# Store sealed product direct to sous vide?



## Greg Who Cooks (Aug 10, 2012)

I covet getting a sous vide but I know it won't be any time soon. (I'm between houses.) I guess if you have a sous vide then by definition you're the chef who has everything, since I can't imagine getting one if you're lacking any kitchen essentials. As I daydream about my future sous vide I'm intrigued by ideas.

There are a few products I've seen at Trader Joe's although I imagine they are available at many markets.

1.) Boneless beef rib eye steak, tightly sealed in the kind of bag I think is essentially same as used for sous vide. It is so tightly sealed there is only the slightest amount of air bubbles and I can't imagine anybody sealing their own and getting any more air out. They're sold refrigerated not frozen. Would this be suitable for sous vide?

2.) Any of several varieties of fish (salmon, and a selection of various white fish fillets) usually sold about two servings per bag, similar to above but frozen. (I imagine you would thaw them before putting in the sous vide's hot water.) Would this be suitable for sous vide?

Both have adhesive labels and they don't look like there is any way to get them off, I don't know if they'd come off in the sous vide or not. Would this be a problem?

It seems to me that products already sealed in compatible packaging would be ideal for sous vide, would just eliminate one step.


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## buckytom (Aug 10, 2012)

i think you're on to something greg. 

i mean as far as the way they sell "boil in bag" veggies, but for meats.

i'd wonder about the safety of the plastics used for freezing meats if i were to cook in them, otherwise.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Aug 10, 2012)

buckytom said:


> i mean as far as the way they sell "boil in bag" veggies, but for meats.
> 
> i'd wonder about the safety of the plastics used for freezing meats if i were to cook in them, otherwise.


Trader Joe's says use them or freeze them by X date.

I'll agree that we know nothing about the plastics used, but do we know that much about vacuum seal bags?

It turns out it's not that simple. I'm still researching but I found an interesting blog post. You can draw your own conclusions. My conclusion: this needs more research


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 16, 2013)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I covet getting a sous vide but I know it won't be any time soon. (I'm between houses.) I guess if you have a sous vide then by definition you're the chef who has everything, since I can't imagine getting one if you're lacking any kitchen essentials.



OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! I ordered it TODAY!!!   



> *SousVide Supreme™ Demi 11-Liter Water Oven Starter Kit*
> 
> This  starter kit has everything you need to start cooking sous vide,  including the SousVide Supreme" Demi water oven, vacuum sealer (10 pouch  count), and the Easy Sous Vide cookbook. Sous vide cooking involves  cooking food in vacuum-sealed pouches submerged in a water bath held at a  precise and constant temperature. The SousVide Supreme" Demi is the  world's first water oven designed specifically to bring the  extraordinary sous vide cooking method into the home kitchen. Simple  digital push-button controls let you cook meals to perfection with  maximum flavor and nutrition. This 11-liter water oven can cook up to  twenty 4-oz. portions of food and features a tight-fitting lid to  contain steam, precise temperature control adjustment (1° F increments),  and rack for easy positioning of cooking pouches. Stainless  steel exterior with nonstick interior for easy cleanup. 850 watts.  Dimensions: 11.4" H x 11.5" W x 14.2" L. CUL listed. Imported. One-year  warranty. Model# SVS10LS.


I had to special order it at Bed, Bath and Beyond (although you can order it online) so that I could use one of their 20% off coupons, plus they gave me free shipping (and I asked to deliver it to the store--5 minute drive from here, so that I wouldn't have to wait around for the truck) and the final price including tax is $436! They said it could take up to two weeks but it would probably come in before next weekend.

I'm pretty sure this is the top of the line model from the company that invented home kitchen sous vide!

You know how long I've wanted a sous vide (see the date on the OP). I can't believe it but it's finally on its way!!!


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## salt and pepper (Jun 16, 2013)

No, don't cook in the bags they are sold in. To cook a stk you should season it frist then brown it quickly the place it in the sous vide after sealing in a clean bag.


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## Andy M. (Jun 16, 2013)

salt and pepper said:


> No, don't cook in the bags they are sold in. To cook a stk you should season it frist then brown it quickly the place it in the sous vide after sealing in a clean bag.



I also heard it the opposite.  That you sous vide it first then a quick sear.  

Who was the member here who reported his SV process?


