Could be the future of range tops...
Cooked up some shrimp @135 for 25mins... Fantastic!
Cooked up some shrimp @135 for 25mins... Fantastic!
Sous Vide anyone?
- Thread starter Phenol
- Start date
Thought I would revive an old thread instead of starting a new one!
Two of the best steaks I've ever had were at Belmond Maroma Resort in Mexico. Belmond was previously Orient Express until the rebranded several years ago. My wife and I travel there several times a year and have gotten to know the staff really well. Anyway, they buy their beef from the US and their new executive chef is from Argentina. The last time I was there I ordered the the Filet medium rare and it was like butter. Very light firm crust but the most consistent texture and color I've ever seen on a steak. It was so tender that I did not need a knife to cut it. Amazing....so I asked the chef how he cooked the steak in he indicated he cooked in a water bath. I had not thought about it until a coworker indicated that he cooked some ribs for thanksgiving in a water bath in a cooler. I told him about the steak and he indicated that it had to be cooked via sous vide. After doing some research, I decided I wanted the Joules Sous Vide (http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/joule-sous-vide-immersion-circulator-review.html) so my wife ordered me one for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to experimenting with it and see some mouth watering pics. My only concern is whether my gas stove will get my cast iron pan hot enough to put a proper crust on the steak. I'm making myself hungry!
Two of the best steaks I've ever had were at Belmond Maroma Resort in Mexico. Belmond was previously Orient Express until the rebranded several years ago. My wife and I travel there several times a year and have gotten to know the staff really well. Anyway, they buy their beef from the US and their new executive chef is from Argentina. The last time I was there I ordered the the Filet medium rare and it was like butter. Very light firm crust but the most consistent texture and color I've ever seen on a steak. It was so tender that I did not need a knife to cut it. Amazing....so I asked the chef how he cooked the steak in he indicated he cooked in a water bath. I had not thought about it until a coworker indicated that he cooked some ribs for thanksgiving in a water bath in a cooler. I told him about the steak and he indicated that it had to be cooked via sous vide. After doing some research, I decided I wanted the Joules Sous Vide (http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/joule-sous-vide-immersion-circulator-review.html) so my wife ordered me one for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to experimenting with it and see some mouth watering pics. My only concern is whether my gas stove will get my cast iron pan hot enough to put a proper crust on the steak. I'm making myself hungry!
Throw the CI on your grill then. Should get it plenty hot enough.
I have had mine about a year now: it's a "Von Shef" brand which I got from Amazon UK, complete with the vac pack device.
I hand-carried it back through LHR, so I took it out of the box and packaging and stuck it in a large Marks and Spencer bag (I was forced to buy a proper coat as it was well cold last November in England!) and off to the security. Fortunately I was on a business trip so I was in Business Class and got Fast Track. So my bags go through the scanner and the M&S bag gets diverted for additional inspection. The guy says "Would you mind taking this out of the bag sir?" so I did so and placed it on the counter. "Hmm." he says. "What is it sir?" I told him it was a sous vide and he went "Really - I didn't know they sold them in Marks', I've been looking for one for ages, seen them on Masterchef!" So I told him it was just the bag, it was from Amazon. He asked if would tell him how much it was - it was about GBP120 as I recall, and including the vac pack, which was in the check in luggage. We then chatted about coooking programmes for a minute or two while I repacked it, replaced shoes, etc etc and he wished me a pleasant journey(!) Really funny encounter.
I mostly use mine for chicken, it works very well on breasts and ballotines, but you do need to brown in a smoking hot pan quick as you can as they look a bit anaemic otherwise. You also need to season before cooking - some sites suggest otherwise but I don't think it works as well.
Steaks haven't been so successful, again, you need to sear them after cooking but I left them in the pan too long trying to get a crust on them and they came out too well done. Another time I tried pre-searing them and that was not much better as the crust had softened by the end of the cooking and had to re-sear them and again, came out well done. Frankly, steak is too expensive here to experiment with so I will stick to conventional methods.
Carrots work really well as the long cooking time really enhance the natural sugars, just slice them into rounds and in with seasoning and a little butter. I have also tried spiced pears, again, not bad.
The only disaster was a "boeuf bourguignon" attempt. With hindsight, I should have sauted off the onions and garlic, then boiled the wine before putting everything in the bag as the onions were still raw, as was the alcohol. I tried to save it by boiling off the wine and stock mixture but the rawness of the alcohol had permeated the meat.
I hand-carried it back through LHR, so I took it out of the box and packaging and stuck it in a large Marks and Spencer bag (I was forced to buy a proper coat as it was well cold last November in England!) and off to the security. Fortunately I was on a business trip so I was in Business Class and got Fast Track. So my bags go through the scanner and the M&S bag gets diverted for additional inspection. The guy says "Would you mind taking this out of the bag sir?" so I did so and placed it on the counter. "Hmm." he says. "What is it sir?" I told him it was a sous vide and he went "Really - I didn't know they sold them in Marks', I've been looking for one for ages, seen them on Masterchef!" So I told him it was just the bag, it was from Amazon. He asked if would tell him how much it was - it was about GBP120 as I recall, and including the vac pack, which was in the check in luggage. We then chatted about coooking programmes for a minute or two while I repacked it, replaced shoes, etc etc and he wished me a pleasant journey(!) Really funny encounter.
I mostly use mine for chicken, it works very well on breasts and ballotines, but you do need to brown in a smoking hot pan quick as you can as they look a bit anaemic otherwise. You also need to season before cooking - some sites suggest otherwise but I don't think it works as well.
Steaks haven't been so successful, again, you need to sear them after cooking but I left them in the pan too long trying to get a crust on them and they came out too well done. Another time I tried pre-searing them and that was not much better as the crust had softened by the end of the cooking and had to re-sear them and again, came out well done. Frankly, steak is too expensive here to experiment with so I will stick to conventional methods.
Carrots work really well as the long cooking time really enhance the natural sugars, just slice them into rounds and in with seasoning and a little butter. I have also tried spiced pears, again, not bad.
The only disaster was a "boeuf bourguignon" attempt. With hindsight, I should have sauted off the onions and garlic, then boiled the wine before putting everything in the bag as the onions were still raw, as was the alcohol. I tried to save it by boiling off the wine and stock mixture but the rawness of the alcohol had permeated the meat.
Been doing it for years, both in my two restaurants in Asia and now at home. Tri Tip tonight.
Is it possible to cook a protein such as a filet and vegetables in the same pot but in different bags?
Veggies tend to need much higher temps (180-190c vs meat's 130-150c)
Gotcha thanks!
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