Who here has used a sous vide machine (1 Viewer)

[Dago]

What are your thoughts on it? I am looking at an Inkbird 1000w

 

[buzd]

What are your thoughts on it? I am looking at an Inkbird 1000w

I have an Anova. It's good for certain things, but I don't use it that often.

 

[Dago]

I have an Anova. It's good for certain things, but I don't use it that often.

Knew I could count on you to answer. Obviously steaks are the big thing but have you tried it on other meats and what did you feel about the results?

 

[dtc]

I've been using them for years. So long, in fact, that my first heater was an actual immersion circulator from a science lab. They've come down in price from over 1000 to 100 or so and most of them are great now. annova is a good one I've given to friends as gifts. I use a couple of polyscience machines I've had for awhile and have no reason to replace them.

Any immersion circulator is going to be fine I'd bet. More important is the vacuum sealer.

If you decide you like the method, invest in a true chamber vac. They've come way down over the years, but they have more use imho than the cooker.

As for other cuts of meat, yes! I've done it all.

I rarely use it for steak unless I need to do a bunch of them for a party.

Short ribs are one of my favorites. Brisket is like cheating.
Vegetables can be fantastic and one of the best SV dishes you'll ever have is Alon Shaya's original roasted cauliflower from Domenica which he sous vide in a mont burre and then roasted in their million degree oven to finish.

Feel free to ask anything. I may have an answer.


Oh, and right this minute I have watermelon infused with moonshine and compressed in the fridge.

 

[buzd]

Knew I could count on you to answer. Obviously steaks are the big thing but have you tried it on other meats and what did you feel about the results?

I mostly agree with @dtc. I don't think it improves steaks, although it is a good tool if you are doing a lot of them. It's much better for tougher cuts, and even more useful for vegetables.

 

[zeetes]

I have an Anova. It's good for certain things, but I don't use it that often.

this. all that is needed with a plastic tub.

 

[Dago]

I've been using them for years. So long, in fact, that my first heater was an actual immersion circulator from a science lab. They've come down in price from over 1000 to 100 or so and most of them are great now. annova is a good one I've given to friends as gifts. I use a couple of polyscience machines I've had for awhile and have no reason to replace them.

Any immersion circulator is going to be fine I'd bet. More important is the vacuum sealer.

If you decide you like the method, invest in a true chamber vac. They've come way down over the years, but they have more use imho than the cooker.

As for other cuts of meat, yes! I've done it all.

I rarely use it for steak unless I need to do a bunch of them for a party.

Short ribs are one of my favorites. Brisket is like cheating.
Vegetables can be fantastic and one of the best SV dishes you'll ever have is Alon Shaya's original roasted cauliflower from Domenica which he sous vide in a mont burre and then roasted in their million degree oven to finish.

Feel free to ask anything. I may have an answer.


Oh, and right this minute I have watermelon infused with moonshine and compressed in the fridge.

You do a cold smoke on the brisket before using the sous vide?

 

[zeetes]

I mostly agree with @dtc. I don't think it improves steaks, although it is a good tool if you are doing a lot of them. It's much better for tougher cuts, and even more useful for vegetables.

yup. good for lesser cuts of meat. softens them well.

i don't find it exceptional for good cuts of meat.

 

[zeetes]

since the 60s, the method had been used for "trash" or not quite-up-to-snuff meats, for tenderizing.

unfortunately the same is still relevant today.

great to cook a piece of meat, then searing. i just don't find it does justice on a great cut of meat. even after a sear, it still seems to lack the "punch" of a great steak.

 

[flygirl]

What are your thoughts on it? I am looking at an Inkbird 1000w

I have the Anova one. I love it for chicken breasts. With fresh rosemary, sliced lemons and balsamic vinegar, or just a few tabs of butter. I havent been thrilled with the steaks, but I will try it again. While I have a vacuum sealer, I just immerse a freezer bag in water to push all of the air out of the bag. Works just as well.

 

[dtc]

You do a cold smoke on the brisket before using the sous vide?

I've done it a couple of ways and what I have liked the best is to SV for 24 or so and then smoke it hot - maybe 275. I've enjoyed it very much SV for 48 hours and then grilling it, but no bark.

It is a fantastic way to make cheap meats good for sure.

You can actually make a boneless, skinless chicken breast into food with it.

190 degree carrots in a reduction of apple cider vinegar and brown sugar or honey can be as good as anything.

One of the best things I ever did was a 48 hour prime rib at 125 degrees and then smoked it and grilled it for an hour and brought the center to 130. I had the bones off for the SV and then retied after refrigerating to get it cool.

If you cook an old cheap piece of meat long enough to break down the connective tissue and collagen you can make it as tender as filet. If you do the same with filet it makes it into mush if you do it too long. But!!! If you ever find yourself needing to do 2 dozen steaks, you can SV them to 128 and then sear them on a rocking fire for a minute or two to bring them to whatever temp you want.

Butter poached lobster.

Potato crusted fish like they do at GW Finns.

Perfect boiled eggs.

 

[Dago]

Sounds good then. I really think filet is overrated...I prefer a good ribeye, strip, or coulotte

 

[dtc]

Sounds good then. I really think filet is overrated...I prefer a good ribeye, strip, or coulotte

I don't like filet either unless it's my wife's leftover and in the fridge.

I really only like strips. I'll eat a ribeye, but prefer a strip 10 times. The only steak I'd suggest you use in the SV would be the strip or the coulotte.

I like mine medium rare so you could cook your strip to 125 or so and then cool it until you're ready to grill and burn it at 800 for long enough to char it and it's good. I never do it that way because I can do it better without it and so can anyone else with a hot grill and patience to let the steak sweat to room temp with salt.

 

[Merl]

I've done it a couple of ways and what I have liked the best is to SV for 24 or so and then smoke it hot - maybe 275. I've enjoyed it very much SV for 48 hours and then grilling it, but no bark.

It is a fantastic way to make cheap meats good for sure.

You can actually make a boneless, skinless chicken breast into food with it.

190 degree carrots in a reduction of apple cider vinegar and brown sugar or honey can be as good as anything.

One of the best things I ever did was a 48 hour prime rib at 125 degrees and then smoked it and grilled it for an hour and brought the center to 130. I had the bones off for the SV and then retied after refrigerating to get it cool.

If you cook an old cheap piece of meat long enough to break down the connective tissue and collagen you can make it as tender as filet. If you do the same with filet it makes it into mush if you do it too long. But!!! If you ever find yourself needing to do 2 dozen steaks, you can SV them to 128 and then sear them on a rocking fire for a minute or two to bring them to whatever temp you want.

Butter poached lobster.

Potato crusted fish like they do at GW Finns.

Perfect boiled eggs.

From what I have seen this year "cheap" meat has become extinct. Today I went to a Brookshires and the "cheap" NY strips were $20.00 a lb. 90-20 hamburger was around $8 per pound.

 

[Dago]

Just did this wagyu coulotte I got from crowd cow. Nearly overcooked