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## salt and pepper (Jun 16, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> I also heard it the opposite. That you sous vide it first then a quick sear.
> 
> Who was the member here who reported his SV process?


 
  The whole idea is to keep it at the holding temp and not have to cook it any more then the serving temp ( say 130 degrees for a rib eye). Then it goes directly on a serving plate.


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## Andy M. (Jun 16, 2013)

salt and pepper said:


> The whole idea is to keep it at the holding temp and not have to cook it any more then the serving temp ( say 130 degrees for a rib eye). Then it goes directly on a serving plate.



I get that.  I remember this old thread (there are others) where Rob Babcock got a SV machine and shared a lot of info with us.  Check out this thread on burgers.  This is what I remembered and is why I posted that the opposite process to yours was also possible.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f48/hamburger-cooked-sous-vide-with-pics-70776.html

I suppose either way would work.  I imagine if you did two steaks or burgers at the same time, one seared first and one after SV then compared the two.  It seems to me the pre-seared meat would be diffeent from a freshly seared one.  Just my imagination at work.


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## powerplantop (Jun 17, 2013)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! I ordered it TODAY!!!
> 
> You know how long I've wanted a sous vide (see the date on the OP). I can't believe it but it's finally on its way!!!



I ordered mine yesterday.

If it works out and I am sure it will I plan to also order a Polyscience Sous Vide to do larger batches of food at a different temp.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 19, 2013)

OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! I got it TODAY!!!   

I picked it up late morning but I had lots of shopping to do (I'm moving into my new home) so I didn't get it unpacked until about an hour ago. One of my stops was to pick up some rib eye steaks at Trader Joe's. See the OP, the experiment I suggested almost two years ago I'm doing tonight!

My SVS10LS didn't come with a quick start guide but it came with two DVDs, one of them with a quick start video (perhaps 4-5 minutes, and other stuff on the DVD I haven't watched yet). In the QS video they demonstrate cooking chicken, and cooking beef.

They suggest seasoning before cooking, but my proposed experiment was to discover if you could go TJ --> Sous Vide --> done, without breaking the seal. They commented that storage bags may not be appropriate for sous vide cooking. I'm offering my body up to science, and besides, one time won't kill me, and anyway I don't want to unpack the vacuum sealer and read the manual and yada yada...

The QS video suggests for steaks to either sear one side, after cooking, (choose your method) or quickly saute one side in foaming butter. Or you can use a propane torch, I have the torch they used in the video, you can get it at BBB, but in the current state of my household there is no hope of finding the torch tonight. (Their statement to brown just one side suggests it's for appearance... ???)

Another point brought up in the video is that thickness is more important than cooking time. In the video they said you could bring it up to temperature (and minimum time) and then just let it sit until you feel like serving it. (You might want to reduce the temperature if you're considering 24 hour cooking periods.)

I didn't really research this subject all that much. I had more "covet" than "want to know" in me when I decided to get the sous vide. I think I'll be happy with my "water oven" (as they are sometimes referred) no matter what it's good for, I'll find out what the best recipes are.

I'm totally fascinated by the idea that this is high end gourmet professional cooking being introduced into the cooking enthusiast amateur chef regime which is what I consider myself, an "amateur chef." The price of admission is just a bit over $400 so it's not really super expensive. (PPT, what did you pay and where did you get it?)

So tonight I'm cooking my TJ rib eye steak at the recommended 134 degrees F, for 1-4 hours for 1" thickness. It's been in for 20 minutes now so I'm considering serving in about an hour or an hour and a half. I have some left over salted butter I used for my lobster a few nights ago, so I'll probably give it a quick saute (on one side per the video) and serve it. I'll report back on how it all worked out.


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## powerplantop (Jun 19, 2013)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! I got it TODAY!!!
> 
> 
> I'm totally fascinated by the idea that this is high end gourmet professional cooking being introduced into the cooking enthusiast amateur chef regime which is what I consider myself, an "amateur chef." The price of admission is just a bit over $400 so it's not really super expensive. (PPT, what did you pay and where did you get it?)
> ...



I ordered the SousVide Supreme Promo Pack direct from the manufacture for $499. 

I am still waiting.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 21, 2013)

PPT, don't you have Bed, Bath & Beyond? Anyway it's worth $500 too! I'm looking forward to your posting your initial experiences, and hope you like it as much as I do. I've told several friends and relatives all about my new Sous Vide and invited them over (not all at once) to enjoy my new cooking method.

