Do you Sous-Vide?

[Bruce B]

I dunno, I just bought a pellet grill and can smoke the .... out of it.

I can hang a ribeye in the grill and smoke it for 5 hours and it still hasnt gotten hot yet.

Can you smoke in a bag?

That would be the domain of the Big Green Egg.
I don't want my ribeye smoked though...
Bruce

 

[dhmeissner]

Do you have to cook sous-vide in a plastic bag? My wife is concerned about cooking anything in plastic, and transferring carcinogens to the food.

 

[kev_rm]

You probably aren't interested in knowing that it's faster to make pasta in the microwave than on the stove top (no preheat time). But to me, that's revolutionary.

Ted

Hmm.... The laws of physics prevail so your stove has less heat output per unit of time than your microwave?

(Or more probably, you put the pasta in cold water in microwave, but not till its boiling on stove.. apples and oranges.. put the pasta in the same volume of cold water on your stove and compare...)

 

[Bruce B]

In all seriousness, it sounds interesting from a conceptual standpoint.

Anything that adds additional steps and or time to produce essentially the same meal, isn't happening in my galley. For me eating is about consuming reasonably nutritious food with the least amount of effort and time. If were going to take taste and tenderness to a higher level, somebody else is cooking or we're going to a restaurant.

You probably aren't interested in knowing that it's faster to make pasta in the microwave than on the stove top (no preheat time). But to me, that's revolutionary.

Ted

We get to the point where we don't want to cook too. Restaurants are fun!
For the record, I have no issue with a microwave, we simply don't need one.
Bruce

 

[MRRiley]

I think for things like a brisket or a butt you can cook it just under done temp then finish in the smoke. Apparently this gets it past the "plateau" very consistently. Though as I mentioned, I've yet to try it.

 

[cardude01]

My wife and I enjoy the time it takes to put to a meal together-- it's cathartic for us. Drinking wine, talking, trying out new ingredients. We actually have more fun cooking the meal than eating it!

Also, it's really the only time I can spend with one of my sons, who loves to cook but is pretty much absent the rest of the time.

 

[kev_rm]

Do you have to cook soups-vide in a plastic bag? My wife is concerned about cooking anything in plastic, and transferring carcinogens to the food.

You definitely want a tin foil hat for this process.

 

[Bruce B]

Do you have to cook soups-vide in a plastic bag? My wife is concerned about cooking anything in plastic, and transferring carcinogens to the food.

It is how we do it but I'm not really sure...
There is a lot of information online though. I hear her concerns about plastics too. I suppose that steak will kill me before the plastics will though!
Bruce

 

[cardude01]

I think for things like a brisket or a butt you can cook it just under done temp then finish in the smoke. Apparently this gets it past the "plateau" very consistently. Though as I mentioned, I've yet to try it.

We are going to try that next with a pork butt.

 

[dhmeissner]

It is how we do it but I'm not really sure...
There is a lot of information online though. I hear her concerns about plastics too. I suppose that steak will kill me before the plastics will though!
Bruce

Thanks for the serious answer, I read up on the process and it sounds very interesting! It's cool the technique goes back centuries.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous-vide

Bon apitite

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Re: post #26. Mr. g. I am quite aware that the SV technique is not new but commercial kitchens and street kitchens have the time and in a lot of cases, the manpower to spend hours prepping their dishes. IF I have the time I DO probably spend hours prepping but I have a roster of great meals I can prepare aboard that don't take hours nor do I want to spend my valuable time afloat cooking and running the generator doing so.

 

[O C Diver]

Hmm.... The laws of physics prevail so your stove has less heat output per unit of time than your microwave?

(Or more probably, you put the pasta in cold water in microwave, but not till its boiling on stove.. apples and oranges.. put the pasta in the same volume of cold water on your stove and compare...)

Nothing quite that sophisticated. Just follow the directions on the box. If the directions say 8 minutes in boiling water on the stove top, put the pasta in a bowl with cold water and nuke for 8 minutes. The water doesn't boil till the last minute or 2. Clearly the microwave is using less energy as the stove dumps a lot of heat into the room. Guess the microwave is more efficient at directing the energy into the food to heat it.

Ted

 

[BandB]

To me, there's so much benefit in being able to prepare an excellent meal quickly. I can grill great steaks, as good as the best restaurants, and do it quickly. And, if home, where I have restaurant quality grills, even faster. I don't see why then I'd go to a four hour method to, at best, achieve the same. Now, I admit I'm not as fancy a cook as many of you.

 

[gaston]

Do you have to cook sous-vide in a plastic bag? My wife is concerned about cooking anything in plastic, and transferring carcinogens to the food.

 

[RT Firefly]

3rd paragraph. Mr dhm. Your wife's concerns are valid. Is It Safe to Cook with Plastic? | Modernist Cuisine
Mr. g. I do NOT like people using my picture without my express permission. Mr. Poopy Puss doesn't like it either...

 

[Peter B]

Really glad you've found this new revolutionary way to cook. Hope I can find a restaurant that does it, so that I can taste it without the 4 to 8 hour time commitment.

Ted

Ted, we have just the thing here... https://www.hogsbreath.com.au/new-menu/signature-18-hour-slow-cooked-prime-rib-steak/ ...and I can guarantee they will be among the best steaks you can eat. slow cooked, tender as...and all done for you, as you requested. I had one just the other day for a birthday treat. Not sure if you have Hog's Breath Cafes over there - quite likely you do, but if not, hop on a plane and duck on over...

