Why sous vide?

[RichardFlack]

This just seems like the Polack method to me. Far more efficient would be the reverse sear method where all the steaks could go in at the same time and you could pull the steaks out as they come to the desired temp. That way you could use your sous vide in the meantime for something its actually good for like the veggies

This is the sous vide thread. The redneck steak thread is over there --->

I assume “ go in” means “go in the oven...”?
Yes all kinds of ways to this in regular cooking, but I was asking about Sous Vide specifically. I’m new to it and trying to figure out where it makes sense.

( regarding this suggestion, I guess the cooler temp steaks get a longer resting time, or we all eat at different times? )

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

The recent America's Test Kitchen episode "Sous Vide for Everybody" is available online:

Features how to sous vide NY strip steaks and 167°F/75°C eggs (the best temp IMHO), as well as reviewing various immersion circulators.

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/epi ... 0A0AVT5RC4

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

ATLANTIC SALMON: Dry-brined in 4:1 salt:sugar x 10 min, rinsed & dried, and sous vide 118°F x 40 min ChefSteps' Thai Green Curry sauce (lemongrass, garlic, ginger, dates, Thai bird chilies), with raw red pepper-cilantro-mint salad and rice. Not the prettiest plating, but quick and tasty.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

DILL-BRINED: Sous vide Atlantic cod loin, served chilled with sun-dried tomato-olive-farro salad, crème fraîche

Followed ChefSteps's recipe, but couldn't find halibut so substituted Atlantic cod and raised the temp from 109°F to 113°F x 40 min, which is the usual temp I use for cod loin.

https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/di ... arro-salad

Yes, cod has a "loin" if you shop at Wegmans (their name for a thicker portion that looks like a tenderloin--of course they charge more for it).

Next time I will sous vide the entire loin, rather than pre-cut portions, to get the contrasting pretty white flesh on the sides as in the CS picture.

Paired with 2014 Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco Secco Veneto IGT

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

I’ve been sous-viding cheap top sirloin from Whole Foods and finishing on the grill; results have been great. 130 for 2 hours with huge pieces of top sirloin.

[JDavisRoby]

Did a couple KC strips tonight from the local grocer in the sous vide today. It’s a bit messy to clean up the stove afterwards but the steak tastes so good. Used a rosemary based rub and the flavor was wonderful.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

Sous vide "Midwestern" filet mignon from Flannery, with ChefSteps Périgord Black Truffle sauce, celery root purée, raw celery root salad, paired with 1982 & 1989 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (2 bottle of the former, 1 of which was heat damaged)

The second time I've made this. 8 x 6oz steaks were air-dried for 5 hours in fridge, frozen for 20 min, then pre-seared in Safflower oil, and divided between 2 bags of the sauce. Sous vide 114°F x 1 hr (based on previous experience, I thought they'd benefit from a bit of "warm aging"), then 130°F x 1 hr in sauce

Served with some garlic butter-roasted fingerlings and apple cider vinegar-glazed cipollini onions

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

OHHH: Look at that!

(167-degrees x 13 min)

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

EASTER DINNER: Duck leg confit by sous vide (D'Artagnan, 158°F x 17 hours from frozen), with ginger-chili glaze (btw it's not burnt, but I did over-reduce the glaze, so it is very dark and sticky, still tastes great), sushi rice

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

GETTING READY FOR JULY 4TH: By making pickles
1) Sous vide spicy dill pickles
2) Sous vide pickled red onions
3) Quick pickled spicy Granny Smith apples (these may not last until July 4th!)

[Jason Crawford]

I get sous vide for vegetables and fungi. But, for me, it creates a mushy texture in any type of flesh. Guess I'm not that cool.

[JDavisRoby]

I’ve never had a protein be mushy, but I’m also really quick to pull them out once I know they’re ready. I’ve read if left in the water too long the mushiness begins to appear.

[Sarah Kirschbaum]

I get sous vide for vegetables and fungi. But, for me, it creates a mushy texture in any type of flesh. Guess I'm not that cool.

You're totally cool not to jump on the SV bandwagon. Not everything is automatically better if you cook it in a plastic bag. I also object to the texture of tight proteins after SV cooking, even when perfectly executed, which to me is rubbery not mushy. Some people don't perceive it. Some don't mind it. It turns me off completely. It's fine - traditional methods work perfectly with a little practice.

