Go Back   Professional Soldiers ® > At Ease > The Gourmet Guerrilla

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-09-2012, 17:46   #1
PSM
Area Commander
 
PSM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Cochise Co., AZ
Posts: 6,175
Sous-Vide method of cooking

Does anyone do this? I just learned about it and thought I might give it a try this summer.

It's slow cooking in water kept at the goal temperature. The food is vacuum sealed.

For a start (and to save money), I thought I'd try it by using the "beer cooler" method.

Here's a link for doing steak.

Pat
__________________
"Hector Lives!"

"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." -- Frederick Douglass

"The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." -- Dennis Prager

"The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it." --H.L. Mencken
PSM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2012, 20:13   #2
Penn
Area Commander
 
Penn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,461
This is a classical method of cooking, very popular in the 50-70's, now in vogue; what makes this method so attractive is the three methods of execution:
1. Advance preparation - total control over variables, seasons, finish temps, etc
2. Storage, endless possibilities.
3. Cryrovacing, hold in statis.
4. Cryroing becomes the technique in 160F^ water temperature circulation finish tempertures to presentation.

Last edited by Penn; 03-09-2012 at 20:15.
Penn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 00:18   #3
dr. mabuse
Guerrilla Chief
 
dr. mabuse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: DFW area
Posts: 861
I'll try it next week.
__________________
"The difference is that back then, we had the intestinal fortitude to do what we needed to in order to preserve our territorial sovereignty and to protect the citizens of this great country, and today, we do not." TR

"I attribute the little I know to my not having been ashamed to ask for information, and to my rule of conversing with all descriptions of men on those topics that form their own peculiar professions and pursuits." John Locke
dr. mabuse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 09:43   #4
Team Sergeant
Quiet Professional
 
Team Sergeant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
I've done a whole lot of reading and research on the subject. Bought a book written by Thomas Keller, "Under Pressure" it's all about sous vide.

One extremely important issue with sous vide is "safety". Sous vide can go terribly wrong if you do not have a full understanding of food safety. Sous vide can be a perfect technique to breed deadly bacteria. Before you start I would suggest you do your due diligence first.

What do you intend to use as a immersion heater/circulator?

http://www.cuisinetechnology.com/sou...circulator.php
__________________
"The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where they are."
Team Sergeant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 09:47   #5
PSM
Area Commander
 
PSM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Cochise Co., AZ
Posts: 6,175
Quote:
Originally Posted by Team Sergeant View Post
I've done a whole lot of reading and research on the subject. Bought a book written by Thomas Keller, "Under Pressure" it's all about sous vide.

One extremely important issue with sous vide is "safety". Sous vide can go terribly wrong if you do not have a full understanding of food safety. Sous vide can be a perfect technique to breed deadly bacteria. Before you start I would suggest you do your due diligence first.

What do you intend to use as a immersion heater/circulator?

http://www.cuisinetechnology.com/sou...circulator.php
That's why I was going to try it later this year; I need to study more. I thought I might use one of our crock pots with a PID.

Pat
__________________
"Hector Lives!"

"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." -- Frederick Douglass

"The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." -- Dennis Prager

"The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it." --H.L. Mencken
PSM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 13:29   #6
mugwump
Area Commander
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,403
Sheesh, $42 for that book, cheapest. Thanks for the warning, I'm looking into the food safety aspects. I'm going to try the beer cooler method, it looks like if you start with a large enough cooler the water temp remains remarkably stable.

What's your opinion on browning the meat first vs last? I'm seeing these commercial device sites recommending that you brown first, then vacuum seal, then ice bath to get the temp back down, then sous vide. Other places say forget that, just go from fridge to pouch to sous vide and then sear the meat right before you serve it. The latter seems a lot less work.

If the beer cooler method pans out I'll cobble something together. A cooler, adressable thermocouple to measure temp, a remote AC switch to control an immersion heater, a salt water aquarium pump, and a laptop to control the whole mess and I think I can replicate one of fancy shmancy units for under $75. I'd start the thing off with the water close to the correct temp, my guess is the commercial immersion pumps are sized to bring cold water up to temp and cope with the addition of cold meat periodically, neither of which I need.
__________________
mugwump

“Klaatu barada nikto”
mugwump is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 13:42   #7
Team Sergeant
Quiet Professional
 
Team Sergeant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
Quote:
Originally Posted by mugwump View Post
Sheesh, $42 for that book, cheapest. Thanks for the warning, I'm looking into the food safety aspects. I'm going to try the beer cooler method, it looks like if you start with a large enough cooler the water temp remains remarkably stable.

What's your opinion on browning the meat first vs last? I'm seeing these commercial device sites recommending that you brown first, then vacuum seal, then ice bath to get the temp back down, then sous vide. Other places say forget that, just go from fridge to pouch to sous vide and then sear the meat right before you serve it. The latter seems a lot less work.

If the beer cooler method pans out I'll cobble something together. A cooler, adressable thermocouple to measure temp, a remote AC switch to control an immersion heater, a salt water aquarium pump, and a laptop to control the whole mess and I think I can replicate one of fancy shmancy units for under $75. I'd start the thing off with the water close to the correct temp, my guess is the commercial immersion pumps are sized to bring cold water up to temp and cope with the addition of cold meat periodically, neither of which I need.
Searing before or after, all depends on what you are doing. A steak should be seared after. Braised short ribs, lamb shanks etc. seared before. But I would experiment anyway!

