Tricks and Techniques

[venture]

Thanks again, Pops.

I got lucky a couple of years back and found a stainless cut resistant glove at Harbor Freight for about $5.  Unfortunately I haven't seen them there since, although mine is still serving well.

At our local restaurant supply, $20 is usually about the going rate.

I use it mostly for boning meat, but I do like the protection.  It speeds the process because of the confidence level it provides.  One caveat, however, is that they are better for slices and nicks.  They provide only limited protection if you decide to jab yourself with the point of the knife. LOL

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[Bearcarver]

Good idea, with the glove Pops.

A good friend of mine worked at MOPAC, and he cut the ligament between his thumb & index finger. I never asked him, but I imagine he didn't have his SS glove on at that time (Dummy!!).

I remember they fixed it & he had a special rubber band thing fastened between his thumb & wrist for many months, so he could constantly exercise it. He was also a part time barber, and it was a long time until he could use a scissors again.

He quit MOPAC & bought a small barber shop. After about 30 years, he sold his shop, and retired last month, but he still cuts my hair at home.

LOL---He's been cutting my hair since I was 18 years old----45 years, except for the few years we were both in the Army & Vietnam.

He is the only guy I ever heard of getting a 3 day pass in Basic training, during the 2nd week. They left him go home to get his barber tools!!!

Bear

 

[shooterrick]

Many of us use Vac Pack systems.  This is a question about a cooking technique refered to as Sous Vide I believe.  Trasnslated simply cooking in a bag.  I tried this with my first vac system and dumped a load of brisket into boiling water when the seal gave way.

What is the proper technique?  What if any of our bbq, smoked product lends itself to this method to reheat.  I have a much better vac pack system that can douple or even tripple seal now. 

 

[chef jimmyj]

Sous Vide cooking has some benefits and some risks....Basically SV cooking allows us to cook food to the desired doneness temperature without the risk of overshooting our goal IT or variation in doneness throughout the meat...Also due to the tenderizing of meat proteins at low temps, 122*F, for extended time...SV meat is very tender...If we want a Steak to be cooked to 130*F Med-Rare...we set the water temp to 130*F bag the Steak and let it cook to that temp slowly...The meat is Med-Rare and Uniformly cooked, no overdone parts due to one side of the steak being thinner than the other. Now the Steak is 130*F right to the outside there is no Bark or Sear on the out side...If you wish this you have to plan...SV to 110 or 120*F and finish on a Grill...

The question of SAFETY Comes Up....What! We are inching our way up to 120* or 130* for maybe Hours!...That will kill you!....It turns out No...The destruction of Bacteria is not only based on Temperature but Temp over TIME!...Just as cooking to 165*F kills all Active Bacteria (Not Spores)in less than 2 seconds...Heating to 130*F and STAYING there for 87 minutes DOES THE EXACT SAME THING!...Pretty Cool!....The problem with SV is...It is only really safe for fairly Small cuts, under 2.75 inches,It takes 4-5 hours to get up to 130*F...SO....It is important that we only SV... INTACT MUSCLE....If you are all about Injecting ...All bets are off!....IF you search you will find contrary opinions, but is it worth the risk?

Sous Vide requires High Precision Equipment...So the cookers cost between $300, for a home unit, to a few Thousand Dollars for Professional Units...A LOT of money to use this thing to Re-Heat Pulled Pork... 

Hope this helps...JJ

 

[michael ark]

JJ here is a cheaper way.http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=44  Just hook it to a crock pot or roaster pan.

 

[venture]

As usual, JJ has nailed it on the time and temp thing, and that is good info considering the kind of cooking we do. Not that I would recommend it for everyone or talk about it much, lest it be misinterpreted or misused.

I also appreciate his pointing out the intricacies involved when extremely low temps are being contemplated.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[shooterrick]

Nothin like a little education!  Thanks JJ.

 

[chefrob]

good info JJ and i'm glad you pointed out the risk as well as the solution to the risk......just a note, true SV cooking is really only beneficial for not only certain size and cuts of meat but ''grade'' of meat as well. if you are sourcing a very high end product AND are comanding a high $$, then it might make sense to offer this method of preparation considering the cost of the equipment and the risk involved. i have seen used in one other instance and that is when a well known hotel brand chose to spend $$ on equipment instead of qualified personel in their food and beverage program.........i would never eat at that hotel branded line. for me, i am not a fan of this technique........not 'cuz of the risk and the fact that i look at it as a "gimick" but i just prefer the good ol' maillard reaction when it comes to my meats and other foods. i do want to point out that this is my professional opinion of this method so before someone gets all "thomas keller" i'm sure some outstanding cuisine can come from SV cooking but it is just not my cup of tea........or swirling warm water.

ps. a crock pot with a controller on it is not SV cooking and if yer not careful you can get sick.......at least stick a powerhead from a fish tank in there.

 

[chef jimmyj]

good info JJ and i'm glad you pointed out the risk as well as the solution to the risk......just a note, true SV cooking is really only beneficial for not only certain size and cuts of meat but ''grade'' of meat as well. if you are sourcing a very high end product AND are comanding a high $$, then it might make sense to offer this method of preparation considering the cost of the equipment and the risk involved. i have seen used in one other instance and that is when a well known hotel brand chose to spend $$ on equipment instead of qualified personel in their food and beverage program.........i would never eat at that hotel branded line. for me, i am not a fan of this technique........not 'cuz of the risk and the fact that i look at it as a "gimick" but i just prefer the good ol' maillard reaction when it comes to my meats and other foods. i do want to point out that this is my professional opinion of this method so before someone gets all "thomas keller" i'm sure some outstanding cuisine can come from SV cooking but it is just not my cup of tea........or swirling warm water.

ps. a crock pot with a controller on it is not SV cooking and if yer not careful you can get sick.......at least stick a powerhead from a fish tank in there.

I Totally agree...Give me a 45 day Dry aged, 3 inch thick, Prime Porterhouse and a 1800*F Infrared Broiler...Any Day!..."Thomas Keller" Great Chef...Funny Reference!...JJ
 

 

[Bearcarver]

Getting way to deep for me!!!!-----Interesting though!!

Thanks anyway JJ & Rob!   You guys rock on this stuff!!

Bear

 

[shooterrick]

OK I love the explanation.  Now if I just wanted to reheat say brisket already smoked and frozen in a vac bag can it be done safely and what would be the best temp in hot water pan on top of the stove to do it.  Last time I did this I dropped 2 lbs of slices into boiling water when the seals gave way.  I now understand this is not the above mentioned technique.  This may sound elementary but as I said the standard Wally world vac pac machines are not in my opinion suitable for this.  

 

[eman]

Rick. I have reheated  in simmering water ( not a rolling boil) many times w/o a seal failure. BUT, I have started doing a double seal on every package.

cut the bag an extra 4" long. Seal one end ,  use the bag cutter and cut 1/2" off the sealed in . Reseal that end. Now you have 2 seals about 3/8" apart.

Fill the bag and seal. cut the 1/2 " off and seal again. This has stopped the problem of finding bags that have lost the vacum too.