Anybody else who contemplates this, please visit the BBB website and join the mailing list and they'll email you a link to a 20% off coupon, and send you another each month. BBB list price (same as manufacturer) is $499.99, but with the 20% off coupon it's $399.99, plus sales tax. Free shipping from on-line. Or ship it to your local store like I did, so I wouldn't need to be home to receive it.

I have the photos of my SV steak and was showing it to a friend today. I'll post one or more pics soon.


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## powerplantop (Jun 21, 2013)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> PPT, don't you have Bed, Bath & Beyond? Anyway it's worth $500 too! I'm looking forward to your posting your initial experiences, and hope you like it as much as I do. I've told several friends and relatives all about my new Sous Vide and invited them over (not all at once) to enjoy my new cooking method.



There is one close to my house and one close to my current hotel. If I had known about the 20% and faster shipping I would have ordered mine the same way. But I did want to order using PayPal to use my funds from youtube. 

I do have some things I want to try and will post results.


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## powerplantop (Jun 21, 2013)

Mine came today! 

I plan to give it a try on Sunday


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 22, 2013)

Great!!! I was too busy today to plan any dinner so I grabbed another Trader Joe's rib eye and threw it into the water oven about half hour ago. Tonight I don't know when I want for dinner but the video says any time 1-4 hours after start. That means I can serve dinner any time past 7 pm local (until 10 pm). I hope I'll find my propane torch before then...


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## powerplantop (Jun 22, 2013)

I will do some chicken breast tomorrow night. Not sure if I will go buy a torch or not.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 26, 2013)

PPT I used a home improvement type propane torch last night, the kind you use for brazing copper pipe, etc., and I found it tedious and likely to let your steaks cool off while you're torching them. It's a must to start with extremely hot serving dishes.

I covet another cooing device: an infrared grill similar to the Tec Cherokee (which I may buy soon). As far as I understand there is no way to get a higher grill temperature than via an infrared grill. A quick sear on the infrared would probably be perfect!

Noting that for steaks infrared grills and sous vide are virtually direct competitors.

Today I purchased at the market a pork tenderloin already seasoned with "chipotle barbecue sauce." I'm going for 135 for 2 hours, per an online recipe...

Lest I give anybody the incorrect impression, sous vide usually involves spicing and perhaps buttering (or other sauce) your entree then seal it in a vacuum bag (the top of the line SV comes with a vacuum sealer and 10 bags). I'm still extremely busy getting my new household together and I've been making use of pre-prepared products a lot. It's amazing that so many products are unintentionally sous vide compatible!


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## powerplantop (Jun 27, 2013)

I looked at some of those at Lowes but passed. I was not ready to buy one just yet. 

Last night I did two grass fed strip steaks 1 hour at 133 with rosemary and garlic. Patted them dry then seared in a hot pan. Simply amazing. 

Let me know how the pork turns out.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 29, 2013)

PPT the pork tenderloin didn't appeal to me. I have never cooked pork tenderloin before so maybe it's just me...

So here's the promised pics of my first SV rib eye steak:

The package from Trader Joe's:




(after cooking, so that's why the label pealed off)

Cookin' in my Sous Vide:





Decorating my plate!!!





It was simply delicious!!!!!!!!!! 


One very interesting thing I may have mentioned already, the sous vide technique is very time forgiving. I can't remember now when I put in tonight's rib eye... Was it 5:30 or 6:30??? I'm pretty sure it wasn't 7:30 because that's less than an hour ago, and 1" steaks cook for 1-4 hours. You can pull them out at 1 hour and serve them, or you can just let them fly in a holding pattern like LAX or JFK on a Friday night, or at least that's what the video says. So it was an hour or more ago, I forgot, I been busy uploading pics and posting. Probably went in at 6:30 and probably serve at 8:30.

So I'm pretty sure my steak will be just fine even if it's 9:30 p.m. (4 hours after the earliest I may have started it). It's just past 8 local and I'll probably serve in the next 30 minutes or so. Munchies: done. Salad: done. Guests: none. Wine: middling, Trader Joe's "Two and a half buck Chuck." Moving: 3-1/2 weeks into it I'm just beginning to realize the magnitude of the problem!

