Anova Sous Vide

[dirtsailor2003]

For those that are using the Anova units are you using the bluetooth units or the wifi units?

Has anyone tried soft and hard boiled eggs? Seems like all the reviews report the eggs to be impossible to remove the shell. Times seem long, 45 minutes for a soft boiled egg that won't peel seems a bit much.

I like the results I see on meats, but have to wonder about the additional steps and times required. Most of the recipes that I looked at one the site have you doing the meat, but then using traditional methods to cook the rest. Sous vide pumpkin pie, and shepards pie are examples of cooking a portion in the sous vide, but then having to finish the process traditionally in the oven.

Then there's sous vide paella! What the???? Really goes against the whole principle of paella.

Hmm still on the table with this cooking method and all the hype!

 

[idahopz]

I have the original touch pad Anova, and do not have experience with the wireless kinds. I thought about trying eggs, but they are so easy via traditional methods that I have not bothered.  I like using the unit for meat and fish - both come out perfectly cooked, and never overdone. For instance, I like to purchase whole boneless ribeye (for price reasons) and cut into inch and a half thick steaks.  My wife likes them perfectly medium rare throughout the steak, with a high heat seared caramelized surface, so I sous vide for a couple of hours to cook the meat through and then throw the steaks on hi heat infrared for no more than a minute on each side. The meat is uniformly cooked throughout with no cold spots, and browned with crispy bits on the surfaces.  I have never ruined a steak (which I tended to do on a semi-regular basis

) using this method, so I'm a happy camper.

 

[bkleinsmid]

I agree with both of you on the eggs. Too much for an egg that wont peel.

I like the meat from mine......and I'm working on the veggie's. But not a big fan of eggs so far..

Brad

 

[daveomak]

When I first got my touch pad Anova, I tried eggs for a week or so, daily...  Just couldn't get the whites and yolks cooked properly for my taste...  So, I gave up on eggs...   If you figure it out, let me know or do a thread on it... 

So far, I love doing stuff like beef cheeks SV...   They can be seasoned, cooked and just put on rice or pasta...

I think scrambled eggs could be cooked perfectly...  no worries about over cooking...   you could cook them for dozens of folks... 

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Dave have you tried a beef tongue yet? What about heart?

 

[maple sticks]

 
When I first got my touch pad Anova, I tried eggs for a week or so, daily...  Just couldn't get the whites and yolks cooked properly for my taste...  So, I gave up on eggs...   If you figure it out, let me know or do a thread on it... 

So far, I love doing stuff like beef cheeks SV...   They can be seasoned, cooked and just put on rice or pasta...

I think scrambled eggs could be cooked perfectly...  no worries about over cooking...   you could cook them for dozens of folks... 

Dave, try 17 min @ 170* white fully cooked yoke creamy.

 

[daveomak]

Dave have you tried a beef tongue yet? What about heart?

I wanted to SV a tongue about a month ago...   Bride said, "pressure cooker"....   soooo, PC it was....   Heart, the same deal about a week later......

 

 
When I first got my touch pad Anova, I tried eggs for a week or so, daily...  Just couldn't get the whites and yolks cooked properly for my taste...  So, I gave up on eggs...   If you figure it out, let me know or do a thread on it... 

So far, I love doing stuff like beef cheeks SV...   They can be seasoned, cooked and just put on rice or pasta...

I think scrambled eggs could be cooked perfectly...  no worries about over cooking...   you could cook them for dozens of folks... 

Dave, try 17 min @ 170* white fully cooked yoke creamy.

I'll look at my SV log book and see if I've tried that...   Thanks for those numbers.....

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I wanted to SV a tongue about a month ago...   Bride said, "pressure cooker"....   soooo, PC it was....   Heart, the same deal about a week later......

I'll look at my SV log book and see if I've tried that...   Thanks for those numbers.....

Bummer seems like the Sous vide would be an excellent choice for those cuts.

 

[muralboy]

I've had my Anova for just a few months, done about cooks.
Eggs - similar eggsperience as noted above. Yolks turned out moist and creamy though
Steak - flawless. Evenly done and moist
Pork chops - Sam as steak
Sirloin tip - outstanding. Uniform cook throughout the meat.

