Do you Sous-Vide?

[Bruce B]

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.

 

[CPseudonym]

Yes and it has completely changed the way we prepare meals. More revolutionary to the kitchen than both the crockpot and microwave combined.

 

[Bruce B]

We've had our Anova Sous-Vide cooker for a year now and the more we use it the more I love it. That steak was the best steak I've ever had!
Amazing...
Bruce

 

[cardude01]

We do! Bought the Joule sous vide cooker awhile back and have really enjoyed it. Salmon comes out perfectly !!

My son cooked a cheap chuck roast sous vide overnight, then rolled it in salt pepper and rosemary and baked it for a short time at high heat for a crispy crust. It came out better than prime rib.

He also brined a fresh ham shank for a few days and sous vided it for a couple of days. It was fall off the bone goodness. He is quite the cook.

 

[cardude01]

He and a buddy of his are currently fixing up an old food truck to try to make some money in the evenings after classes.

And messing up my driveway I see...

[emoji25]

 

[FlyWright]

Interesting concept. How do you maintain an accurate 130*F? Special electric appliance?

EDIT: Just saw post 4. Will google "Joule sous vide cooker"

 

[Simi 60]

Have done before when we got some small marinated rumps that were a cancelled Japanese export order.
They were already cryovaced so made for it.
I just use a pot and thermometer and the results were fantastic.

Electric pressure cooker is my favourite galley appliance.
Awesome curries and pulled pork with black beans.

 

[Bruce B]

Interesting concept. How do you maintain an accurate 130*F? Special electric appliance?

There are a number of ways to pull this off. This is what we use.
Bruce

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

 

[cardude01]

https://www.chefsteps.com/joule?gcl...A0P2z-QoggznPOL6clzBwAkScgRTzzvid7BoCf83w_wcB

This is the one we have.

 

[Peter B]

We have one of these at home, but frankly I have found it disappointing. It takes so long. However, I guess with better planning ahead, that is not so much of an issue, and the quick high heat sear at the end might add to the appeal. I don't think my wife has been doing that.

Sunbeam Duos Sous Vide and Slow Cooker - MU4000 | Buy Appliances

 

[FlyWright]

Thanks for the links, guys! That's a big help. Lots of options out there.

 

[gaston]

We have one of these at home, but frankly I have found it disappointing. It takes so long. However, I guess with better planning ahead, that is not so much of an issue, and the quick high heat sear at the end might add to the appeal. I don't thing my wife has been doing that.

Sunbeam Duos Sous Vide and Slow Cooker - MU4000 | Buy Appliances

It takes so long

 

[CPseudonym]

Peter or anybody really, if you're not into advanced meal planning Sous-Vide is NOT for you.

I Frankensteined one together a couple years ago with a relatively cheap $20 temp probe and old crockpot. Some of the newer ones Bluetooth to your smartphone

 

[FlyWright]

4 hrs is a long time, but for someone like me who's retired and likes to cook, it's no worse than smoking or drying food. I know guys who work through the night smoking a beef brisket.

I like than it cooks only in it's own spices and/or marinade...nothing added, nothing taken away.

 

[cardude01]

I cooked a port butt on the egg today for pulled pork for 10 hours. We are comfortable with loooong cook times. The egg bbq makes it easy. Never had to open it to check the meat. Cooked at 250F.

 

[O C Diver]

More revolutionary to the kitchen than both the crockpot and microwave combined.

I'm having a hard time believing it will ever be more revolutionary than the microwave to the average person. Generally shortening the time to accomplish the same task is revolutionary. Taking longer to accomplish the same task is considered retro. I'm good with slow cooking. Using it to heat up leftovers, a can of soup, or anything else that needs heating, isn't going to happen. But I'm keeping an open mind if you care to expand on your claim.

Ted

 

[Bruce B]

I'm having a hard time believing it will ever be more revolutionary than the microwave to the average person. Generally shortening the time to accomplish the same task is revolutionary. Taking longer to accomplish the same task is considered retro. I'm good with slow cooking. Using it to heat up leftovers, a can of soup, or anything else that needs heating, isn't going to happen. But I'm keeping an open mind if you care to expand on your claim.

Ted

You have to taste a soups-vide slow cooked then seared steak to understand! It is so incredibly tender that it is amazing...
Of course we don't have or want a microwave. We had one on our sailboat but never used it. I guess it depends on your desire or willingness to really cook.
Uh, oh... last time I mentioned the microwave thing I started a riot!
Bruce

 

[O C Diver]

I guess it depends on your desire or willingness to really cook.

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

BTW, does 130 degrees really kill all the bacteria and stuff on the meat, or are you just trying to drown it in the water?

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

 

[bilge53]

BBQ on the stern rail and adult beverage. Nothing better or easier.

 

[Bruce B]

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

BTW, does 130 degrees really kill all the bacteria and stuff on the meat, or are you just trying to drown it in the water?

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

The meat is inside a plastic bag. The idea is that you can't over cook anything if the temperature is kept below finished temp. The time depends on the food being cooked. You are looking to break down the collagens, this is why it is so amazingly tender when finished. The sear is done so that it looks and tastes like steak. One thing it is great for is getting a really thick cut of steak done at a consistent temperature. This way you don't get the edges that are over done and an under done center. The meat is very consistent in finished temp.

Yes, you do have to worry about bacteria. Temperature and time are important!
We just look up recommended temps and times and follow directions.

As for the time to cook, it is a set it up and come back later thing. It doesn't need much tending so it is more of a planning thing. If you can navigate this is a snap!
People use this to cook all kinds of things such as eggs and seafood... some items are quick.
Bruce

 

[kev_rm]

I use this plus a crock pot..

life changing.