I'm having a great time!!!


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## powerplantop (Jun 29, 2013)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> PPT the pork tenderloin didn't appeal to me. I have never cooked pork tenderloin before so maybe it's just me...
> 
> So here's the promised pics of my first SV rib eye steak:
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info! 

Your steak does look good. 

*Today I did see a video of a chef cooking lamb in the crovac package it came in.  *

Today I played with two things. 

Steak and asparagus. This I was very happy with this. Cooked the asparagus at 185 for 4 minutes then quickly dropped the temp and held it while cooking the steak at 133 for 1 hour. 




Steak and Asparagus cooked Sous Vide by powerplantop, on Flickr

I stuffed some chicken breast with cheese and tomato with some extra tomatoes on the outside of the breast. It was good but not supper tender like the breast I cooked a few days ago. This was cooked at 146 F for one hour. Not sure if it was the acid in the tomato of the higher temp.




DSC_0270 by powerplantop, on Flickr


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 29, 2013)

powerplantop said:


> TSteak and asparagus. This I was very happy with this. Cooked the asparagus at 185 for 4 minutes then quickly dropped the temp and held it while cooking the steak at 133 for 1 hour.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



OMG!!!  That was a good idea, doing the asparagus at 185F then dropping the temp for the steak. I sometimes eat raw asparagus (snacking while I'm cooking) so I know that asparagus really doesn't need much cooking (more so for the root end, but the tips taste great raw with a dip).

I'm boiling my carrots a bit before a quick saute then planning on pulling the steak out of the SV, sear it in a cast iron grilling pan then serve.

Testing my technique before GF comes over tomorrow, don't want to have a technique failure while entertaining. The veggies seem done now, after a boil, using a combination of SV on the steak and vacuum seal and boil on the vegetables. I have a feeling of being really on the trend line using these (until recently) unusual cooking techniques. The vac bags have been around for perhaps a couple decades as a retail package but the SV has only recently entered the amateur chef home cooking area.

I am enthusiastic about cooking my tri-tip roast. I haven't even researched the cooking instructions for roasts yet. Perhaps this is one of those SV recipes I imagined takes overnight or early morning start?

Two years ago I knew I wanted SV and that I would like it, but in retrospect I knew little about the technique. I'm glad it worked out well for me. This appliance may become one of my most valuable cooking devices!


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## StuartCooks (Sep 23, 2016)

All of this looks really good!

If you brown your steak and season it first then vacuum seal you will be exposing the meat to the flavors (including the maillard) for much longer. The vacuum will help pull those flavors deep into the meat and it will be AWESOME. Really intensely flavorful. 

If you are worried about the cost of vacuum sealer bags join the vacuum sealer bags discount club here. I stock up every time I get a notification of a sale.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 25, 2017)

I noticed this had jumped up a bit in my subscribed topics, thought I'd update it.

I still use the Sous Vide mostly for steaks, and have vastly reduced my cooking time and temperature, almost to the point where it's conceivable it might mooo. I mean, if it had a mouth. 

Like rib eye steak at 119 degrees for 50 or 55 minutes, then a really quick sear on a medium hot cast iron pan. Do it right and you have your Mallard ... er ... excuse me ... Maillard  browning over an almost entirely pink rare to barely medium rare almost the entire inside!

If you like your steaks well done, don't even read this topic. If your guests like well done, cook something else when they are over. Or do the beef short ribs described below.

It also makes the best beef short ribs I've ever had, not over cooked but falls off the bone fork tender, with almost NO shrinkage like other cooking methods where you end up with bone sticking out the rib meat on each side. I brown the ribs first, then throw them in the bag with barbecue sauce, seal it. Cook it for 3 days. Google the recipe. No the 3 days is not a typo.


With the Sous Vide I bought they provided a vacuum sealer that has been fantastic! I don't know now how anybody does without some sort of vacuum sealer. I use it more than the Sous Vide. Just the other day I found a huge 2-bone prime rib roast, but too much to cook for myself and didn't have any guests in mind, so I just vacuum sealed it, wrote the data on the package using a permanent marker, and tossed it in the freezer. Prime rib for 2-3 some time in the future. Note that many Sous Vide PR recipes call for pre-browning... I can always break it out, brown it, seal it in a new bag.


