Sous Vide cooking, What are the Pros and Cons?

[crosscreekcooter]

My wife has been in the hospital for the last 6 months and I have been doing most of the cooking for the last year. I recently bought my self a do-all pot, air fryer, insta-pot, crock pot and a Sous Vide all in one. I have some interesting things that I can do with it.

How's your wife doing Gren? Have things improved at all?

 

[grengadgy]

Damn. How’d we wind up down this road?

Just having a little sport here :). Seriously, I’ve seen them use the sous vide on some of the cooking shows and the meat always looks...well, pretty flaccid. I don’t know that I’ve ever had anything prepared this way. Seems like the seasoning / marinade would have to carry it or have a good sauce for it. Whatever meat we’re having, I’d rather grill (after a good soak), cook it on the flattop, or broil it.

Instapots were mentioned and my daughter and wife use them for rice. It’s pretty easy, but the rice is always gummy, so that discourages me from trying anything else.

I have had chicken and potatoes in an air fryer that were good, but taste-wise I’d still rather have them prepared traditionally. If time is a factor, I’d just as soon make a sandwich, but us old guys can be more traditional I guess. Still, some of your comments are making me rethink the air fryer.

It's not like you think on sous vide steak. It's not limp unless you over cook it, has more flavor and isn't dried out. And your mark it on your grill to finish itt off. Plus it's tender.

 

[grengadgy]

Damn. How’d we wind up down this road?

Just having a little sport here :). Seriously, I’ve seen them use the sous vide on some of the cooking shows and the meat always looks...well, pretty flaccid. I don’t know that I’ve ever had anything prepared this way. Seems like the seasoning / marinade would have to carry it or have a good sauce for it. Whatever meat we’re having, I’d rather grill (after a good soak), cook it on the flattop, or broil it.

Instapots were mentioned and my daughter and wife use them for rice. It’s pretty easy, but the rice is always gummy, so that discourages me from trying anything else.

I have had chicken and potatoes in an air fryer that were good, but taste-wise I’d still rather have them prepared traditionally. If time is a factor, I’d just as soon make a sandwich, but us old guys can be more traditional I guess. Still, some of your comments are making me rethink the air fryer.

On cooking rice in an insta-pot
Instructions

• Rinse Rice: Rinse rice under cold water by gently scrubbing the rice with your fingertips in a circling motion. Pour out the milky water, and continue to rinse until water is clear. Be sure to drain really well.
• Pressure Cook Rice: Add 1 cup (230g) rice and 1 cup (250ml) cold water in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
  
  Close the lid, turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 3 minutes, then Natural Release for 10 minutes. Turn Venting Knob to Venting position to release the remaining pressure. Open the lid quickly.

 

[grengadgy]

How's your wife doing Gren? Have things improved at all?

She might be better now Is in her 4th hospital since February. Spent July in Mayo. There she got a tracheotomy, feeding direct to her stomach, a catheter and a colostomy bag. Plus because of Covid she hasn't seen any family since July 6. Over all she is doing better I would be because she gotten ao weak that she can't ever use her cellphone....:(


Right now she is a Kinred Acute Hospital at Green Cove. They want to get her off the ventilator.

 

[JDW]

She might be better now Is in her 4th hospital since February. Spent July in Mayo. There she got a tracheotomy, feeding direct to her stomach, a catheter and a colostomy bag. Plus because of Covid she hasn't seen any family since July 6. Over all she is doing better I would be because she gotten ao weak that she can't ever use her cellphone....:(


Right now she is a Kinred Acute Hospital at Green Cove. They want to get her off the ventilator.

Praying for y’all Gren

 

[grengadgy]

Praying for y’all Gren

Thanks

 

[AlexDaGator]

She might be better now Is in her 4th hospital since February. Spent July in Mayo. There she got a tracheotomy, feeding direct to her stomach, a catheter and a colostomy bag. Plus because of Covid she hasn't seen any family since July 6. Over all she is doing better I would be because she gotten ao weak that she can't ever use her cellphone....:(


Right now she is a Kinred Acute Hospital at Green Cove. They want to get her off the ventilator.