 

[FlyWright]

What kind of amp draw do these things take? Are they suitable for boat use?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Disclaimer: My comments are NOT meant to dissuade, insult or belittle anyone's choice choice of food preparation.
I don't doubt the Sous-Vide method of cooking is great but could it be that this is just another food fad? I have been cooking for the family and friends for 45 years and I'm not too bad. Pretty well a 98%+ success rate.
I can recall the wok craze, the cappuccino craze, the homemade pasta craze, the breadmaker craze and the juicing craze where at that particular time THE cookery item was a must have for the serious chef. Probably more but I can't remember. Seems this constant temperature bath device will be relegated to the bottom cupboard when something different comes along.
I will admit our bottom cupboard DOES have the cappuccino machine but the Admiral purchased it. The wok, I do use on occasion and never bought any of the other mentioned devices. Don't have a slow cooker either...

 

[Bruce B]

Greetings,
Disclaimer: My comments are NOT meant to dissuade, insult or belittle anyone's choice choice of food preparation.
I don't doubt the Sous-Vide method of cooking is great but could it be that this is just another food fad? I have been cooking for the family and friends for 45 years and I'm not too bad. Pretty well a 98%+ success rate.
I can recall the wok craze, the cappuccino craze, the homemade pasta craze, the breadmaker craze and the juicing craze where at that particular time THE cookery item was a must have for the serious chef. Probably more but I can't remember. Seems this constant temperature bath device will be relegated to the bottom cupboard when something different comes along.
I will admit our bottom cupboard DOES have the cappuccino machine but the Admiral purchased it. The wok, I do use on occasion and never bought any of the other mentioned devices. Don't have a slow cooker either...

Fair question... I'm sure it is on the faddish end of the spectrum.
I can cook a thick steak using a reverse sear on our Big Green Egg and it is almost as good as the sous-vide method I used tonight.
What is cooking without a little experimentation though?
Bruce

 

[cardude01]

The meat is inside a plastic bag. The idea is that you can't over cook anything if the temperature is kept below finished temp. The time depends on the food being cooked. You are looking to break down the collagens, this is why it is so amazingly tender when finished. The sear is done so that it looks and tastes like steak. One thing it is great for is getting a really thick cut of steak done at a consistent temperature. This way you don't get the edges that are over done and an under done center. The meat is very consistent in finished temp.



Yes, you do have to worry about bacteria. Temperature and time are important!

We just look up recommended temps and times and follow directions.



As for the time to cook, it is a set it up and come back later thing. It doesn't need much tending so it is more of a planning thing. If you can navigate this is a snap!

People use this to cook all kinds of things such as eggs and seafood... some items are quick.

Bruce

I'm wondering how we didn't kill ourselves with the 48 hour ham cook at 167f. Maybe the multiple-day brine killed the bacteria?

 

[gaston]

Greetings,
Disclaimer: My comments are NOT meant to dissuade, insult or belittle anyone's choice choice of food preparation.
I don't doubt the Sous-Vide method of cooking is great but could it be that this is just another food fad? I have been cooking for the family and friends for 45 years and I'm not too bad. Pretty well a 98%+ success rate.
I can recall the wok craze, the cappuccino craze, the homemade pasta craze, the breadmaker craze and the juicing craze where at that particular time THE cookery item was a must have for the serious chef. Probably more but I can't remember. Seems this constant temperature bath device will be relegated to the bottom cupboard when something different comes along.
I will admit our bottom cupboard DOES have the cappuccino machine but the Admiral purchased it. The wok, I do use on occasion and never bought any of the other mentioned devices. Don't have a slow cooker either...

Fad ?? I was using Sous Vide in our commercial kitchen 40 years ago and I would say 99% of street restaurants would use one daily . We Sous Vide all our sloppy food /curries casseroles and freeze them for the boat look at all those prepacked long life sloppy foods in supermarkets they are all Sous Vide nothing new not a fad its just your getting old and grumpy .

 

[kev_rm]

Greetings,
Disclaimer: My comments are NOT meant to dissuade, insult or belittle anyone's choice choice of food preparation.
I don't doubt the Sous-Vide method of cooking is great but could it be that this is just another food fad? I have been cooking for the family and friends for 45 years and I'm not too bad. Pretty well a 98%+ success rate.
I can recall the wok craze, the cappuccino craze, the homemade pasta craze, the breadmaker craze and the juicing craze where at that particular time THE cookery item was a must have for the serious chef. Probably more but I can't remember. Seems this constant temperature bath device will be relegated to the bottom cupboard when something different comes along.
I will admit our bottom cupboard DOES have the cappuccino machine but the Admiral purchased it. The wok, I do use on occasion and never bought any of the other mentioned devices. Don't have a slow cooker either...

most of those "crazes" have over time materially elevated the skill level and quality of food in most households/galleys. Have ya TRIED a sous vide rib eye!?!?!?

 

[MRRiley]

I've not tried it though I am interested. I'd think that if you were doing a meal for a crowd with a somewhat flexible start time it would be huge.

Keep everything at temp and a quick sear to finish.....

 

[O C Diver]

The meat is inside a plastic bag. The idea is that you can't over cook anything if the temperature is kept below finished temp. The time depends on the food being cooked. You are looking to break down the collagens, this is why it is so amazingly tender when finished. The sear is done so that it looks and tastes like steak. One thing it is great for is getting a really thick cut of steak done at a consistent temperature. This way you don't get the edges that are over done and an under done center. The meat is very consistent in finished temp.

Yes, you do have to worry about bacteria. Temperature and time are important!
We just look up recommended temps and times and follow directions.

As for the time to cook, it is a set it up and come back later thing. It doesn't need much tending so it is more of a planning thing. If you can navigate this is a snap!
People use this to cook all kinds of things such as eggs and seafood... some items are quick.
Bruce

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

 

[what_barnacles]

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?