Thanks Dom. I wasn't sure if they still had it on sale.
[Reply]

Took a shot at a boneless pork chop last night. I tend to avoid pork chops because they dry out so easily. Not this one! Really juicy. I put it in the water bath naked - no herbs or seasoning. After it came out of the bath, I rubbed it down with some pork seasoning and seared it on a cast iron skillet with some thinly shaved slices of garlic in canola oil. Good flavor, decent sear. I'm still not wild about pork chops, but if Grace gets a craving, this is how we're doing them.

Image
[Reply]

Nicely done Vin. I used mine the other night to do a porterhouse steak I had just picked up from my farmer friend. Sous vide is best left to steaks over 1" in thickness. While this steak was still good, even after a quick minute sear on both sides, it was too done for my tastes. I knew that going in, but I hadn't had this beef in a while and it was still frozen. I was under a time constraint and sous vide is great for frozen products.
[Reply]

My friend who's in SV does not season the meat either before vacuum sealing them.
[Reply]

I've done two meals now with my Anova.

For the first, I got two free range chicken breasts (on bone, quite large at 1.4 pounds total, onion salt and pepper) and did them at 150 for 2 hours. Ice bath then in the fridge to finish firming up. Rough chopped the chicken and put in to cream of mushroom soup. Mixed salad on the side. Very good - the chicken held its texture and was very moist.

For the second, I got a 1" boneless rib eye. Salt, pepper and garlic powder. Next time I will lower the temp about 3 degrees as it was just bit over what I wanted to doneness (we shoot for just shy of medium). The sear in my Calphalon pan was acceptable but a torch would have been perfect. Best rib eye not cooked over charcoal that I've had in a very long time. The feel on the tooth was near perfect and flavor abounded. May try adding some red wine (maybe 2-4 Tbsp) next time. Salad on the side, but pan seared asparagus is out go-to for steak.

I do not have a vacuum sealer, so have been using the zip-lock immersion technique. I think that both would have been better fully sealed. I'll get a vacuum sealer after the holidays. This is also a good excuse to get some Lodge cast iron that I've been lusting after for use on the Big Green Egg.

I recommend the unit since it has a wide range in which the food is "done". Makes dinners when we both commute less time sensitive and more relaxed in the prep. That alone is worth $129. btw, the bluetooth app sucks as it doesn't appear to alarm, but that's okay since time isn't that important except for the minimum time.
[Reply]

I cooked two 1" Rib Eyes (from Costco) yesterday using my Anova @ 129 degrees for 40 minutes (recipe on the Anova site) and they came out perfect:

Image

I seared the steaks in a very hot (Lodge) cast iron skillet with bacon fat or 1 minute on a side. Next time I might do 1:15 or 1:30.

I had better luck with the iPhone app -- the app alerted me when the water was at temperature and when the timer had run out.

I want to thank Dom for starting this thread! I am not up for using the grill in the pouring rain or freezing cold, and now I can still have a good steak! Going to try some lamb chops next :-)
[Reply]

One of the advantages I see of this cooking method is being able to take something straight from the freezer and put into the water. I have a tendency to forget to thaw items I want for dinner.
[Reply]

If the food is frozen when it goes in to the water bath, I assume the minimum cook time needs adjusting? Any rule of thumb?
[Reply]

vin...I usually add an extra hour for anything up to 2 inches thick...then begin my sous vide cook time....the hour in the bath allows for thaw
[Reply]

You maximum time in the water is so big, that as long as your temp is at low setting, you should be all set. I am pretty sure my friend will leave stuff in there like all day. He did a porchetta that was unreal! The SV really rendered the fat well and when he fried it after the SV, the crackling was great.

Has anyone done a pork belly in the SV? :-)
[Reply]

That's about what I did also.
[Reply]

I think it's awesome that the two of you ordered one.
I can't wait to see what other people turn out with the sous vide method.
First Pit Barrel Cookers, and now Anova circulators. I'm a bad influence! :-)
I just can't get Pnoon to finally break down and get the PBC. The force is strong with that one. :-)

Mark, curious why you think using a vacuum sealer would turn out a better product? It's my understanding that the reason for removing the air is because it is a poor conductor of heat. Was it that you weren't able to get out all the air with the immersion technique, or did you read something that a better vacuum holds in more moisture?
[Reply]

Understatement of the year :-)
[Reply]

Holds the liquids in better contact with the meat.
[Reply]

Why such long cook times? And do you adjust the cook times if you're going to wear meats? How is this using seafood, mainly asking about fish.
[Reply]

I always try to make sure meats are at least medium rare before I wear them.
[Reply]

I don't know how that happened? Oh nevermind, fat fingers. That was a little Hannibal Lecter'ish :-). I meant sear meats.
[Reply]

Hey Greg - hope you are feeling better.

I like this site for ideas about fish. In general, it is better to cook fish in water than any other way so that it cooks evenly and doesn't dry out.

http://blog.sousvidesupreme.com/cate...h-and-seafood/

I plan to do some cod and halibut once I am back from vacation.
[Reply]

I cooked some (3) lamb shoulder blade chops tonight -- 3 hours @ 135 degrees; seared 90 seconds in cast iron on each side in bacon fat. They came out fantastic, perfectly done (medium rare, jucy and tender):

Image

I was not sure about the cook time and temp as I got conflicting info from the Internet. I consulted with our local expert (dom) and he helped me out!
[Reply]

This thread is really making me consider picking up a sous vide unit. I'm :-) over the pictures.
[Reply]