Sous vide

[picote]

So DH bought me a sous vide cooker thing for Xmas. Has anyone used one? Any amazing recipes I have to try?

I generally go for some sort of sear on pretty much everything I cook, so the idea of poaching feels foreign to me!

[glwestcott]

Nothing is poached as the food doesn’t touch the water since you vacuum pack it before it goes into the sous vide bath. You open and sear after. There is a learning curve and it isn’t great for everything, but is a really excellent way to cook a number of things. We love to cook salmon sous vide.  Once I did a large number of sausages for a pool party sous vide. Got them perfectly to the correct internal temp and held them there. Then just had to very briefly brown them on the grill. Easy and perfectly done - juicy yet seared. I also buy boneless chicken breasts and sous vide them to 140 degrees (held there long enough to make them safe). I then slice or dice them and use them right away or freeze them for later. They make wonderfully juicy chicken sandwiches or chicken salad or for when I make chicken soup. Another nice deal is the ability to just put food in that is already vacuum packed and frozen. There’s no need to thaw first. Did frozen pork chops recently by vacuum packing them with fresh herbs and seasonings. Just left them in an extra hour because they went straight from the freezer. Seared them in my cast iron for a minute on each side when they came out. They were delicious. I also do other things like pasteurize eggs using my sous vide cooker for real Caesar salad or so we can safely eat cookie dough. You will need to learn how long to cook various foods at different temperatures to insure safety, but the Internet will be your friend for that. Have fun playing with it!


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[ihop]

So fun!

We only doe steaks this way - sous vide and then seared on the grill.  We have also done chicken - color can be weird but fine if you use it as an ingredient.  I used it last week for beef bulgogi - flank steak, it was excellent.

[DocBuzzkill]

So DH bought me a sous vide cooker thing for Xmas. Has anyone used one? Any amazing recipes I have to try?

I generally go for some sort of sear on pretty much everything I cook, so the idea of poaching feels foreign to me!

Yep.  DH gave me an Anova sous vide for Xmas last year.  He uses it more than I do! 

glwestcott has a lot of good suggestions.  We don't have a vacuum sealer, so we just use Ziplocs and water displacement to get out the excess air.  Chicken breasts in the sous vide followed by grilling are excellent.  Sous vide eggs cooked until the yolk is still liquid but thickened are great.

I highly recommend the sous vide for shrimp!  We almost always cook shrimp in the sous vide first (with some sliced garlic, butter) then add at the very last step to shrimp and grits or garlic shrimp risotto.

[ihop]

Ours is Anova too.  It is really great!

We do have the vacuum seal thingy and it is very easy to use.

[Magic Microbe]

I dont know how anyone who has ever worked in a lab can use one...I cant do it. 

[DocBuzzkill]

I dont know how anyone who has ever worked in a lab can use one...I cant do it. 

Why?  Just because of the whole water bath factor?

[Magic Microbe]

Why?  Just because of the whole water bath factor?

Yep. At least they don't look like water baths anymore.

[radial]

I have the Joule sous vide device and use it a lot.  Ziplock bags work great to contain the food.  I was prepared to get a vacuum sealer, but it's completely unnecessary for my purposes.  For the water bath container, I just use the Instant Pot stainless pot for most things.  I did invest in a large poly tub for big things like a whole chicken, small turkey, brisket, or any time I want to cook in bulk like 4 or 5 boneless ribeye steaks at once.  There's a bit of a learning curve, but once you dial in the timing to produce your preferred degree of doneness, it's an infallibly repeatable process. 

[picote]

Ok, this is all awesome! He got the Anova one, so glad to hear that’s a popular version. I clearly need to start doing some research. Chicken sounds like a good place to start, because I’m always stressed I’m going to under cook it on the grill. Or maybe pork chops, which seem to always end up dry. I usually do a rub or seasoning, so need to figure out how to incorporate that.

Looking forward to experimenting!

And yes, MM, I think the lab is where my ‘poaching’ comment came from. And I’ve cleaned out way too many gross water baths to not have a little ick factor when I think too much about it.

[DocBuzzkill]

Huh.  My Anova doesn't remind me remotely of any water heater/circulation pump I ever used in the lab, but then I'm old.  Furthermore, I poach eggs, I poach fish, but I have never poached media with engineered E. coli.

I find the idea of the sous vide process really interesting from a physical biochem. perspective.

[BonitaApplebum]

I’ve never seen one of these contraptions, and am having a hard time imagining how it all works. Anyone want to explain it?

