferent to cod and tuna, but will eat salmon until she explodes. She's also fond of the occasional little nibble of crab, lobster or shrimp, when the humans are eating same and feel like sharing.

[ElsieD]

New Year's Eve we made a "grazing" table of stuff, rather than having a full meal.   As I always do whenever we have shrimp, i save one for Zeus, so into one of his bowls it went.  I made the mistake of leaving it on the counter, one of the few spots he is not allowed.  Well, you guessed it.  When I went into the kitchen a bit later, the bowl was there but the shrimp had disappeared.

[kayb]

15 hours ago, lindag said:

Further update on that cod.

It turns out that my Lucy loves it.

She got a Tbsp or so with breakfast and scarfed it up.

Tonight she got a couple Tbsps in her food and same thing happened.

I’m so glad.  A good purpose for the fish and it makes my bestie happy.

 

2 hours ago, chromedome said:

My elderly Willow critter is indifferent to cod and tuna, but will eat salmon until she explodes. She's also fond of the occasional little nibble of crab, lobster or shrimp, when the humans are eating same and feel like sharing.

 

2 hours ago, ElsieD said:

New Year's Eve we made a "grazing" table of stuff, rather than having a full meal.   As I always do whenever we have shrimp, i save one for Zeus, so into one of his bowls it went.  I made the mistake of leaving it on the counter, one of the few spots he is not allowed.  Well, you guessed it.  When I went into the kitchen a bit later, the bowl was there but the shrimp had disappeared.

 

Glad all the critters got treats for the New Year. The small people had scrambled eggs, so Lucy got about half an egg, which she promptly scarfed down.

[Anna N]

Not often do I think of the Joule as a reheating device. I turn mostly to the CSO (Cuisinart steam oven) for that function. But sometimes I want to reheat something that I think is too delicate for even the trusty CSO. Yesterday evening I made butter poached shrimp, scallops and orzo. Yes the orzo was also butter poached. It was incredibly rich. Too rich for me to finish the whole thing.

 

But the leftovers made a great breakfast. 50°C times 20 minutes in a re-sealable bag. 
 

 

[rotuts]

@Anna N

 

 hoping you would share the Rx for the BPSwOrzo

 

it does indeed look rich

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

@Anna N

 

 hoping you would share the Rx for the BPSwOrzo

 

it does indeed look rich

Not a problem. Click.