Anybody Sous Vide?

[Philbert]

You got me. Sounds kinda like boiling in a bag.

Key part is ‘precision temperature control’.

Say you want a steak cooked to 135°F, internal temperature: ‘pink in the center’.

On a 500° (or whatever) grill or broiler, that steak could shoot right past that temp. And the outsides would be more done than the center.

In a 135° bath, it cannot get any more ‘done’, and that temp will be uniform throughout the steak.

Boiling in the bag, at 212°F does not provide that type of temperature control (unless you want your steak at 212°!).

Holding at the target temperature can soften / tenderize some cuts of meat, without ‘overcooking’, of drying it out.

Just another tool in the kitchen.

Sous vide - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Philbert

 

[ammoaddict]

Key part is ‘precision temperature control’.

Say you want a steak cooked to 135°F, internal temperature: ‘pink in the center’.

On a 500° (or whatever) grill or broiler, that steak could shoot right past that temp. And the outsides would be more done than the center.

In a 135° bath, it cannot get any more ‘done’, and that temp will be uniform throughout the steak.

Boiling in the bag, at 212°F does not provide that type of temperature control (unless you want your steak at 212°!).

Holding at the target temperature can soften / tenderize some cuts of meat, without ‘overcooking’, of drying it out.

Just another tool in the kitchen.

Sous vide - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Philbert

Thanks for the explanation, makes more sense now.

 

[Sloughfoot]

Trying one new hobby at a time.

This thing was about $100, and stores in a drawer.

Philbert

I got a little Char griller brand Akorn jr. kamado style smoker about 4 years ago for around $150. It was my first experience with smoking meat and there's definitely a trick/art to it. You'll kick yourself for not having a smoker sooner. I did.

 

[ammoaddict]

Ok. Do you have to vacuum seal the food before cooking? Ziploc bag work?

 

[Philbert]

Ok. Do you have to vacuum seal the food before cooking? Ziploc bag work?

‘Sous Vide’ is French for ‘under vacuum’, so some people obsess over that.

Some people buy vacuum sealers, like Food Savers, or stuff that places like Cabela’s sells for freezing game. That can be good for going from the freezer to the Sous Vide.

But freezer grade Ziploc bags work too. It is what I have used. As you lower them slowly into the heated water, most of the air gets pushed out, and then you seal them at the top.

Some people are concerned about cooking in plastic. But the temperatures are pretty low (140° - 160°). Ziplock brand, reportedly, states that their bags are BPA free, and OK for this use.

Philbert

 

[ammoaddict]

‘Sous Vide’ is French for ‘under vacuum’, so some people obsess over that.

Some people buy vacuum sealers, like Food Savers, or stuff that places like Cabela’s sells for freezing game. That can be good for going from the freezer to the Sous Vide.

But freezer grade Ziploc bags work too. It is what I have used. As you lower them slowly into the heated water, most of the air gets pushed out, and then you seal them at the top.

Some people are concerned about cooking in plastic. But the temperatures are pretty low (140° - 160°). Ziplock brand, reportedly, states that their bags are BPA free, and OK for this use.

Philbert

Thanks. I find it interesting and may try it later on. I'm not at all concerned about cooking in plastic. I've made plenty of ham and egg omelets in a sandwich bad dunked in a pot of boiling water on the Coleman stove while camping/fishing.

 

[Philbert]

I find it interesting and may try it later on.

Find a friend you can borrow one from, to try.

Some as low as $50. Some available, used, on Craigslist. As noted, above, I wanted one that did not require my ‘smartphone’ to use.

There are a few Facebook pages, and websites, in addition to the books I mentioned, that I loosely follow. Like anything else, you have to sort through some of that stuff to find good info.

Steaks and chicken breasts are good foods to start with: an hour or two to cook, before trying to load a whole brisket in there for several days!

Philbert

 

[ammoaddict]

Find a friend you can borrow one from, to try.

Some as low as $50. Some available, used, on Craigslist. As noted, above, I wanted one that did not require my ‘smartphone’ to use.