[Scott G r u n e r]

Sous Vide is most useful to me in up leveling tougher cuts (e.g. getting a choice grade tri-tip prime tender) or cuts that tend to dry out easy (e.g pork chops)

Personally I prefer traditional cooking methods with high quality cuts and chicken.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

Sarah:

[RichardFlack]

Wondering about using S-V on 'fresh' peas. The '' are because Im not talking about fresh out of the pod, but the seasonal shelled bagged 'fresh' peas from the supermarket. Ive found those often a bit tough to cook (pun intended), wondering if S-V would give a more tender result.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

Wondering about using S-V on 'fresh' peas. The '' are because Im not talking about fresh out of the pod, but the seasonal shelled bagged 'fresh' peas from the supermarket. Ive found those often a bit tough to cook (pun intended), wondering if S-V would give a more tender result.

I haven't tried peas.

If I'm sous vide cooking veggies, I usually use 194°F, rather than the more common 180-185°F, since it is much quicker.

[Mike Rodgers]

Curious to see what step(s) were taken to achieve a "Cadaver Look"
Just to make sure:
Sous-vide is a cooking method (Thank you Doctor Bruno Goussault)
A circulator is not a sous-vide machine

[Mike Rodgers]

If anyone is in need of help with sous-vide cooking, I can help.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

Curious to see what step(s) were taken to achieve a "Cadaver Look"
Just to make sure:
Sous-vide is a cooking method (Thank you Doctor Bruno Goussault)
A circulator is not a sous-vide machine

It’s beating a dead horse ,not a cadaver.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

I’m confused.

But my sous vide sausages are awesome.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

I’m confused.

But my sous vide sausages are awesome.

Mike is referring to Sous vide being under pressure. A circulator is also used when cooking sous vide.

[Tom G l a s g o w]

I’m confused.

But my sous vide sausages are awesome.

Mike is referring to Sous vide being under pressure. A circulator is also used when cooking sous vide.

I was referring to the image in your reply to Sarah.

[JDavisRoby]

Did six dry aged strips Friday night in the sous vide. Finished them over charcoal via the Weber kettle. Temp on the grill grate was 600*.

Only issue I had was my stock pot was a little small. What pot or bin is everyone using?

[Mel Hill]

Cambro containers purchased from Amazon.
I build styrofoam insulated boxes around them
to keep in the heat during long cooks

[Anton D]

I am going to sous vide a couple of Flannery Jorge-cut steaks this next weekend.

Given the thickness, I may cook to 130 degrees instead of my usual 128 because the sear will have less effect.

[JDavisRoby]

Cambro containers purchased from Amazon.
I build styrofoam insulated boxes around them
to keep in the heat during long cooks

Cambro is what I was planning to get. But, was going to get them locally at one of the restaurant supply houses.

What kind of styrofoam do you use around them?

Anyone using one of the Cambro like containers with the lid made for sous vide?

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

Only issue I had was my stock pot was a little small. What pot or bin is everyone using?

This is what I use:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000R8JOUC

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XQHL5MF

Make sure you use a trivet, or you might crack your granite countertop. Or you can get an insulated sleeve:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073VKN7TM

[Mel Hill]

What kind of styrofoam do you use around them?

Anyone using one of the Cambro like containers with the lid made for sous vide?

We had something large and flat shipped and the packaging had huge sheets of 1” closed cell styrofoam I just measured the outside dimensions of the Cambridge and built a 2” thick 5 sided box to fit the container
I made a lid as well.

It’s just styro and duct tape....

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

ChefSteps Joule White circulator is $125.30 on Amazon Prime Day, 30% off, lowest price I've evah seen for the best home circulator around (mine cost $129 when they were first released, and they are usually $179). Only cosmetic differences from the more expensive Joule Steel.

www.amazon.com/dp/B0727R431B/ref=twiste ... UTF8&psc=1

Both SeriousEats and Cook's Illustrated rated it #1:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/12/bes ... ators.html

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

SOUS VIDE APPLE PIE

What? Why sous vide cook apples before baking them into an apple pie??? Three reasons:

1) Pectin begins to break down at 183°F, whereupon apples slices will start to turn into apple sauce. And no one wants an apple sauce pie! In contrast, pectin converts to a more thermostable form if held at 140-160°F for a period of time. This will prevent the apple slices from becoming too soft when subsequently baked to a higher temperature. Yes, you could also do this by cooking on the stove, but obviously sous vide is more controlled.
2) Different apples varieties, even the same variety at different times of the year, will release different amounts of juice when cooked. I’ve measured greater than a 2-fold difference in the volume of juice released by freshly picked apples versus the same variety of out of season grocery store apples (the latter released more juices). By sous vide cooking the apples first, the juices can be collected and exactly the right amount of juice can be combined with exactly the right amount of starches to create the perfect pie filling. This will also prevent excess juices from bubbling out of the crust and creating an ugly mess during baking.
3) Raw apple slices shrink during baking. Pre-cooking minimizes shrinkage and avoids an unsightly gap appearing between the top crust and pie filling.

