Sous-Vide method of cooking

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by (1VB)compforce

Thanks, I've been going back and forth on getting a chamber sealer. I'll stick with ziploc for now.

You might want to use a food saver as your vacuum sealer, a whole lot cheaper than a $600-3000 vacuum sealer.

And as Penn said Thomas Keller's book "Under Pressure", well worth the money if your doing sous vide. And if you're not a chef or have not taken a food safety class or food safety manager ensure you read Chef Keller's safety tips concerning sous vide.

[(1VB)compforce]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

You might want to use a food saver as your vacuum sealer, a whole lot cheaper than a $600-3000 vacuum sealer.

And as Penn said Thomas Keller's book "Under Pressure", well worth the money if your doing sous vide. And if you're not a chef or have not taken a food safety class or food safety manager ensure you read Chef Keller's safety tips concerning sous vide.

Thanks! I'm very interested in these types of techniques and appreciate you and Penn spending the time to give feedback.

The Food Saver is the one that I have that vacuums the liquid up and doesn't seal right with wetter foods. The other option I have is to get the accessory kit, but the bags that have a built-in valve are pretty pricy. If I bought the chamber sealer I'm looking at, I'd save the cost of the sealer in less than a year.

I've ordered Under Pressure already, it'll be here on Saturday. I'm looking forward to it.

I've got my Food Manager certification from ServSafe and regularly read all food safety material in all the books, especially when looking at a new technique. I dropped out of culinary school over their food safety practices in the classroom. I definitely take that part seriously.

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by (1VB)compforce

Thanks! I'm very interested in these types of techniques and appreciate you and Penn spending the time to give feedback.

The Food Saver is the one that I have that vacuums the liquid up and doesn't seal right with wetter foods. The other option I have is to get the accessory kit, but the bags that have a built-in valve are pretty pricy. If I bought the chamber sealer I'm looking at, I'd save the cost of the sealer in less than a year.

I've ordered Under Pressure already, it'll be here on Saturday. I'm looking forward to it.

I've got my Food Manager certification from ServSafe and regularly read all food safety material in all the books, especially when looking at a new technique. I dropped out of culinary school over their food safety practices in the classroom. I definitely take that part seriously.

Then you're cleared hot to sous vide!!! (I'm also a Food Safety Manager certified)


Time to use your benefits and try another culinary school! My school was the opposite, cleaner than clean and there they would cite you for bad food safety practices.

[Penn]

I have two of these ovens and have just purchased another. I can Fwd the email to you if interested, as its not posted on their site, or as a certified knuckle dagger failed to orient myself properly to locate the ad.

$429 reduces to $249 If you like color they are priced at $199 Argue for free shipping

REFURBISHED WATER OVEN SALE
Save 40%!
Order now while limited quantities last!
We have a very limited number of refurbished water ovens available as a special deal exclusively for our valued email subscribers.

[(1VB)compforce]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Then you're cleared hot to sous vide!!! (I'm also a Food Safety Manager certified)


Time to use your benefits and try another culinary school! My school was the opposite, cleaner than clean and there they would cite you for bad food safety practices.

Broke down and bought the chamber sealer (Vacmaster VP112). I have to say it's totally different than just using ziplocs. For one thing you can shape the food, which really helps with presentation. For another, even with sealing meats in the food saver, the blood would get into the seal about half the time. I'm not a fan of the "freeze and seal" method since the texture gets screwed up by the ice crystals forming and then thawing. I'll definitely get enough use out of the sealer over the next year to justify the cost.

The one down side is that the thing is huge. Weighing in at 90 pounds and the size of two burners on the stove, but longer than the 30" countertop, I won't be moving it around that much.

[Penn]

1VB, can you please post a picture of your vacuum sealer. I like to see difference, if there is one, to the unit I have.

[(1VB)compforce]

Originally Posted by Penn

1VB, can you please post a picture of your vacuum sealer. I like to see difference, if there is one, to the unit I have.

Same one they have on the sous vide supreme site. Cheaper through Amazon though... and GBF gets their donation.

[Penn]

I have that exact machine, if anyone wants it, send me a check for $200 + shipping and its yours.

[(1VB)compforce]

Originally Posted by Penn

I have that exact machine, if anyone wants it, send me a check for $200 + shipping and its yours.

Oh, now you tell me

Seriously though, do you just not use it or is there something you don't like about it?

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Penn

I have two of these ovens and have just purchased another. I can Fwd the email to you if interested, as its not posted on their site, or as a certified knuckle dagger failed to orient myself properly to locate the ad.

$429 reduces to $249 If you like color they are priced at $199 Argue for free shipping

REFURBISHED WATER OVEN SALE
Save 40%!
Order now while limited quantities last!
We have a very limited number of refurbished water ovens available as a special deal exclusively for our valued email subscribers.

Thanks for the heads-up, D. I just ordered one.

Pat

[Penn]

You are going to hate this. My experience is zip locks work the best for me, the vacuum does exactly what it is designed for, but requires time, which is limited in this kitchen.

Also, we have discover that if we roll the zip locks and extract 95% of the air, there is no difference in the result, or its so marginal there's no impact on quality. Mind you, I only use my Sous Vide for meat and fish. Unlike you, I have never frozen water in a bag, when I can retrieve ice from the freezer in cute little trays.

And yes $200. + shipping owns it. I think the savings is $6-800. dollars iirc

[PSM]

Actually, it's being able to use ZipLocs that sealed the deal, so to speak. The wife would have balked at getting a vacuum sealer, too.

Pat

[Penn]

PSM, so you ordered a Sous Vide oven? Never mind, I reread your post. Have fun with it, you'll be amazed by the results and texture of meats when cooked this way. Especially, if you are a rare to medium rare guy.

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Penn

PSM, so you ordered a Sous Vide oven?

Yes, sir!

Pat

[(1VB)compforce]

Originally Posted by Penn

Also, we have discover that if we roll the zip locks and extract 95% of the air, there is no difference in the result, or its so marginal there's no impact on quality. Mind you, I only use my Sous Vide for meat and fish. Unlike you, I have never frozen water in a bag, when I can retrieve ice from the freezer in cute little trays.

Aha... that's where we differ. You can't compress fruit or de-gas liquids in a zip lock. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQwphCnFdak Also, as a single guy, it's nearly impossible to buy anything in small enough portions... Take celery as an example. I use like two stalks in a pot of stock. What happens to the rest? It sits in the fridge until it goes bad and then gets tossed out, usually long before the next pot of stock is made. Vacuum sealing the celery lets me keep it pretty much forever, or at least long enough that I actually use it all. Price of celery: 1.25ish Price of a bag for the sealer <.01 That's at least 1.24 in savings and usually more like 2.48. Add that up over all the things that go bad in my fridge each year and it probably will end up saving me $1000+ this year.

BTW, I didn't freeze the water, I just wanted to make sure I didn't end up with an unsealed bag of liquid like with the food saver. I did however freeze a couple of bags of beef stock for later use... but then I'm sure you have those in the cute little trays too, right next to the pesto. BTW, I don't have trays, I have this new invention called an ice maker