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

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.

I'll try it next week. :munchin

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

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.

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

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.

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. ) :)

Damn, you're making me hungry......

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. :D

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

Now we're cookin

precision water bath with circ pump. Take your pick.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Healthcare-L...nkw=water+bath

Ah so. :D