Recipe:
1) Core, peel and slice (7 mm) approximately 10 Golden Delicious apples on mandolin
2) Core and coarsely grate 1 medium Golden Delicious apple
3) Retain cores and peels
4) Toss slices and grated apple with sugar and other filling ingredients
5) Separately vacuum pack apple slices and cores + peels
6) Cook in a sous vide water bath at 160°F x 1 hour, then increase to 184°F x 1 hour (times/temperatures based on empirical testing and the optimum may be different for a different apple variety or personal preference)
7) Remove bags and let cool slightly, then cut corners of bags and drain juice
8) If needed, add apple cider to bring juice to 2 cups total
9) Let cooked apple slices chill at least 2 hours in refrigerator
10) Dissolve 17 g corn starch and 17 g tapioca starch in juice, add to 28 g melted butter and bring to boil in saucepan over medium high heat, stirring constantly until thickening into clear, dark gel
11) Let cool slightly, fold into cold apple slices, then pour on top of bottom crust and continue assembling and baking pie as usual

Further information:
The Food Lab's Apple Pie, Part 2: Perfect Apple Pie Filling, by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
https://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/10/ ... lling.html

The New Pie: Modern Techniques for the Classic American Dessert (2019), by Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin

[Pics are from different pies. Second one was made in a quiche pan and has an embossed crust, which I'm still working on perfecting.]

[Joe Chanley]

That looks awesome.

[Mel Hill]

Here’s my small insulated box

[Jay Miller]

That looks awesome.

+1

[Steve Manzi]

The pie filling looks awesome. The pie crust? Not so much. (sorry)

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

The pie filling looks awesome. The pie crust? Not so much. (sorry)

Strange, it looks just like the picture of a slice of the same recipe on the cover of their cook book (winners of Best in Show at the National Pie Contest).



But I'm sure you know better.

[Steve Manzi]

Well. I was trying to be nice about it. To ME, the crust is not what "I" like.

For ME, the crust needs to be flaky and moist.

I did say "sorry", but I guess you needed to be an *sshole. You win.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

Well. I was trying to be nice about it. To ME, the crust is not what "I" like.

For ME, the crust needs to be flaky and moist.

I did say "sorry", but I guess you needed to be an *sshole. You win.

Blocked

[Steve Manzi]

LOL....what a jackass you are Foley.

Sorry that I did not go ga ga over your Pie Crust.

[Mel Hill]

Looks like Steve is under pressure and in hot water!
Couldn’t think of a better thread to be in this condition.

[scamhi]

Looks like Steve is under pressure and in hot water!
Couldn’t think of a better thread to be in this condition.

LIKE!

[Alan Rath]

Worth a read, even if it doesn't change your mind:

https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/03/how ... steak.html

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

Worth a read, even if it doesn't change your mind:

https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/03/how ... steak.html

Although Kenji is a great proponent of sous vide steak too. Each technique has advantages and disadvantages (as he points out that article).

To quote Alton Brown in a recent interview:

Question: "Is Sous Vide-ing the best way to cook steak?"

Alton: "Best...no. But it is a pretty damn good way. And as I hope you'll see in an upcoming GE episode it is the best way to cook really cheap/tough cuts like rump roast."

[Alan Rath]

Yeah. Just my personal preference. I like what a little higher heat, and actual fire does to meat (and particularly fat), as opposed to just hitting it with fire for a few minutes at the end.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

Yeah. Just my personal preference. I like what a little higher heat, and actual fire does to meat (and particularly fat), as opposed to just hitting it with fire for a few minutes at the end.

I would definitely agree sous vide works best for lean cuts or tough (and fairly thick) cuts. For ribeyes, you have to jump the temp to ~135°F to at least get some better rendering of the fat, but because the steak isn't as dry, you are never going to get as good a sear after sous vide as with the reverse sear. As an aside, I have posted on Reddit about how the idea that the reverse sear give better rendering of ***internal*** fat (it certainly does of exterior fat) is a bit non-sensical, but talking to those folks is sometimes like beating your head against a wall.