What Confuses Me Most About Sous Vide

Generally, the more fat and connective tissue there is, the longer it needs to be in the water bath to properly render. Leaner cuts, as you mentioned, don't need nearly as long - basically just enough to get them to your target temp. IMO going too long on SV, especially on the leaner cuts, makes for a texture I don't care for. Everything is a function of time and temperature, the higher the temp the less time that's required and vice versa. You could probably cook a brisket at 140* for 3 days, it'd look kinda pink inside, be tender and safe to eat....but would you want to? It's another tool in the toolbox but I personally don't enjoy the results of the super long low temp methods.

Same as what suds said. But for a more traditional texture smoked brisket, i try to go around 12 hours at 175F. So what i will do is smoke first till it gets to 175F then wrap in BP and sous vide bag and sous vide for 8 hours at 175F. Since the brisket had already reached 175F there is very little liquid left in the bag after the 8 hours. Which also helps to not lose the rub/bark. And the BP helps to soak up the liquid in the bag, and also keep the rub/bark still intact.


The reason to lower the temp to 140F ish and let the brisket come back down is so what you remove it from the bag and put it in a hot oven to reset the bark, you don't end up over cooking it. The whole point of using the sous vide is to get the rendering of fat you would get if cooking to 205F but retain so much more moisture by only have to go to 175F where the fat renders the same just needs more time.

If you haven't seen this yet give it a watch ... entertaining ... https://www.youtube.com/c/SousVideEverything/videos

Just like many other craft foods or trendy methods, you can't trust everyone with a YouTube video. For example, things like home curing and home canning have a core set of rules that are in place for safety. Err in the wrong direction and you and your family can get sick or die. Sous vide is no different.... I would recommend understanding the process and the role that pasteurization plays. Later you can experiment with the small things like putting a pat of butter in the bag or searing with duck fat.

There are some trusted sources like J. Kenji López-Alt from Serious Eats Food Lab. But I would start on the Doug Baldwin site, watch the videos, look at the tables and just pay attention. Then you will have enough confidence to look at about any recipe and tell if the information is accurate.

This online guide explains it all....

https://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html

thirdeye said:

Just like many other craft foods or trendy methods, you can't trust everyone with a YouTube video. For example, things like home curing and home canning have a core set of rules that are in place for safety. Err in the wrong direction and you and your family can get sick or die. Sous vide is no different.... I would recommend understanding the process and the role that pasteurization plays. Later you can experiment with the small things like putting a pat of butter in the bag or searing with duck fat.

There are some trusted sources like J. Kenji López-Alt from Serious Eats Food Lab. But I would start on the Doug Baldwin site, watch the videos, look at the tables and just pay attention. Then you will have enough confidence to look at about any recipe and tell if the information is accurate.

This online guide explains it all....

https://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html

Click to expand...

Yeah Baldwin is the Godfather of Sous Vide. He pretty much was the first pioneer. That other guy with the youtube channel pretty much just tries anything for likes. I think i started watching a video where he sous vides a brisket for 30 days. YES 30 DAYS!. NO thanks.

thirdeye said:

Just like many other craft foods or trendy methods, you can't trust everyone with a YouTube video. For example, things like home curing and home canning have a core set of rules that are in place for safety. Err in the wrong direction and you and your family can get sick or die. Sous vide is no different.... I would recommend understanding the process and the role that pasteurization plays. Later you can experiment with the small things like putting a pat of butter in the bag or searing with duck fat.

There are some trusted sources like J. Kenji López-Alt from Serious Eats Food Lab. But I would start on the Doug Baldwin site, watch the videos, look at the tables and just pay attention. Then you will have enough confidence to look at about any recipe and tell if the information is accurate.

This online guide explains it all....

https://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html

Click to expand...

Yep, after a certain amount of time, pasteurization will kill the bacteria. Kenji Lopez has a chart that shows times and temperatures.

From J. Kenji López-Alt

https://anovaculinary.com/anova-sous-vide-time-temperature-guide/