So, What Is Sous Vide Cookin Anyway?
 

What Is Sous Vide, Anyway? | Bon Appetit

When I think of slow cooking, I think crock-pot. I thought I could not afford sous vide cooking.

The Anova Precision Cooker is the world’s top-selling sous vide machine. It’s amazingly easy to set up with outstanding results. If you have a pot, a ziplock bag, and a pan, you’ll cook the best food of your life. Period. $109

This is a game changer. You just set the temperature you want, stick it in the water in a bag, and forget about it. You can't overcook anything it holds it at the exact temp.

Has anyone cooked this way? the restaurants do

While it seems that this is probably the best way to cook vacuum-packed food, a big negative for me personally is...


:shrug:

I checked these out. It's a big vat of water and you stick a large probe in it and hook it to the side of the vat. It brings the temperature up to what you want to cook your meat. You place your meat or dish in it (in a plastic bag) and it sits in there and maintains the temperature until it is done. I won one of these in a sweepstakes and sold it on Ebay. I could maybe see a restaurant using one that gets a lot of food in vacuum packed bags maybe but from what I read it takes quite a while to get the food up to temperature. I sold mine for $130. They sell for around $175 new for a name brand one. I just couldn't see myself using it for anything. Cooking a steak in one you still have to take it out of the bag and brown it on the grill. There are you tube videos on these if you'd like to see.

Je n'est sais pas. Q'est ce c'est???? J'adore la Dutch oven a moi. Just a pot with a tight fitting lid that can go in the oven.........and transforms meats into luscious tenderness.

listen to this
Sous vide basics with America’s Test Kitchen | The Splendid Table

My sons like to cook. They're too busy to brown meat and put together a crock pot in the morning. But with sous vite they can put 2 steaks in a bag on monday at 7pm and tuseday at 7pm they have a perfect steak or piece of salmon [no talapia] that needs to be browned a minute on both sides. virtually no cleanup---add a salad or nuke a potato. $110 is nothing for them compared to take out or going to a restaurant.
Suppose they are running late? it doesn't matter

mercy boucoup, silver plate [i got a D in french 1 and 2--they begged me, please don't take 3]

oo a' la fenetra? [in little conversations i always asked where the window is hoping it would make sense]

It is always wise to know where the window is when cooking. You may have to throw the whole thing out.

oui

I have one, don't use it much. One time I was having about 20 people for dinner and was doing beef tenderloin and then cut into filet's. For this many it worked great. Cooked two tenderloins to 125 degrees (rare), cut into 2 inch filet's and then seared on a hot grill to provide everyone a filet cooked exactly as they wanted it.

But anything up to 10 I personally would prefer to oven roast it. Our son-in-law and daughter use it all the time. Because of kids and busy schedules, you can set it up in the AM and cook what ever your cooking 3, 4, 5, 6, or more hours and it will still come out the same.

thank-you
Is that how they cook beef tenderloin in a restaurant?
My hunch was that the oven would dry out the meat and this would keep it moist. Is that not so?

The kicker is that there is a little work on the back end when my kids do have extra time.

I have one that I wouldn’t be without. Put a steak in it. Don’t have to worry about how thick it is. Don’t even have to thaw it if it’s frozen. Set the desired finish temp, seal the bag in the vacuum sealer, and let it go. Got more to prepare for the meal or going to be out for a bit, no problem. It can stay in the bath for a few hours and won’t go beyond the temp you set. Finish in a cast iron pan red hot to create the sear and you’re done. This one done to 135 degrees in about an hour.

I use my Anova occasionally. It's great if you want your steaks perfectly cooked. Of course, they get finished on the grill or in a cast iron pan to put a crust on the outside. Even a butane torch can be used with the grill or the pan. I have also used it warm a holiday ham. Putting a ham in the oven to warm tends to dry it out. Especially if you're not sure when you'll finally get to serve.

There are a lot of things that it can be used for.

Here's an entire YouTube channel about it.. Sous Vide Everything
- YouTube

thank-you everyone--i watched a show on seasoning. Sous Vide SEASONING EXPERIMENT - Should you SALT BEFORE OR AFTER Sous Vide? - YouTube The guy has his own little test kitchen going on.
He doesn't grill, he uses a propane torch.

You can do veggies too. Someone said frozen meat too. I guess the vacuum seal makes that safe.

What about less expensive cuts of meat?

What about the frozen salmon that comes in it's own seal package?

I have been using one for 3 years. I use at least 3 times a week. Yes you can start a steak and as long as the water does not get too low it will stay at that temp for hours. High end restaurants use them all the time.

I have done Eggs Benedict for 2 or 20, all while sitting with my guests. Eggs, ham, and sauce done all at the same time. Hollandaise sauce never separate it’s perfect every time. I can throw something in the SV, go to work for nine hours and come back with perfectly cooked food

For any protein you can use a torch or throw in a cast iron for a less than a minute to sear. I took lessons at a high end steakhouse and got hooked.