I get 20% off coupons at Bed, Bath and Beyond and ordered a two roll package of sealer material I can cut to length, still haven't used even one roll. Amazon has good deals too, particularly if you have Prime and get it in two days free shipping. These are heavy duty bags meant for cooking use.

You could also use lighter duty bags available at markets if you want to just seal and freeze them, then thaw before using ordinary cooking methods. Until I got a sealer I never realized how handy they are, particularly when you get good deals on meats. Bad to freeze meats in the packages they come in. Good to vacuum seal them no matter how you plan to cook them.


Was the Sous Vide worth it? No, not really, not unless you already have the cat's meow and decide you want something just because you want it. I use it in bursts, cooking maybe 3-4 steaks over a few weeks--leaving in the water--then drain it and let it sit for some months. BTW that's one of the nice parts of this type of cooker. It is never exposed to food, so it needs little more than wiping down or occasionally a bit of dish washing soap and light scrub with a plastic pad, to keep clean. The food is always sealed so none escapes into the water.

If you already have everything, get this next!


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## Roll_Bones (Feb 26, 2017)

Anyone seen a good deal on an immersion style Sous Vide?
I saw one at Christmas time and did not buy it.


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## hikerman (Feb 26, 2017)

I have been SV'ing for about three years. I am by no means an expert, but after awhile it's like using any other tool....second nature. The most important thing tho, is to follow safety guidelines for temperature and time, otherwise you risk breeding nasty bacterias. There are many charts online. Here is a good source.                                                         www.chefsteps.com/activities/sous-vide-time-and-temperature-guide
I presently have an Anova. My favorite source for recipes is at SeriousEats.com  
As for steaks, if I have time I will cold smoke steaks for 30 minutes to an hour, rub with a touch of evoo, and apply kosher or sea salt, vac seal, sv @131F for med-rare, for appropriate time for size of steak. When done, open pouch, dry steak, season and put on screaming hot grill or cast iron pan for 90 seconds per side. Fresh pepper and serve!


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## Andy M. (Feb 26, 2017)

I like the idea of just buying the submersible heater and using your own pans to hold the water bath.  A cheaper and easier to store solution.  The Anova seems to be well rated.  I haven't really been shopping for one as it's not in the budget.


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## hikerman (Feb 26, 2017)

Andy M. said:


> I like the idea of just buying the submersible heater and using your own pans to hold the water bath.  A cheaper and easier to store solution.  The Anova seems to be well rated.  I haven't really been shopping for one as it's not in the budget.



I bought mine while Anova was offering $75.00 off. I was a bit leery, actually a lot leery at first! But my only regret is that I waited longer than I should have. You can make world class steakhouse steaks at home as good or better than them for much cheaper, or turn cheap cuts such as chuck roasts, bottom round etc into fork-tender cuts. There is no better way to make boneless skinless chicken breasts. SV'ing ends dry tough meat!


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## Andy M. (Feb 26, 2017)

Roll_Bones said:


> Anyone seen a good deal on an immersion style Sous Vide?
> I saw one at Christmas time and did not buy it.




Amazon has a reduced price offer.

https://www.amazon.com/Anova-Culina...-Cooker/dp/B00UKPBXM4/ref=dp_ob_title_kitchen


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## GotGarlic (Feb 26, 2017)

hikerman said:


> You can make world class steakhouse steaks at home as good or better than them for much cheaper, or turn cheap cuts such as chuck roasts, bottom round etc into fork-tender cuts. There is no better way to make boneless skinless chicken breasts. SV'ing ends dry tough meat!



You can do all this without sous vide by properly selecting, preparing and cooking meat.


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## tenspeed (Feb 26, 2017)

Andy M. said:


> Amazon has a reduced price offer.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Anova-Culina...-Cooker/dp/B00UKPBXM4/ref=dp_ob_title_kitchen


I see them on sale from time to time at under $100, not sure which model.  Usually at Amazon, Target, or Walmart.  I follow slickdeals.net, as they regularly have cooking related items on the front page.  The Victorinox 8" chef's knife for $30 is on today's FP.


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## hikerman (Feb 26, 2017)

GotGarlic said:


> You can do all this without sous vide by properly selecting, preparing and cooking meat.