[radial]

I’ve never seen one of these contraptions, and am having a hard time imagining how it all works. Anyone want to explain it?

Mine is a cylindrical object that hangs off the rim of whatever container you are using for the water bath.  It's basically a pump and a heater.  The heater brings the water to temperature and the pump keeps it circulating during the cooking process.  You stick the food you want to cook in a ziplock bag and dunk it in the water bath for whatever time period is required.  My model is linked to an app on the phone that steps you through a dialog about most foods you are likely to be cooking.  The app does all the temp/time calculations and controls the device during the cooking process.  You get an alert on the phone when it's done so no need to hover.  In fact, you don't even need to be home to operate it since it's an internet-enabled device. 

[DocBuzzkill]

Serious Eats has some good articles on sous vide cooking that explain the pasteurization process among other things.

How to Cook Sous Vide Chicken

This article about sous vide eggs has some good photos that illustrate how the protein in an egg is denatured over time during the sous vide process.

Guide to Sous Vide Eggs

[ihop]

We also found it was easier for us to purchase a tub for it - and we store it, the food sealer, the bags, the rack, etc on it.  That tub sits in the pantry and we pull it out when we needed it.  And we use it weekly!

Sort of like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/GEESTA-Crystal-Clear-Container-Lid-12qt-Cookers/dp/B07LGXLDMC/ref=sr_1_15?dchild=1&keywords=sous+vide+tub&qid=1609341737&sr=8-15

And something like this rack:
https://www.amazon.com/LIPAVI-Rack-Model-Steel-Square-Inch-Adjustable-Collapsible/dp/B00PKGBMBA/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=sous+vide+rack&qid=1609341794&sr=8-10

[radial]

And something like this rack:
https://www.amazon.com/LIPAVI-Rack-Model-Steel-Square-Inch-Adjustable-Collapsible/dp/B00PKGBMBA/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=sous+vide+rack&qid=1609341794&sr=8-10

Nice rack! 

But, seriously, I've been on the lookout for something like this.  Thanks for the link!

[diablita]

This fascinates me from a cooking science standpoint - and it's great to hear that I could cook the types of foods I eat with it - but I just don't need one more contraption.  For now.

[ihop]

Nice rack! 

But, seriously, I've been on the lookout for something like this.  Thanks for the link!

We have this brand but slightly different.  It really helps the water circulate all around the bags.

[BonitaApplebum]

This fascinates me from a cooking science standpoint - and it's great to hear that I could cook the types of foods I eat with it - but I just don't need one more contraption.  For now.

I agree, I think. I’ve heard good stuff about steaks, but if you’re going to finish them on the grill anyway, I’m just gonna grill.

[DocBuzzkill]

I agree, I think. I’ve heard good stuff about steaks, but if you’re going to finish them on the grill anyway, I’m just gonna grill.

I'm not wild about the sous vide with beef steaks.   If I have a nice sirloin/NY strip, Porterhouse, or t-bone, I do not use the sous vide.  Goes right to the grill.  The denaturation of protein texture of the beef is more palatable.

[ihop]

It does take some trying to get the right temp and time for steaks and it, of course, depends on the cut.  We have the filet's nailed - perfectly tender with a beautiful crust from the screaming hot cast iron pan. 

[rocketgirl]

Some of our local restaurants do their poached eggs sous vide so you can have them nice and runny. 

I think it would be nice for re-heating meats so that they don't dry out.  Is that a thing?

[Run Amok]

I am just here to say that raw flour is also a contamination risk, maybe moreso than eggs. So, if you are worried about getting sick from cookiedough please also cook your flour. I think you can do it in the microwave or oven

[DocBuzzkill]

It does take some trying to get the right temp and time for steaks and it, of course, depends on the cut.  We have the filet's nailed - perfectly tender with a beautiful crust from the screaming hot cast iron pan. 

 

Now that's a very good point, i.e., that filet mignon would lend itself more to sous vide then browning in a cast iron pan than, say, a Porterhouse.

Bradenton!BFF says that fish (esp. salmon or tuna) poached in oil using the sous vide is excellent.  That's another item on my list of sous vide stuff to try.

[ihop]

We will need to try fish!

[radial]

We will need to try fish!

I do salmon filets.  After a 30 sec sear in a hot skillet to crisp up the skin, they are perfection.  Actually, they are fine without the sear, juicy and bursting with flavor.

[The Turtle Whisperer]

I’ve never seen one of these contraptions, and am having a hard time imagining how it all works. Anyone want to explain it?