 

[HeadMistress]

Who knew that all these years nobody had really been cooking.

I may have just found a new use for the hot tub!

You have to taste a sous-vide slow cooked then seared steak to understand! It is so incredibly tender that it is amazing...

Even bottom round would be incredibly tender after slow cooking it for 4-8 hours!

In fact, several decades ago RVers first came up with the idea of putting a pot roast complete with the veggies in an oven bag, wrapping it foil, and strapping it to the engine block. After 6-8 hours on the road, dinner is ready when you park for the night. Same idea, but without the water. And although I haven't tried it yet, I have a friend who "poaches" a whole salmon wrapped in foil in the dishwasher.

 

[dhmeissner]

 

[O C Diver]

Ted, we have just the thing here... https://www.hogsbreath.com.au/new-menu/signature-18-hour-slow-cooked-prime-rib-steak/ ...and I can guarantee they will be among the best steaks you can eat. slow cooked, tender as...and all done for you, as you requested. I had one just the other day for a birthday treat. Not sure if you have Hog's Breath Cafes over there - quite likely you do, but if not, hop on a plane and duck on over...

Doesn't seem to have crossed the ocean yet. Will add it to the list of things to do. My daughter is expecting me to visit her in Japan for some special beef. Something about giving the cows massages so they are happy and relaxed.

Ted

 

[O C Diver]

And although I haven't tried it yet, I have a friend who "poaches" a whole salmon wrapped in foil in the dishwasher.

We need to change the name of this thread to: Believe it or not.

Ted

 

[Drake]

Do you have to cook sous-vide in a plastic bag? My wife is concerned about cooking anything in plastic, and transferring carcinogens to the food.

When I finish my cigar I'll look that up.

 

[Lou_tribal]

I really love to cook, spend hours cooking everyday. I love cooking more than eating what I cook. But no I am not a sous vide cooker. I am a retro old fashion traditionalist cooker, even if I do some slowly long cooked things it is done in my cast iron casserole. The only thing I am using sometime is my crock pot when I cannot stay in the kitchen for any reason. I pefer to cook in a pan or casserole more than in a plastic bag.

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

Sous vide is absolutely the most fool proof way to produce perfectly cooked meat. especially thick cuts. Those inch and a half to two inch thick pork loin chops get done perfectly a two inch thick filet done perfectly medium rare.... flank steak so tender you can cut it with a fork.... I've had my anova unit for over two years, the only cuts that don't get cooked with sous vide is brisket, tenderloin and bone in type rib loin roasts. they get smoked...

We buy meats in bulk season it vacuum pack meal sized portions and put in freezer... When it's time to prepare just put them in the water bath for the appropriate time and temp then sear on a grill... perfect every time..

 

[gaston]

This thread has inspired me today I purchased 4kg Cape Byron beef short ribs .These will be cooked in the Sous Vide for 72 hours and finished on the charcoal grill using eucalyptus charcoal. If I don't eat them this week they will still be 100% in 3 weeks.

 

[Lou_tribal]

This thread has inspired me today I purchased 4kg Cape Byron beef short ribs .These will be cooked in the Sous Vide for 72 hours and finished on the charcoal grill using eucalyptus charcoal. If I don't eat them this week they will still be 100% in 3 weeks.

4kg in a week? Do you still have some space for a carrot?
I don't even eat 4kg in a month!

 

[gaston]

4kg in a week? Do you still have some space for a carrot?
I don't even eat 4kg in a month!

We hang vegans here

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Sous-Vide is a cooking technique where you cook your food in a temperature controlled hot water bath...
In this case, this "Caveman" cut steak was put into a ziplock bag and "cooked" in 130 degree water for about 4 hours. Then it was removed from the bag and seared for 60 seconds a side...
Steak perfection!
Bruce
P.s. We had grilled asparagus and a nice spinach salad too.

It really works best if you put the item/s in a vacuum bag and pull a good vacuum on it. With sous vide it's all about very precise, controlled temperature and surface area.

As you stated meat comes out amazing but so do vegetables as well.

One great things about it is once the product cooks to the right temp for the minimum time, it can sit there in the water bath and stay that way for a long time till you are ready to finish it off without over cooking.

So no worries if you think you'll be eating at 7 but it really turns out to be 8 or 9.

 

[Peter B]

While all of the above is true, I hope it does not upset anyone's applecart to know that by cooking in this way, you are actually starting the putrefaction of the meat, as over this time, and at those temperatures, enzymic breakdown is occurring. That is what makes it so tender. Note I said 'enzymic', (ie released from the meat substance itself, not from bacterial action), but the effect is similar. In days gone by they achieved something similar by the traditional 'hanging' of game animals (eg pheasants and rabbits, etc), for several days, before cooking. Just sayin'...

 

[BaltimoreLurker]

the only cuts that don't get cooked with sous vide is brisket, tenderloin and bone in type rib loin roasts. they get smoked...

Works great for brisket. 24-36 hours in the water, 3 hours on the smoker. As good if not better than any brisket I've gotten at BBQ joints.

 

[boatpoker]

Boil cheap ribs or cheapest roast available for 15-20 minutes, remove and put on BBQ (10-15 minutes), reduce the boiled water and add whiskey or rum. ketchup, worcetershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, white pepper, a little tomato paste to help thicken, baste ribs..... meat will be seared and fall off the bone.