Are you wanting to SOUS VIDE... a great deal to be had.... $139....

[daveomak]

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Still not sold on needing one...

 

[smokesontuesday]

I was just looking at that. I'm not sure I really need to be able to sous vide but that's a nice price.

 

[hdbrs]

Really truly can turn out some fantastic grub using a sous vide. I mean u don't "need one" but youll us it!

 

[muralboy]

What are the virtues of Sous Vide?  I'm trying to wrap my mind around how/why I would use this.

 

[travisty]

Just another tool in the arsenal available to cooks and chefs. Cant say I would use one a ton, but I would love to have one on hand.

One of the cooking websites just released one too that is controlled by a smart phone app and I would love that feature, but I literally just added this one to my Amazon wish list over the weekend, that's an awesome deal.

 

[travisty]

 
What are the virtues of Sous Vide?  I'm trying to wrap my mind around how/why I would use this.

Basically it is just about being able to achieve and maintain perfect and exact temperatures for cooking food at what is literally their scientifically perfect cooking temperature.

Basically you place a piece of food into a plastic bag with any seasonings or liquids you want, then either seal or fold over the bag so all of the juices are forced to stay in the meat you are cooking. Then the water bath maintains an exact temperature for a set amount of time. You can eat straight after the cook, or preferably either sear or grill for just a moment to get the perfect crisp skin or crust, or just grill marks.

The finest steak houses and restaurants in the world cook with this method, and though it was uncommon just a few years ago it has become a 101 course in the culinary arts.

 

[frog1369]

I can't think of how you would "need" one, but it does make for some fun cooking.  Here is one example:

Friends coming to our house over the holiday, they tell us they would like one of our "special" dinners.  Well, wife and I both had to work that day ....... however, rib roast into the Sous Vide in the morning at 130F, get home, cook some sides for about an hour, sear the roast on a screaming hot gasser and voila!, dinner is served. The roast at a perfect medium rare.

20151022_190657.jpg

• frog1369
• Feb 11, 2016

Steaks ......

20150730_185537.jpg

• frog1369
• Feb 11, 2016

20150730_185745.jpg

• frog1369
• Feb 11, 2016

Also great for fish, chicken, whatever, you can't mess up because it cannot overcook.  Another thing we love, pull out a vacuum sealed pack of pulled pork, ribs, brisket, whatever, set it at temp before work, come home, dinner is waiting.  No more boiling pots, overcooking, etc.  Yep, we use ours often.  Then there's the cheap meat, long cook time advantage, more on that later.  

 

[muralboy]

So the Sous Vide device provide the heats the water.  Because it maintains the water temp at a precise level, the food doesn't overcook, and everything stays moist due to the sealed environment.  Does that sound about right?

 

[muralboy]

Is there a Sous Vide section on the forum?  Just looked but didn't see - could have missed it.

 

[frog1369]

 
So the Sous Vide device provide the heats the water.  Because it maintains the water temp at a precise level, the food doesn't overcook, and everything stays moist due to the sealed environment.  Does that sound about right?

Pretty much it, it heats and circulates the water to +/- .01F.

Want your steak medium rare at 130F?  There are charts but for a one inch steak at refrigerator temp it should take about an hour to reach that temp.  Of course, if you're busy and can't get it out for a few more hours it will still be 130F, perfectly medium rare.  When you're close to dinner ...... take it out of the bag, pat it dry, let it cool a bit, then sear it on a very hot grill, skillet, whatever. The key is to not sear to long to raise the 130F internal temp.  That is why I usually let mine sit after the Sous Vide for a little while before they hit the sear.

http://anovaculinary.com/anova-precision-cooker/

 

[daveomak]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/newsearch?search=sous+vide&=Search

 

[muralboy]

Thanks everyone. I'm thinking of taking the plunge - pun intended

 

[SmokyMose]

I've been reading a lot here about sous vide lately and it sounds really cool, but if I had the same amount of money to spend, I think I'd rather have a sausage/meat mixer. I would use that more, but maybe some day....

 

[JckDanls 07]

not on sale anymore... $179 now ...

 

[muralboy]

Question - Frog mentioned a scenario of putting in a rib roast before going to work.  in most people's world that 8 hours+.  Is that only applicable for al larger cuts of meat like a roast?  

I recall a diagram on Serious Eats showing what happens to a 1" steak of sous vide cook time at 1 hour, 4 hours and 24 hours.  Meat didn't cook any further but the connective tissue broke down making the meat very "soft" at 24 hours.

Thanks all for the advice - the Anova delivered last night.  First meal planned is pork chops with saffron-orange fennel.  Both cooked in the sous vide.  

 

[ak1]

$255 CDN on Amazon.ca   I guess I won't be getting one anytime soon

 

[frog1369]

 
Question - Frog mentioned a scenario of putting in a rib roast before going to work.  in most people's world that 8 hours+.  Is that only applicable for al larger cuts of meat like a roast?  

I recall a diagram on Serious Eats showing what happens to a 1" steak of sous vide cook time at 1 hour, 4 hours and 24 hours.  Meat didn't cook any further but the connective tissue broke down making the meat very "soft" at 24 hours.

Thanks all for the advice - the Anova delivered last night.  First meal planned is pork chops with saffron-orange fennel.  Both cooked in the sous vide.  

There are a lot of tables out there to reference and you need to gain experience.  You are right, I would not put a 1" thick ribeye in the bath for 8 hours, 1-2 hours is plenty for that and too long would definitely soften it up.  However, if you bought the wi-fi one you can ice your water and steak, watch it from work to ensure it doesn't go above 40, when it does, start the cook.  Just another option in today's world.  I will also do several packages of one product at once, say steaks ...... bring them to 130 in the water bath, then quick chill and into the freezer they go.  Either take one out and defrost in the fridge in the morning, into the bath when you get home for about half an hour at 130, then sear ...... or straight out of the freezer into the bath for about an hour, then sear.  Of course, third option is bath, sear, freeze, then all you need to do is reheat in the bag to 130.  Of course, your preferred steak temp may vary.

 

[muralboy]

Very helpful Frog
I contemplated coughing up the $60 additional for the wifi version but decided to save that for some grill grates. Oh if they money tree didn't die...

I like the multiple bag and freeze ideas. Will try that next bulk buy

 

[frog1369]

Very helpful Frog
I contemplated coughing up the $60 additional for the wifi version but decided to save that for some grill grates. Oh if they money tree didn't die...

I like the multiple bag and freeze ideas. Will try that next bulk buy

You'll like those grill grates!

Yeah, you'll find all kinds of things you can do with it once you start playing with it.  It makes perfect hard boiled eggs, haha!  

2016-02-17_8-29-48.jpg

• frog1369
• Feb 17, 2016