It is not boil in a bag. Water stays at the temp you set until you turn it off.

Yes you can use a sealed package, however if there is no seasoning you lose they benefit of it infusing in the food. But in a pinch I have thrown in a frozen salmon and then put on blackened seasoning on it when I seared it. I have had dinner party for 12 starting it in the morning and spent 10 minutes searing and plating. A steak cooked perfectly every time

what to buy?

Have you ever tried wirecutter for reviews?
The Best Sous Vide Machine and Gear: Reviews by Wirecutter | A New York Times Company

This has been very educational. I am going to see what Tom buys.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if my younger son orders 1 tonight. My older son, Tom jr. and I have been nick-named "Look and Wait." sooooooooo

We’ve got a Foodsaver vacuum system, so we can open the bag, add seasonings, and seal it up again before putting it in the bath. I tried some boneless short ribs and the suggestion was to let them go 48-72 hours. I took them out at 48 and they were very good with a Guinness glaze. But they probably would have been better at 72 hours. I set the water bath in the garage to avoid taking up counter space. Important to use a cover to reduce water loss and help the heater keep the temp up.

Ah, Je pense que tu as fait une petite erreur. Sacre Bleu! Je ne sais pas.:wave:

Bonne journée!

I have generally been pleased with wirecutter's recommendations. Of course, I never bought their remommended brand and a different brand of the same item for comparison sake. But I've always liked what I've bought based on their recommendations.

I am delighted C, it was just a small error. It has been sixty years since my French teacher frowned at me when I said Je suis enceinte instead of Je suis enchante.

Sacre Bleu! means damn it---i say it to be silly and impersonate someone from france but i never knew what it meant--they say that in the movies or cartoons

OMG. I never knew CFrance cussed. I am going to see about having Crosby removed and have him come to live with us.

Horreurs! (It's better than some others...):22yikes:
je suis vraiment désolée.

(But he very much loooooves cats!)

And my husband was told to stop the waitress Je suis plein for I'm full, because it's slang for I'm pregnant.

Back on topic, The Splendid Table podcast mentioned all sorts of food beside meat that the test team is experimenting with via sous vide. I'd love to know what else you can cook in it. I'm watching Sous Vide Everything now but haven't gotten past the beef dry aging thing.

How about making your own cheese?

I love my sous vide. Bought it on line for $59.00. Sams and Target sell it. I think Walmart has them.
Some things I have cooked.
“Starbucks egg bites”. Need 12 4oz canning jars. Thoroughly blend a dozen eggs with equal ucottage cheese.
Spray jars with non stick, place cooked bacon and cheese in jars. Pour egg mixture into jars. Seal and sous vide 35min. @ 165°. Creamy good. Open jars Invert food onto plate.
Lasts a week in fridge or long time in freezer. Microwave 30 sec. to reheat. Great for house guests.
Steak-love it rare. May season before or after. Vacuum pack and set sous vide for desired done ness. I use 131°s for 2 hours. Finish a minute or two in iron pan. Steak is edge to edge rare. No grey gradient towards center before rare inner strip like conventional cooking. Steaks seen in TV commercials are done this way-obvious.
Asparagus cooks perfect every time. Not soggy and not overly hard.
Ribs are a min 24 hour cook. Cover water with ping pong balls to prevent evaporation. Finish in a grill for a couple minutes. May also torch.
Best hamburger I have ever had was from sous vide. Finished by a quick char on ripping hot iron pan.
My brother sous vides chicken and finishes with torch.
So easy. Had a dinner party, veggies, meats were in water when guests arrived. Since food is held at exact temperature, there was no rush for dinner and worry about timing. Chared steaks one to two minutes, opened bags and poured in serving dishes. Veggies were buttered pre sous vide.
So easy, I was laughing.
Food done at same time. One cast iron fry pan to wash. Everyone’s steak was done exactly to their preference.
Can cook in old igloo cooler, Rubbermaid container or large pot.
Lots of recipes on the internet. Food comes out perfect.

This chef sorts out some of the hype. I'll look for more of her shows.

I use mine frequently. Its a great way of cooking chicken and steak, without drying it out. I throw them on the grill, briefly, to get a little color on the meat.

I jut wasted most of a rainy afternoon watching Sous Vide Everything. Cheesecake, flan, all kinds of boiled eggs, fried breaded eggs, dry-ageing steak, cooking steak, custard mix for ice cream. And I'm not done. If you like to watch cooking videos, it's a fun site.

But did you see this? Beer?

///

I did a prime rib for Christmas. I don’t remember how long, it was for 10 people, but took it to mid rare. My vacuum sealer does not do large enough bags. If I need very oversized bags like for Prime rib, I order bags on line. My SV is commercial, my youngest ordered from the supplier where he works. I use different size bins, that you can by at restaurant supply store.