I'm finding SV really shines with protein. I'm sure it does well with other foods but I just haven't gotten there yet.

One of the benefits I see is being able to hold a steak/chop to a temp or doneness for an extended period of time. Having company over for steaks? Pop in SV. Steaks are done ready to go on grill for the reverse sear any time you want. Company late or delays - no problems. Steaks are ready in a flash because all you are doing is searing for color and crust.

Also warming up leftovers - no moisture loss or over done food

Not the ticket for every meaf but glad I bought it

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Is anyone using the WiFi or bluetooth version? The price difference is $20 between the two. It seems that WIFI would be the way to go.

 

[dls1]

I also have the original Anova circulator which did not offer Bluetooth or Wifi. When those models were introduced I was a bit baffled,  but I guess it was because I don't have a compelling need to be constantly connected to the food being cooked when I'm not around. However, if I were to buy a circulator today, and had only those choices, I would go with WiFi. As I see it, the Bluetooth feature is pointless.

On average, since the purchase, I've used my Anova unit 2-3 times weekly with many different items, a large variety of proteins as well as vegetables, many different types of fish, game, sauces, confits, etc. That said, some things do not benefit by being cooked sous vide, and to me, eggs fall into that category. Most of us know how we prefer our eggs cooked, and by now have figured to do so in a simple manner. The paella mentioned is something I don't even want to think about.

We all have our own definition of food cooked perfectly, and once that's recognized, sous vide allows us to do so consistently in a very simple, efficient, and safe manner. Personally, I abhor overcooked food, but many home cooks constantly do so with food safety in mind. Of particular note to me are the formerly dreaded boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you follow the basic food safety guideline with the somewhat misleading requirement that all chicken must be cooked to 165F to be safe, when they're properly prepared, they're overcooked and dried out. Using the sous vide circulator, I now cook them at 145F knowing that a typical 1" breast is fully pasteurized in 1 ¼ hours. The result is a moist and pleasant to eat breast that's cooked safely.

 

[muralboy]

i have bluetooth - as far as wifi, one person explained the advantage like this

You put the SV in an water and ice water bath with you protein - enough ice that will keep the meat safe.  At 2:00, you are at work, log into your SV via wifi and get things started.

How often I would encounter that situation?????

 

[idahopz]

This is just a guess on the Bluetooth versus WiFi discussion, but it might be an issue of range as far as differences go.  I know my Bluetooth devices in the house have a much shorter range than my WiFi provides.

 

[muralboy]

Absolutely question of range since you can be 1/2 way across the world and connect with your SV via wifi. The deciding factor for me was that the Bluetooth was on sale and I was reading some not so ffavorable reviews on the wifi

 

[maple sticks]

Same here, Bluetooth was on sale, older model. Been using it about a month and still don't know if the bluetooth even works. I'm retired though. The new models are both wifi and bluetooth.

 

[muralboy]

Same here, Bluetooth was on sale, older model. Been using it about a month and still don't know if the bluetooth even works. I'm retired though. The new models are both wifi and bluetooth.

The sale price is was hooked me as well. At that price the difference between BT and wifi version was more like $60. If only a $20 difference I would be temp to spend the extra $. But I'm a techy.

 

[thecougarguy]

I have the Bluetooth model and I've only used that function once.  You can set time and temp from the app but I haven't needed to.

As for the eggs, the size of the egg makes a difference.  That being said, I've never found that sweet spot.  Either they wouldn't peel right or the whites were way too runny.

I have an egg poaching pan that I prefer to use.

 

[maple sticks]

I use a spoon to remove egg after cracking large end off. You do lose a little white. I can't get them to peel. 

 

[retfr8flyr]

I've had my Anova for a little while now and I have mostly done chicken, beef and pork with it. My newest favorite beef is London Broil, top round, done for 8 hrs at 130°, then a good reverse sear. It comes out very nice and tender and eats like a good steak. Chicken also does very well, especially fried. I do the chicken at 170° for about 2 hrs, then pull it out, dry it, batter it and drop it in very hot grease. Since it's already cooked, you only have to get the batter browned and you can pull it out and drain it. This make the best fried chicken you ever tried, very tasty and moist.

 

[daveomak]

Good to know about the chicken cook....

....