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SonnyE

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Dec 13, 2017
4,371
1,150
Saugus, California
OK, So I followed a lead by a friend here and got myself a nice, simple, easy to run, no frills Sous Vide heater. He and another here use this same heater with great success. Me too, now.
Lovin It! I've done two meals of Smoked Salmon, and yesterday did a small piece of Pork Loin as an experiment. Not sure the "Vide" part applies, I used a vacuum bag, but my sealer burned out it's heater strip. So it is going back for service or replacement. :emoji_triumph:
So Sous... bagged? :emoji_thinking: :emoji_grinning:
Anyway, since Pork is so user friendly, and well done is fine, I put my, umm, experiment in a 160 degree bath for ~3 hours. It was done, but perfectly moist at carving.
Just SPOG'd, with a pat of butter. Simple minds=Simple pleasures. And a cobbett of corn, done toward the end. Bagged in a small baggie with a pat of butter. (immersed frozen) for ~15 minutes. (Guessing, it got hot.)
When I pulled my little Loin Roast, it looked very forlorn and peaked. But I had a plan.
I don't have a flame thrower, but I do have a damn good Torch I like. Look out little Loin, here comes your trial by fire.
Now, I was told to dry your meat before you sear it. But I didn't want my yummy SPOG on paper towels, they don't taste good to me. So I let my torch blow dry my Little Piggychunk. And sear it as I went along. Not blackened, just a nice light sear. This is white meat, I just wanted to give it a California Tan. :emoji_dark_sunglasses:
Using the torch, I gave my Sous Bagged Piggychunk a nice spray on tan.

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OH Baby! :emoji_heart_eyes::emoji_yum: It was all over but the carvin!
I love Brown Gravy! Hell, I love any gravy! But had some Brown Gravy stuff in the cupboard. Works for me!
Cut the corn off the cob, poured the butter and corn juice on it. A very light salting, and a generous Peppering, it was fork tender and well liked by me and the dog.
(The wife had come home and ate an Atkins, so she wasn't hungry, and not a big fan of Pork Roast anyway. But she thought it smelled really good, she told me. I'll take it!)

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OK, in closing...
I tried a 2 gallon pail from Lowe's that I used for Crab Bait in Washington State for my first Sous Vide tank. It worked fine, just a little crowded. I needed someting bigger. I'd been hunting...

I saw a "Mixing Bucket" on the Lowe's website. BPA Free it shown, and it has the food symbol (Glass and Fork) on it as well. $4.95
Well, for a fiver, I can 'speriment. I got 2, and cut one down to ~ a 4 gallon sized, handle-less bucket.
I know, what's the heat going to do to it? Not a damn thing so far. Not at 145 degrees F (62.7778 C, Disco) for 12 hours, Nor at 160 degrees F (71.111 C for you Disco). So I'm callin my Bath Bucket a success.
Next is probably a towel wrap blanket to help insulate it.

Why not a cooler? Well, ain't found one I like enough to buy one. And I'm Sous Vide hungry right now.
Why not a red 3 1/2 gallon bucket? Well, it's not BPA Free. But more importantly it costs nearly the same, and has the handle rim I'd want to remove or at least modify.

So I picked the 5'er for me. I'll take practical over purdy any day.
The Point to it is on that plate up there.
 
Looks delicious! I recently got an Anova Sous Vide. I have done NY Strip and some chicken thighs. Love the flavor it keeps in during the cooking process. Just a little S&P and some Rosemary/Thyme, sear after the bath. I also do mine as Sous..bagged :) :)
 
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looks delicious! Try a lower temp next time. I've done 145 and it was amazing. Most juicy Pork loin I've ever had. Some people even go as low as 140 or even 137 I've seen. I know its safe to eat, but leaves a little too much pink for the wife.
 
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Pork loin is absolutely the best meat I sous vide. I give mine a good coat of Adkins. I agree on the lower temp, I usually run mine at 147.
 
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Looks Great, Sonny!!---Like.
I love Gravy Too!!
Like mentioned above, you might think about using a lower Temp on Pork Loin.
I did some 2" Thick Pork Loin Slices as Boneless Pork Chops at a Temp of "136° for 3 1/2 hours", and they were Awesome.
I went by the Book.
Here they are:
2" Thick Boneless Pork Chops

Bear
 
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Thanks! Yeah, I'm just figuring this stuff out, and a lot by guess and by golly.
As you can tell by the Bucket for a Bath Tank.
I do like my Pork cooked well. I suppose it comes from being raised by a Mom who could burn water, and in an age when well done pork was the rule because of Trichinosis. So I don't want any pink in my pork.... LOL!

