A4 Box Induction Cooker

[Anna N]

This box gets so hot I don’t think I even envy @JoNorvelleWalker her Phillip’s grill. 

 

The meat was a gift and I’m very grateful for it. It will keep on giving for at least a couple of days. but tonight it’s what’s for dinner doncha know.  And because I need to please no one but me it will be served with nothing but a little horseradish on the side. 
 

I suppose I should point out that it was cooked sous vide before I put it on the grill. I did four hours from frozen solid at 54.5°C. 

[rotuts]

@Anna N

 

that rib chop looks perfect

 

betting the ' cap ' was exceptionally delicious.

 

which got me thinking :  Beef cuts are rarely referred to as ' chops '

 

it usually pork or lamb.

 

maybe because pork and lamb are smaller animals , and

 

a chop from then can be literally ' chopped ' off the larger hunk of meat

 

w larger beef , its sliced.

 

and just to be clear ,

 

its still early in the day 

 

 

[Anna N]

I am still very much in love with my A4. Tonight‘s dinner was a repeat of something I did not too long ago but in that case I roasted the vegetables in the oven. Tonight I wondered if they could be roasted in the A4 box. 
 

 

and indeed it worked very well.  Carrots, parsnips, onions and a sliced cheddar Smokey. They had plenty of colour but it’s not showing up very well in this photograph. 

[Anna N]

When we used to “entertain” — OK have friends over for a meal,  I often made a Danish dish called pork with apples and onions. Used to make it with pork tenderloin medallions. Today I decided to see if I could do something a little different. 
 

 

 

 

I stuffed a half pita with onions and apples and then broke up a pork patty and added it. 
 

It does not photograph well. 
 

I should’ve remembered that I am stuffed- pita challenged. Others seem to have worked out the physics. I am very good at carpeting the floor with the stuff that should be in the pita. 

[rotuts]

@Anna N

 

I must say

 

you are On Top of your Game

 

with that A4 !

 

[blue_dolphin]

Apples, onions, pork? That sounds really great, @Anna N. 

I would be inclined to include a smear of grainy mustard but I guess that would take the pita out of Denmark, wouldn't it?

 

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

Apples, onions, pork? That sounds really great, @Anna N. 

I would be inclined to include a smear of grainy mustard but I guess that would take the pita out of Denmark, wouldn't it?

 

You know, when done right*, I never found this needed more than salt and pepper. We each have our own taste and I would not frown upon some mustard if that’s what you fancy! I might under other circumstances even be tempted to deglaze with a little Calvados and a little cream for a lovely sauce. How do I know it’s lovely? I’ll never tell. 

 

*By done right I mean nothing more than taking the time to get deep colour on everything. I was not quite patient enough today.  

[lemniscate]

I finally opened my A4 and put it to use recently.  I decided to use it on the patio, I'm kind of a feral cook, felt like the most fun environment for it.  One night we did cod and scallops with sauteed tomatoes, the next we did Tiger shrimp and fried rice.  So far have just used the griddle part.  I really, really like this tool.  I can definitely travel with it.  The dial control is simple.  

 

Not sure what the next insert to be used is, either the pancake one for potato pancakes or the takoyaki one for meatballs.

 

Also, I'm seriously considering a shabu shabu night on the patio with the deeper insert.  Never had that possible outside of a shabu shabu restaurant until now.

[Anna N]

44 minutes ago, lemniscate said:

 I really, really like this too

Me too!  I made a quick one dish meal in the ceramic insert yesterday. Just ground beef, some cut up vegetables,  some tomato passata and some orzo.Made enough to freeze two lots!

 

 

[lindag]

How is this different than  cooking in a pan?

 

[Smithy]

1 hour ago, lindag said:

How is this different than  cooking in a pan?

 

 

I suspect it's the portability, combined with the new-toy factor, but I too would like to know whether it's better than cooking with a pan. Easier cleanup, perhaps?

 

As I write this there's a 30% discount on the A4 and the pans, for the next 48 (and counting down) hours, using the code CHRISTMAS, so it's especially tempting. That said, I would like to know the answer to lindag's question!