I would also go the cooler route and maybe a laying a sheet of styrofoam on top to keep in the heat.
__________________
"The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where they are."
Team Sergeant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 15:59   #8
PSM
Area Commander
 
PSM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Cochise Co., AZ
Posts: 6,175
I did try the SV method for a soft boiled egg, yesterday morning, that I think is also described on the site I linked. It didn't work, but I'm pretty sure that the eggs probably were not room temperature when I started. I turned them into "poached" eggs instead. Still good!

Basically, the whites harden at 155* and the yolk at 158*. In theory, if the temp is held at 155* the time shouldn't really matter, though the guy in the food lab deminstrated that it does after 6 minutes.

Found the link:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/03/t...iled-eggs.html

ETA: After re-reading his test, he was using a much higher temperature.

Pat
__________________
"Hector Lives!"

"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." -- Frederick Douglass

"The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." -- Dennis Prager

"The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it." --H.L. Mencken

Last edited by PSM; 03-10-2012 at 16:07. Reason: Added link
PSM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 16:43   #9
Dusty
RIP Quiet Professional
 
Dusty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: The Ozarks
Posts: 10,072
I prefer sous-Weber.

Reminds me of putting water in LRRP chill con carne and sticking the pack in the leg pocket of my field pants. Took about 2 clicks to make it edible.
__________________
"There you go, again." Ronald Reagan
Dusty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 17:31   #10
dr. mabuse
Guerrilla Chief
 
dr. mabuse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: DFW area
Posts: 861
Unfortunately, don't have $1100+ for a hot water heater with precision thermostat and recirculate function. I'll look into it further. Maybe a converted Parkerizing tank set-up.

Will have to suffer this weekend with non-precision antique BBQ grill with mesquite, hickory and cherry wood and fingertip method and pedestrian T-bones ( very, very slow-cooked then quick seared ) in the back yard if the rain stops.

Season liberally ( not the steak ) with local neighborhood home-brewed beer.

Blue collar, but works for us. ( Le col un petit peu bleu, il travaille pour nous. )
__________________
"The difference is that back then, we had the intestinal fortitude to do what we needed to in order to preserve our territorial sovereignty and to protect the citizens of this great country, and today, we do not." TR

"I attribute the little I know to my not having been ashamed to ask for information, and to my rule of conversing with all descriptions of men on those topics that form their own peculiar professions and pursuits." John Locke

Last edited by dr. mabuse; 03-10-2012 at 17:35.
dr. mabuse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2012, 17:54   #11
Team Sergeant
Quiet Professional
 
Team Sergeant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty View Post
I prefer sous-Weber.

Reminds me of putting water in LRRP chill con carne and sticking the pack in the leg pocket of my field pants. Took about 2 clicks to make it edible.
Damn, you're making me hungry......
__________________
"The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where they are."
Team Sergeant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2012, 16:00   #12
PSM
Area Commander
 
PSM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Cochise Co., AZ
Posts: 6,175
Tried the eggs again this morning. Eggs out of the fridge and into cold water. I put the pot on one of the simmer burners on low. I let the temp get to 160* then added tap water to bring it down to 155*. Held it between 155* and 157* for 30 minutes. I cracked them open and...had poached eggs again.

I think it will take at least an hour, probably more, to get them perfect. Next time I'll do room temperature eggs, water at 157*, and use a beer cooler (I need a new one anyway). I'd like to find the minimum time, so I'll put several in and take one out after 1 hour, then one every half hour until I'm happy, or my wife gets tired of eating poached eggs.

Pat
__________________
"Hector Lives!"

"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." -- Frederick Douglass

"The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." -- Dennis Prager

"The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it." --H.L. Mencken
PSM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2012, 17:43   #13
Penn
Area Commander
 
Penn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,461
Quote:
Reminds me of putting water in LRRP chill con carne and sticking the pack in the leg pocket of my field pants. Took about 2 clicks to make it edible.
Now we're cookin
Penn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2012, 21:31   #14
cold1
Guerrilla
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NC
Posts: 143
precision water bath with circ pump. Take your pick.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Healthcare-L...nkw=water+bath
cold1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2012, 20:34   #15
dr. mabuse
Guerrilla Chief
 
dr. mabuse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: DFW area
Posts: 861
Quote:
Originally Posted by cold1 View Post
precision water bath with circ pump. Take your pick.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Healthcare-L...nkw=water+bath
Ah so.
__________________
"The difference is that back then, we had the intestinal fortitude to do what we needed to in order to preserve our territorial sovereignty and to protect the citizens of this great country, and today, we do not." TR

"I attribute the little I know to my not having been ashamed to ask for information, and to my rule of conversing with all descriptions of men on those topics that form their own peculiar professions and pursuits." John Locke
dr. mabuse is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:56.



Copyright 2004-2022 by Professional Soldiers ®
Site Designed, Maintained, & Hosted by Hilliker Technologies