You would be surprised at how many top-end steakhouses use this method.
And you are correct in saying properly selecting, preparing, and cooking meat can get you the same results.....but, you dial in the temperature and you CANNOT overcook or dryout your meat. It is perfect!
As I type I'm SV'ing a 4# prime rump roast I caught on sale. It's cooking at 132F for 72 hours and when done will be so tender only a fork is needed. Taste? Out of this world!


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## GotGarlic (Feb 26, 2017)

hikerman said:


> You would be surprised at how many top-end steakhouses use this method.
> And you are correct in saying properly selecting, preparing, and cooking meat can get you the same results.....but, you dial in the temperature and you CANNOT overcook or dryout your meat. It is perfect!



How do you know what would surprise me? 

Of course, commercial kitchens have the space for machines like this - I have a large kitchen, but I wouldn't want to have something like this taking up so much space and many people don't have large kitchens. It's great for restaurants to be able to hold steaks at a specific temperature in volume and then put them under an extremely hot broiler or salamander to finish. Commercial kitchen techniques aren't always suitable for the home kitchen, though. 

So yeah, I can get the same results without waiting forever for it to cook. But some people like to have this kind of toy, so enjoy it [emoji2]


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## hikerman (Feb 26, 2017)

Okay, i stand to be corrected, I do not know what surprises you!
But what I do know is my Anova fits into a drawer when not in use. It is a very viable tool for cooking enthusiasts that don't want to BE perfect to get perfect results.


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## GotGarlic (Feb 26, 2017)

hikerman said:


> Okay, i stand to be corrected, I do not know what surprises you!
> But what I do know is my Anova fits into a drawer when not in use. It is a very viable tool for cooking enthusiasts that don't want to BE perfect to get perfect results.


That's cool  My drawers and cabinets are already full with the gear I already have. We've been trying to de-clutter over the last year or so and I've gotten rid of some kitchen stuff, but I still have no room [emoji38]


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## hikerman (Feb 26, 2017)

​


GotGarlic said:


> That's cool  My drawers and cabinets are already full with the gear I already have. We've been trying to de-clutter over the last year or so and I've gotten rid of some kitchen stuff, but I still have no room [emoji38]



I understand completely GG! And mean no harm. Sous Vide isn't for everyone, and to be honest when I first heard of them, my thoughts were that I absolutely had no interest in using or buying a circulator. But the cooking forum I was on at the time had members posting pics of their accomplishments using them. The pics were mouth-watering to say the least. So i splurged and am very glad i did.
Oh GG, every cook I know wants/needs more space, including me! Must be inherent with the hobby! 
Peace!


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## GotGarlic (Feb 26, 2017)

hikerman said:


> ​
> I understand completely GG! And mean no harm. Sous Vide isn't for everyone, and to be honest when I first heard of them, my thoughts were that I absolutely had no interest in using or buying a circulator. But the cooking forum I was on at the time had members posting pics of their accomplishments using them. The pics were mouth-watering to say the least. So i splurged and am very glad i did.
> Oh GG, every cook I know wants/needs more space, including me! Must be inherent with the hobby!
> Peace!


Hey, no problems here [emoji2] I was just reacting to your statement about no more tough, dry meat with sous vide cooking. I've been here a long time, so I'm mindful of the fact that new cooks often browse the site and are sometimes influenced by statements like that. They sometimes think that if they don't have the latest thing, they won't succeed. So my comments are often meant for a larger audience than just the person I'm responding to.


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## hikerman (Feb 26, 2017)

I agree....on the world wide net any statement is out there to be read by one or millions. So we should be careful as to what we say. But I stand by my statement. I am a better than fair cook (by hard work not by training) and I'm a better than fair smoker/griller. I can get great results using basic means, but not everytime as maybe a phonecall comes and takes me away at an important time, or the doorbell rings. Sometimes a few minutes difference can make or break a successful cook. My success rate is not 100% using typical means of cooking, but by sous viding my success rate is 100% as an extra hour or ten extra hours will not overcook your meat. That is one of the the best reasons for sous viding.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 26, 2017)

My Sous Vide takes only a small area in my kitchen, although I'll admit I've sometimes considered moving it to a garage shelf when not active.

I think the real benefit of this type of cooking comes out in recipes that take e.g. 3 days to cook, more than enough time to break down all those complex proteins.