[lemniscate]

Portability and flexibility.  Having a cooking surface where you want it.  It's made, I believe, for the Japanese style of table cooking.  Shabu shabu, takoyaki, grilling your veg and meats at the table as you eat the meal.   The pics were of the two of us eating at the patio table as the seafood cooked, just transferring it to our plates as we wanted.   I've eaten that way at my Asian friends houses, they had similar dedicated electric shabu and grilling appliances, but I never thought to do it at home until I saw the A4.  It's easy to clean, but it is another appliance for sure.  And I am a sucker for induction, for some reason.

 

No difference than a non-stick pan on the stove in cooking style, except the stove can be on the dining table with A4.

 

 

[rotuts]

one thing

 

actually many things

 

eG'ers

 

know how to put the "' stuff "' thought its paces

 

then on decides

[JoNorvelleWalker]

At the moment the only way I'd be tempted is if the A4 were silent in operation.  Is it?

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Will no one save me from myself?

 

[lindag]

9 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Will no one save me from myself?

 

I don’t see the point unless you’re like @Smithy and are traveling much of the time and don’t have access to a full size kitchen.

Does that help?

[chromedome]

To me it feels like an induction version of my large electric skillet. I'm not in the market for such a thing, but I can certainly see the utility of it.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

16 minutes ago, lindag said:

I don’t see the point unless you’re like @Smithy and are traveling much of the time and don’t have access to a full size kitchen.

Does that help?

 

But is there fan noise or not?  As much as I adore my Paragons I wouldn't situate one on my dining table.  (I infer you don't often serve takoyaki nor cheese fondue.)

 

[Kerry Beal]

48 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Will no one save me from myself?

 

You know that’s not the way we work!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks, everyone, for trying to talk me out of it.

 

[lemniscate]

11 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

But is there fan noise or not?  As much as I adore my Paragons I wouldn't situate one on my dining table.  (I infer you don't often serve takoyaki nor cheese fondue.)

 

I just went out on the patio and tested the A4 noise against the Duxtop hob.   They both live out there.

The A4 is virtually sound-less.  I turned the dial to full and got my ear right down against it and there is  the tiniest buzz, I don't think there's a fan in it, it may be the induction circuitry I am hearing.  I cycled the dial to make sure I was hearing the sound correctly.  Again, I had to have my ear right down near the unit.

 

The Duxtop sounds like a jet engine comparatively.  And I can clearly hear the induction whine from the cycling magnets at a normal distance.  

 

I saw your question regarding noise and it occurred to me that the A4 is so quiet, I had to double check myself. 

 

I will say the A4 does not heat up quite as quickly as a pan on the induction hob does, but to me it's a minimal wait time.

 

I did a goofy experiment with the takoyaki pan last night.  Some ground bison parceled into the cups and some precooked potato/carrot hashbrowns on the side.  The bison balls were browned and flipped and a shaving of gruyere was laid on top.  Nice appe-dinner.

The hashbrown balls were less successful, they needed a binder to hold them together, the starch wasn't enough.  

Edited December 14, 2019 by lemniscate (log)

[lemniscate]

11 hours ago, chromedome said:

To me it feels like an induction version of my large electric skillet. I'm not in the market for such a thing, but I can certainly see the utility of it.

 

This is exactly what this is, a configurable electric induction skillet/hot pot.   I do think its a thoughtful design, but I have only three "cooks" in it so far.  

[Anna N]

40 minutes ago, lemniscate said:

I did a goofy experiment with the takoyaki pan last night.

Good for you. I haven’t done anything with it yet and my conscience is pricking me!  Not quite enough yet to get me moving but sooner or later…

[Smithy]

5 hours ago, lemniscate said:

I just went out on the patio and tested the A4 noise against the Duxtop hob.   They both live out there.

The A4 is virtually sound-less.  I turned the dial to full and got my ear right down against it and there is  the tiniest buzz, I don't think there's a fan in it, it may be the induction circuitry I am hearing.  I cycled the dial to make sure I was hearing the sound correctly.  Again, I had to have my ear right down near the unit.

 

This is very useful information, and I thank you for it. Noise is something that has put me off the idea of getting an induction unit, based on comments I've read here and elsewhere. It seems the A4 folks have got that problem figured out.

[lindag]

14 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Thanks, everyone, for trying to talk me out of it.

 

And, did you cave?