You can decarb and infuse oil with one as well. 

[picote]

Ok, I bought salmon today to give that a try first! Expecting great things!

[JBM]

My friend yesterday was telling me about how he cooked a prime rib for Christmas in his. And then about the searing. We went into a long discussion about it which was rather entertaining. He said the prime rib was outstanding.


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[bookworm1]

We do a lot of steak and pork chops in it. Salmon is great as well. DH also uses it to decarb weed and make tincture.

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[picote]

Any go to salmon recipes/instructions? Going to try pork chops next. That’s one of the foods I’ve just never loved when I make them.

Eta that I just realized I was totally spacey. DH gave me a cook book from America’s test kitchen along with the cooker. So many interesting ideas!  I might try lobster tails next, since that’s one I never feel confident with.   

There’s a salmon recipe with orange, cilantro and avocado relish that looks great. Will try for dinner tomorrow.

[radial]

My friend yesterday was telling me about how he cooked a prime rib for Christmas in his. And then about the searing. We went into a long discussion about it which was rather entertaining. He said the prime rib was outstanding.

I really like it for ribeye steaks.  Every so often I buy a whole boneless ribeye from Costco for dry aging.  I keep it in the fridge, but carve off steaks as needed.  The cool thing about sous vide is that I can batch process the steaks, cooking up a bunch in advance and then just keeping them refrigerated until I want to serve them.  Since they are already cooked, I can just sear and serve. 

[picote]

I really like it for ribeye steaks.  Every so often I buy a whole boneless ribeye from Costco for dry aging.  I keep it in the fridge, but carve off steaks as needed.  The cool thing about sous vide is that I can batch process the steaks, cooking up a bunch in advance and then just keeping them refrigerated until I want to serve them.  Since they are already cooked, I can just sear and serve. 

Wait... how long do you keep them in the fridge? Are you keeping them in the sous vide bag? I need to better understand this.

I’m generally so sketch about meat that sits in the fridge too long, but I’ve noticed a lot of the large pieces that are vacuum packed have expiration/freeze by dates a month or two out. We bought a meat slicer in the fall and I’m trying to figure out if there’s a safe way to buy a large vacuum packed corned beef, slice off a pound of it and reseal for the fridge. The meat quality after the freezer just isn’t great.

[radial]

Wait... how long do you keep them in the fridge? Are you keeping them in the sous vide bag? I need to better understand this.

I’m generally so sketch about meat that sits in the fridge too long, but I’ve noticed a lot of the large pieces that are vacuum packed have expiration/freeze by dates a month or two out. We bought a meat slicer in the fall and I’m trying to figure out if there’s a safe way to buy a large vacuum packed corned beef, slice off a pound of it and reseal for the fridge. The meat quality after the freezer just isn’t great.

I keep the sous vide steaks in the fridge for 1-5 days.  Yes, in the same bag they were cooked in.  I'm sure you could keep them longer, but good steak doesn't last long around here.

As for the sketch factor, the meat has already been dry aging in the fridge for weeks before it is sliced.  I don't even start slicing off steaks until the meat has been in the fridge for at least 14 days.  Some people dry age for much longer, like 75 days.  I'm not that patient and usually polish off a boneless ribeye in 30 to 40 days. 

I've been doing this for a while and have never had any issues with food-borne illness.  These large cuts of meat are pretty clean on the inside because they've never been cut open.  I'm sure some bacteria form on the outermost layers, but you would naturally trim away those layers as you form the steaks.  And even if you didn't, the sous vide and sear cooking steps would tend to kill off or attenuate the viability of any pathogens. 

Just guessing, but I suspect you would be fine slicing some corned beef off a big hunk of it and then holding the remainder in the fridge for further slicing.  Just throw away the first slice because that's where any bacteria would tend to form.  I always take a thin slice off the ribeye if it's been sitting for long. 

[bookworm1]

We've also done it where we sous vide meat, either steaks or pork chops, and then take them camping in the vacuum sealed bags. Makes for quick campfire or camp stove cooking and no leaking of juices into the cooler.

[Natasha]

I did poached eggs yesterday. They were nice although a bit more trouble than usual.

I’m going to try sous vide soft-boiled eggs this week. They sound pretty controversial. People either love them or hate them.

[radial]

We've also done it where we sous vide meat, either steaks or pork chops, and then take them camping in the vacuum sealed bags. Makes for quick campfire or camp stove cooking and no leaking of juices into the cooler.

Great idea, making a note.