You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Alex.

 

[grengadgy]

You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Alex.

Thanks

 

[AlexDaGator]

Damn. How’d we wind up down this road?

Just having a little sport here :). Seriously, I’ve seen them use the sous vide on some of the cooking shows and the meat always looks...well, pretty flaccid. I don’t know that I’ve ever had anything prepared this way. Seems like the seasoning / marinade would have to carry it or have a good sauce for it. Whatever meat we’re having, I’d rather grill (after a good soak), cook it on the flattop, or broil it.

Instapots were mentioned and my daughter and wife use them for rice. It’s pretty easy, but the rice is always gummy, so that discourages me from trying anything else.

I have had chicken and potatoes in an air fryer that were good, but taste-wise I’d still rather have them prepared traditionally. If time is a factor, I’d just as soon make a sandwich, but us old guys can be more traditional I guess. Still, some of your comments are making me rethink the air fryer.

It's like a reverse sear, but more precise.

Water boils at 212, right? Medium rare on a steak is 130, rare is 120. If you drop a steak in 212 degree water, it will turn to soggy shoe leather after a while.

Sous vide is a heating element, propeller, and thermometer all working together. If you know you want to cook your steak to 120, you set the temperature accordingly. The heating element heats the water in whatever container you're using (a pot, a plastic bucket, your sink, whatever) to the desired temperature and the propeller moves the water around so it is all a consistent temperature (no hot spots). So you put your steak with some butter and maybe some rosemary with salt and pepper in a plastic bag and drop that in the 120 degree water. After a while, your steak hits the same 120 degree temperature of the water around it. The steak will be 120 degrees all the way through and if you leave it in 10 minutes longer that you should have, it's still only 120 degrees. You take it out of the water and the plastic bag. It's fully cooked, juicy and delicious but there's no crust on it. Eating it like that, it would taste like you took a perfectly cooked steak, skinned the crust off of it, and just ate the meat in the middle. That's no good. Well, it's good, but it's not good enough. You want that nice crust. So you pat the steak dry and give it a quick sear in a screaming hot frying pan or over hot coals. Just long enough create that magical crust because the meat is already cooked through. If you do it correctly, your steak will have a thin crust and consistently cooked meat as opposed to a hard crust followed by a layer of gray, then pink, then red in the middle.

Lots of restaurant food is pre-cooked in giant commercial sous vide machines. When you order it, all they have to do is put a sear on it. It's faster and you don't have to worry about a bad cook screwing it up.

If it is something that doesn't need to be seared, like shrimp or vegetables, it's easier.


Alex.

 

[CDGator]

It's like a reverse sear, but more precise.

Water boils at 212, right? Medium rare on a steak is 130, rare is 120. If you drop a steak in 212 degree water, it will turn to soggy shoe leather after a while.

Sous vide is a heating element, propeller, and thermometer all working together. If you know you want to cook your steak to 120, you set the temperature accordingly. The heating element heats the water in whatever container you're using (a pot, a plastic bucket, your sink, whatever) to the desired temperature and the propeller moves the water around so it is all a consistent temperature (no hot spots). So you put your steak with some butter and maybe some rosemary with salt and pepper in a plastic bag and drop that in the 120 degree water. After a while, your steak hits the same 120 degree temperature of the water around it. The steak will be 120 degrees all the way through and if you leave it in 10 minutes longer that you should have, it's still only 120 degrees. You take it out of the water and the plastic bag. It's fully cooked, juicy and delicious but there's no crust on it. Eating it like that, it would taste like you took a perfectly cooked steak, skinned the crust off of it, and just ate the meat in the middle. That's no good. Well, it's good, but it's not good enough. You want that nice crust. So you pat the steak dry and give it a quick sear in a screaming hot frying pan or over hot coals. Just long enough create that magical crust because the meat is already cooked through. If you do it correctly, your steak will have a thin crust and consistently cooked meat as opposed to a hard crust followed by a layer of gray, then pink, then red in the middle.

Lots of restaurant food is pre-cooked in giant commercial sous vide machines. When you order it, all they have to do is put a sear on it. It's faster and you don't have to worry about a bad cook screwing it up.

If it is something that doesn't need to be seared, like shrimp or vegetables, it's easier.


Alex.

That sounds absolutely amazing but also a lot of effort to get the crust on the steak. Plus a somewhat expensive upfront cost. I'd rather do it on the blackstone or a grill. Interesting fact about the restaurants using sous vide.

 

[CDGator]

I picked up the Ninja Foodi on that non-specific dark colored Friday sale special last year for $100. It's an air fryer, slow cooker and pressure cooker After my first pot roast on the pressure cooker setting, I'll never go back to the crock pot for a roast again. It took two hours overall but well worth the effort.

 

[AlexDaGator]

That sounds absolutely amazing but also a lot of effort to get the crust on the steak. Plus a somewhat expensive upfront cost. I'd rather do it on the blackstone or a grill. Interesting fact about the restaurants using sous vide.

You can do a traditional reverse sear. You cook the steak in a warm oven first, then do a quick sear. You get a good sear because cooking it in the oven first dries the outside so it's easier to get a crust. Lots of folks swear by steaks cooked this way.


Alex.

 

[grengadgy]

I grew up with a pressure cooker so an Inst-Pot is nothing new. I think sous vide roast will make you smack your lips ala prime rib good.

 

[GatorFL]

I've got an Anova. I've also got a vacuum sealer which I use more than the Anova. I love to make bison steaks in the sous vide. Set it and forget it and then finish in a hot pan to sear. It also makes fantastic Chilean Sea Bass. I sear these in a hot pan too. I think I need the blowtorch to really step it up a notch.

I highly recommend the Anova, the app makes it super easy and foolproof to use.

I'm not much on game meat but I know a couple hunters that sous vide their kills, supposedly it changes the whole experience of eating elk.

When I buy steaks I usually go to Fresh Market and buy the whole filet, ribeye or strip (whatever is on sale) and have them cut it up. I seal in family sized portion, and then freeze them. I should probably salt and butter the steaks when I seal them so I could go right to sous vide, not sure if that is good or not.

 

[heavychevy]

SV gets used 3-5 times a week in this house.

go to store, buy meats.

come home, season meats.

vacuum/seal/freeze

figure out meal for day, set SV, insert meat

light charcoal, place grate on chimney, sear when rest of meal done.

Repeat.

 

[grengadgy]

SV gets used 3-5 times a week in this house.

go to store, buy meats.

come home, season meats.

vacuum/seal/freeze

figure out meal for day, set SV, insert meat

light charcoal, place grate on chimney, sear when rest of meal done.

Repeat.

Have you tried seasoning the meat before you vacuum seal it?

 

[heavychevy]

Have you tried seasoning the meat before you vacuum seal it?

Yep, meat gets seasoned before being vac sealed. Goes from freezer to Sv, no thaw needed.

 

[jdh5484]

I grew up with a pressure cooker so an Inst-Pot is nothing new. I think sous vide roast will make you smack your lips ala prime rib good.

Dried beans? My parents primary use of the pressure cooker.

 

[jdh5484]

You can do a traditional reverse sear. You cook the steak in a warm oven first, then do a quick sear. You get a good sear because cooking it in the oven first dries the outside so it's easier to get a crust. Lots of folks swear by steaks cooked this way.


Alex.

Sounds like it would work. I'm too much of a stick in the mud to ever try it though. Grilled, Blackstone or cast iron sear then oven ( for those that like it "well")

 

[CDGator]

Dried beans? My parents primary use of the pressure cooker.

Wish I’d had the chance to learn about the pressure cooker from my grandparents. I watched YouTube videos to learn how to can my green beans. The first few times I acted like a bomb was about to go off in the kitchen. It’s funny looking back on it now when I can. Pressure cooker is an excellent way to cook beans fast and it’s really not that hard. Not interested enough to try meat in the old style pressure cookers but the ninja foodi is a nice alternative.