Yes it is important to observe health guidelines. Remember that USDA guidelines are based on reaching a peak temperature for a short time. Sous Vide relies on lower temperatures for a longer time, an equally valid criteria for killing bacteria. It's always a time vs. temperature situation, high heat for a short time vs. lower heat for a longer time.

I had hoped to emphasize how valuable the ability to vacuum seal foods surpasses the mere utility of the Sous Vide cooking method. Even if you never succumb to Sous Vide there can be no doubt in my mind that vacuum sealing is an essential food storage tool in any modern home kitchen.

My Sous Vide came with a heavy duty vacuum sealer from Bed, Bath and Beyond at $400, minus my 20% off coupon. I ordered it at the store, had the coupon rung off, free shipping to the store. I think free shipping to home too but the store is 5 min. away. And they are always home during business hours.

But really, this type of cooking is fantastic with cooking times on the order of 3 days! Just the thing to turn tough cuts into fall of the fork dreams!


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## GotGarlic (Feb 26, 2017)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I think the real benefit of this type of cooking comes out in recipes that take e.g. 3 days to cook, more than enough time to break down all those complex proteins.



What meats require three days to cook?


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 27, 2017)

Short ribs of beef. You can Google several recipes: sous+vide+barbecue+short+ribs+beef+recipe


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## hikerman (Feb 27, 2017)

I agreee! Beef shorties are absolutely heavenly cooked sv. I prefer them cooked about 60 hours rather than 72. 

Off the subject here but fish and seafood are wonderful cooked sv, as they are so delicate in nature. I recently sv'ed lobster tails, that came out perfect in minimal time.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 27, 2017)

Hey, what's a few hours more or less between friends? 

I'd like to try lobster, but would rather not have to take out a credit line on my house to afford it.

Anyway I like my lobster broiled under gas flame. I like the way it crisps some of the bits poking up.

I'm sure there are plenty of tough meat cuts that would benefit from long SV cooking times.

Yeah it was an extravagance for me at $400 (Bed, Bath & Beyond) but I like a few unjustifiable pleasures even though I use it rarely. It's good to be frugal but even a frugal person should splurge now and then.


I really like that my SV came with a heavy duty vacuum sealer. I can't imagine life before that! And your stupid Seal-a-Meal probably costs so little at maybe Walmart that anybody who doesn't have a vacuum sealer should get one. That's easily dozens of times more useful than the SV.

Note that the SV needs heavy duty bags, but I'm pretty sure you can buy light duty sealing bags that are not SV grade but still make a great way to prepare things for freezing and suck the air out so the water doesn't leach out of the food and dry it out as it sits in the freezer.


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## GotGarlic (Feb 27, 2017)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Short ribs of beef. You can Google several recipes: sous+vide+barbecue+short+ribs+beef+recipe


This quote below implies that there are recipes using conventional techniques that take three days to cook. That's what I was asking. 



Greg Who Cooks said:


> I think the real benefit of this type of cooking comes out in recipes that take e.g. 3 days to cook, more than enough time to break down all those complex proteins...
> 
> But really, this type of cooking is fantastic with cooking times on the order of 3 days! Just the thing to turn tough cuts into fall of the fork dreams!


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## hikerman (Feb 27, 2017)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Hey, what's a few hours more or less between friends?
> 
> I'd like to try lobster, but would rather not have to take out a credit line on my house to afford it.
> 
> ...



I agree! At some point the texture factor comes into play. There is a little tug left on shorties at 60 hours. There is no right/wrong, just personal preference. 
The lobster tails were the little 4oz.ers. My local butcher had a deal for a 12oz NY strip and the 4 oz. lobster tail for Valentine's Day. As with all my sv'ing, it is  finished outside on a screaming hot grill, cast iron, or inside under the broiler. The tails were split on top with butter before hitting the waterbath then finished under the broiler. Just perfect!,


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 27, 2017)

GotGarlic said:


> This quote below implies that there are recipes using conventional techniques that take three days to cook. That's what I was asking.


I regret any compositional errors I may have inadvertently added when writing my post. If I didn't say it was a SV recipe then I meant it but left that part out.


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## GotGarlic (Feb 27, 2017)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I regret any compositional errors I may have inadvertently added when writing my post. If I didn't say it was a SV recipe then I meant it but left that part out.



Thank you for the clarification


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