Look amazing Sonny! I'll need to do this as well. Pork Loin does seem like it would be a match made in heaven with Sous Vide!

Well, it is my first time Sous'n some Pork, but it came out wonderful to my taste!

Looks Great, Sonny!!---Like.
I love Gravy Too!!
Like mentioned above, you might think about using a lower Temp on Pork Loin.
I did some 2" Thick Pork Loin Slices as Boneless Pork Chops at a Temp of "136° for 3 1/2 hours", and they were Awesome.
I went by the Book.
Here they are:
2" Thick Boneless Pork Chops
Bear

Looks like a great plan, Bear. As you know, I'm shy of red meat for the most part. But, I like Pork.
And this Sous Vide makes it very simple for me.
I did use my "All Purpose Camping Match" to give the little Loin a California Spray Tan. LOL.
I have a Lodge griddle that has raised grill lines on one side, but thought the spray tan would be easier for me. LOL!

Your link for specific bucket shows BPA free under specifications. If food is vac-sealed would it much matter actually?

Well, no, I don't think it matters much to me. As Long as.... which is a fancy way to say But....
But, if for some reason the water in the bath leaked into the product being Sous Vide, maybe it could get a plastic-y taste? Some plastics get funky when heated.
But the main reason was when comparing the various buckets I had to chose from (No Food Grade available at my store).... I decided the 5 gallon would give me the most options for my wacky wayz. And was bigger in diameter.
I do have a store Blue Bucket that sez Lowe's on it I was using as one of my crabbin buckets. I now (today) cut it down for a second layer for the white bucket to make a double walled Sous Vide bucket. I have that sitting in the kitchen sink heating up as we speak. A test run of sorts. (I'm very Scientific! Kinda like a bull tiptoeing through a china shop looking at Tea Cups...)
But I was sitting here a little earlier and had one of those, "Wow! I could've had a V-8!" moments when I happened to look down at my MRE container and realized what a great Sous Vide reservoir it could make. It's squarish, deep without being too deep, and it has a lid that opens from one end while the other remains mounted and it hinged (plastic). And it is Food Grade Plastic for those to whom it matters.
But I'm good with my sawed off 5'ers for now. Can't complain about the price. LOL!
 
Sonny,
I think your hooked... join the club.

Hi, my name is Dave, and I’m a Sous Vide-aholic.

Hi Dave. My names Sonny, and I always look for the easy and cheap way.
This Sous Vide will be great... once my damned Vacuum sealer is fixed. :emoji_persevere:
 
SE, Looks good, I recently bought an Anova and will have to try the loin!

Do! I bet you'll like it!
It sits there and gets all the flavors infused it the meat.
Follow Bear's and these other guys advice.
I'm like a BB in a Box Car. All over the place, and experimenting without any degrees. :emoji_laughing:
Besides, I'll eat any mistakes I make.
 
Fine looking plate of chow Sonny. My my you've come a long way.

Point for sure
Chris
 
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Fine looking plate of chow Sonny. My my you've come a long way.

Point for sure
Chris

Thank You Chris!
You were a part of the fuel in the journey.
It must have come out good, because my little buddy goes nuts over it.
And the wife even liked it some. :emoji_scream:
I want to do more now...

The Vacuum Sealer left on the FedEx truck today. Hopefully the turn around will be very soon.
I need it to continue my Mad Scientist ways with the Sous Vide.
I told them it was embarrassing that my wife packaged up to big packs of Chicken Thighs in baggies, because the sealer was down.
 
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Just call me ethanol. I'm the crap nobody wants in their fuel.

Chris
 
Very nice Sonny. I havent tried a loin yet. I better get one out of the freezer.
 
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Very nice Sonny. I havent tried a loin yet. I better get one out of the freezer.

Oh! I think a piece of loin is a natural for Sous Vide method. It comes out perfect!
Then sear it your favorite way. I just blasted it with my torch, but I think iron or even a grill would be better.
Mine got a "California Spray On Tan." LOL! It was something I was wanting to try anyway.
My Sous Vide heater is just like yours. :emoji_wink:
Works great!

My wife does a mean Pot Roast. She sears it, then cooks it in the same pot.
I have to wonder if searing first, then Sous Vide might be better. Let the caramelizing work in the natural juices in the bag?
 
My wife does a mean Pot Roast. She sears it, then cooks it in the same pot.
I have to wonder if searing first, then Sous Vide might be better. Let the caramelizing work in the natural juices in the bag?


My mom makes it that way too. Sear then cook in the pot. I dont see why it wouldnt work with SV.
 
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