There are a few Facebook pages, and websites, in addition to the books I mentioned, that I loosely follow. Like anything else, you have to sort through some of that stuff to find good info.

Steaks and chicken breasts are good foods to start with: an hour or two to cook, before trying to load a whole brisket in there for several days!

Philbert

I understand the water stays at a set temperature but how do you know when the center of the food is at the temperature you want.

 

[Philbert]

The books and websites are full of time & temperature tables, based on the type of meat, thickness, etc.

If you are really techie, you can buy one of those wireless, Bluetooth, temperature probes, that stay in the meat. Popular with some BBQ and smoker guys, *but some of them, apparently, work better with SV than others*, due to the water, etc.

I have just used the charts.

If you leave stuff in there a bit longer, it is usually not a problem; the meat may become more tender over time, if left a lot longer.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

Here are a couple of websites which may be helpful:

A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking - Douglas Baldwin

https://douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vid...0YSTJR1mbXhH9s_aem_CaeQaRLvoo8_lWrLozFqfg#Top

Serious Eats Sous Vide

https://www.seriouseats.com/food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-steak

https://www.seriouseats.com/first-t...-vide-immersion-circulator-essential-recipes?

Philbert

 

[ammoaddict]

Here are a couple of websites which may be helpful:

A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking - Douglas Baldwin

https://douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vid...0YSTJR1mbXhH9s_aem_CaeQaRLvoo8_lWrLozFqfg#Top

Serious Eats Sous Vide

https://www.seriouseats.com/food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-steak

https://www.seriouseats.com/first-t...-vide-immersion-circulator-essential-recipes?

Philbert

Thanks for taking the time to post the links. I'm having surgery in a couple weeks and I'll be home for three months so I'll have plenty of time to research it.

 

[Eduardo K]

I’ve had a sous vide cooker since before the pandemic. I think it’s a Joule something or other. It’s great when I remember I have it. Sadly I haven’t used it for much recently outside of soft boiled eggs for ramen.
After reading some of the comments in this thread I’m going out and buying some cheap steaks to try that 20 hour cook.

 

[Philbert]

Those books in the first post are really helpful, and pretty reasonable, used, on eBay.

Hope your surgery goes well.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

I’m going out and buying some cheap steaks to try that 20 hour cook.

Cheap steaks might only be 1 - 2 hours! I only did some frozen ribeye (not cheap).

The chuck roast did benefit from a 2 day cook. Temp determines the ‘doneness’. Fat adds to the flavor. Time adds to the texture.

Philbert

 

[Hinerman]

Ok. Do you have to vacuum seal the food before cooking? Ziploc bag work?

^^^This. Have to buy a good sealer; plus 20-46 hour cook times! I have no doubt the results are great, but dang, I am not a very good planner

 

[Woodpecker]

^^^This. Have to buy a good sealer; plus 20-46 hour cook times! I have no doubt the results are great, but dang, I am not a very good planner

You do not need to use a vacuum sealer to get great results. A ziplock works just fine.

 

[MR_T]

I have one. I can control it through an app on my phone. I cook it to a temp I like then Pan fry it for a crust on the outside.

 

[Philbert]

plus 20-46 hour cook times!

Steaks: an hour. Chicken breasts: 2 hours.

Multi-day times are examples of things you can do, but not stuff that you have to do.

Philbert

 

[Hinerman]

Steaks: an hour. Chicken breasts: 2 hours.

Multi-day times are examples of things you can do, but not stuff that you have to do.

Philbert

What are the limits on cook quantity? I have 3 kids with 3 "friends" plus my wife and I, that equals 8. Can I cook enough chicken for a party of 12-15?

 

[Woodpecker]

What are the limits on cook quantity? I have 3 kids with 3 "friends" plus my wife and I, that equals 8. Can I cook enough chicken for a party of 12-15?

The only limit is the size of the container you have to cook in. I initially used a big stock pot I already had. Once I figured out I was keeping the sous vide unit I got a relatively cheap 12 quart plastic food service bin to cook stuff in. Similar to this one: