First Sous vida cook

Anthodavis · May 15, 2018

After reading for months about how great everyone raves about Sous vida for steaks I had to have one. Not knowing if it would get used a lot I opted for a cheaper Sams club (Chinese) model.
Got a freezer full of home grown beef from this past fall and I’ve started my maiden voyage .
4 t-bone for the family tonight. Cooking at 140 . Wife won’t let the kids eat anything less than medium even thought the beef is raised on the farm here.
So all will be medium . Been in the pot for about 3 hours , got a bed of KBB hot and ready in the Weber kettle for the sear.

Anthodavis · May 15, 2018

Wife didn’t trust it in the house . She wast so fond of electricity and water mixed with Chinese engineering. So it’s in the canning pot in the garage for now.

Anthodavis · May 15, 2018

The little Chinese wonder came to temp pretty quick. It’s so quite I wasn’t sure it was working.
Longevity for the machine will be the true test but for now I’m happy with saving a little money . If it’s a high here like like it is for so many others I will get something better when it wears out
If simple to use. Plugged it in and it flashes the temp , turn the top left or right to set where you want it and push the on button. Then the time comes up, again turn the top until the set time and push the on button.
From there it starts up.
No fancy Bluetooth or WiFi like the more expensive models
Got it on sale for $49 .

pigville porkers · May 15, 2018

Will be the best steak ever.... Other than the Medium part

razorbrewer · May 15, 2018

I think your temp is a little high for medium. Google "sous vide time and temp chart" and the first link will take you to a chart that I use regularly. It recs 136 degrees at 1 hour for medium. What you need to account for is that you're going to need to finish the meat either on a hot grill or in a hot skillet (my preferred method) so you will bring the internal temp up a little or a lot after the water bath, depending on how that process goes. I find a super hot skillet (cast iron or heavy stainless) + clarified butter or oil and flipping often will put a nice crust on your steak quickly, minimizing the grey band beneath the crust. Which is kinda the whole point of sous vide anyway.

Anthodavis · May 15, 2018

razorbrewer said:
I think your temp is a little high for medium. Google "sous vide time and temp chart" and the first link will take you to a chart that I use regularly. It recs 136 degrees at 1 hour for medium. What you need to account for is that you're going to need to finish the meat either on a hot grill or in a hot skillet (my preferred method) so you will bring the internal temp up a little or a lot after the water bath, depending on how that process goes. I find a super hot skillet (cast iron or heavy stainless) + clarified butter or oil and flipping often will put a nice crust on your steak quickly, minimizing the grey band beneath the crust. Which is kinda the whole point of sous vide anyway.

Went by the book tha came with the thing.
I need to do some research about cooking times before wasting good beef but I want ed to try it out.

razorbrewer · May 15, 2018

Anthodavis said:
Went by the book tha came with the thing.
I need to do some research about cooking times before wasting good beef but I want ed to try it out.

Hey I understand. But the chart I'm recommending is put together by chefs with a very thorough understanding of the science behind sous vide. The time guidelines are for texture and I always start with what they rec as optimal, and tweak it to my tastes from there. It's also the best damn way reheat leftover Q! :thumb:

Anthodavis · May 15, 2018

So the result.
The beef we raise tends to be very lean. Have yet until today been able to cook a tender steak from it.
Today’s was tender beyond belief, juicy, and very beefy tasting.
Everyone here is so use to dales seasoning that there was some complaining about it not being salty enough. Dales is a must when grilling the steaks do to dryness. I lightly sprinkled the steak with salt and pepper prior to sealing in the bag.
Anyone use any other seasoning ??
Any way I’m sold !! Best steak I’ve cooked at home in awhile. Chinese Sous vida preformed well. The small of the four steak was a little over cooked. Thanks for the advise on lower temps there will be a learning curve for sure.
I love this forum for this very reason. Never heard of this type of cooking before finding it on here . Appreciate everyone who ever posted on Sous vida

m-fine · May 15, 2018

Tell the wife, anything at 130 or above for long enough sous vide is pasteurized and as safe as well done.

That works for poultry as well but you probably wont like the texture below 140 if not 145.

If she doesn’t believe you, there are academic sources where real scientists test and measure for you.

For example...
https://meathaccp.wisc.edu/validation/assets/App A Poultry.pdf

TravelingJ · May 15, 2018

One of my favorite parts of this board, is how everyone is mostly interested in good food. Sure we all love grills and smokers-but Sous Vide is so far in the opposite direction from those...and there isn't any pushback on them.

Hope you continue to enjoy the new tool!

locosmoke · May 15, 2018

I love my joule it gets plenty of use at lower temp lol. Glad it worked out for u!!

Czarbecue · May 16, 2018

Did it win over your wife? Maybe she will let you play with it indoors next time :heh:

razorbrewer · May 16, 2018

"Sous vida" has now put "Livin' Sous Vida Loca" into my head this morning on repeat. :dancer:

CakeM1x · May 16, 2018

Glad you liked it! It's a nice tool to have. My 72 hour short ribs are finishing tonight.:thumb:

Mr LowNSlow · May 16, 2018

TravelingJ said:
One of my favorite parts of this board, is how everyone is mostly interested in good food. Sure we all love grills and smokers-but Sous Vide is so far in the opposite direction from those...and there isn't any pushback on them.

Hope you continue to enjoy the new tool!

Ok, not pushback but I'm not quite getting why this would be useful for steaks - why not just grill them? I can certainly understand sous vide for food that takes a long time to cook, even traditional smoker food like brisket, etc.

razorbrewer · May 16, 2018

Mr LowNSlow said:
Ok, not pushback but I'm not quite getting why this would be useful for steaks - why not just grill them? I can certainly understand sous vide for food that takes a long time to cook, even traditional smoker food like brisket, etc.

Internal temp precision from crust to crust. In other words, cooked exactly like you like it with minimal grey band. If steak doesn't turn you on to sous vide, then it probably isn't for you. Not that there's anything wrong with that since you can cook one fine steak over charcoal, gas, etc.

TravelingJ · May 16, 2018

Yes, what Razor said. I also like it from a timing perspective if I have people over. There is quite the range of time that they can be in there, and it gives me a window for people who can't ever make it on time.

BillATL · May 16, 2018

Razorbrewer and TravelingJ are on top of it.

I don't cook steaks often enough to be able to eyeball them and I don't like poking them with a thermometer to temp them. With the sous vide steaks are perfect every time with no stress. As long as they're in the water long enough to come to equilibrium temperature, timing isn't an issue - leave them in for an hour or two longer than you planned is no big deal. Pull them, let them cool a bit then onto a scorching hot fire or cast iron pan for a sear and you're ready to eat.

Sure you can reverse sear them, but they'll always be cooked more on the outside than the inside and you've got to be right on with the timing. With the current cost of great beef, i like knowing I can't screw it up.

Anthodavis · May 16, 2018

Mr LowNSlow said:
Ok, not pushback but I'm not quite getting why this would be useful for steaks - why not just grill them? I can certainly understand sous vide for food that takes a long time to cook, even traditional smoker food like brisket, etc.

Well for me personally it was the most tender juicy steak I’ve ever made at home . All our beef is home grown and tends to be very lean. I’m sold on this method for steaks for sure.

EdF · May 16, 2018

CakeM1x said:
Glad you liked it! It's a nice tool to have. My 72 hour short ribs are finishing tonight.:thumb:

Now that's a meal!

Wait until he turns a chuck roast into a virtual prime rib roast.

First Sous vida cook

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