I got my Anova today!

[MichaelD]

That sounds very much like the "food replicator machine" in the Star Trek series, where you press a button and a perfectly cooked meal pops out in seconds. Where's the skill? Where's the "I learned how to do this the hard way?" People who rely on these sorts of fancy-schmancy cookery are the exact ones who will starve to death when the lights go out b/c they have no idea how to stick a piece of meat on a stick and hold it over an open fire. *harrumph-harrumph-bah-humbug!*

I am FAR from a "chef" of any kind, but I can cut/season meat, chop up veggies and either grill them or pan fry or make stew or whatever. After many years of getting right or wrong, most of the time it comes out right. B/C I learned through setting stuff on fire and ruining dinner, etc....and sitting there with a beverage, waiting for the timer to *ding* is PART of the whole "cooking" process. Computerizing it with probes and automatic timers is cheating. There is no pride in cheating, IMO. This fancy boil your stuff in a baggie with not one but TWO temperature probes for perfection, is just yet ANOTHER byproduct of the "I want it right now and I want it perfect and I want it cheap with no effort because I deserve it" generation. Heading a comment off at the pass: Microwaving is not cheating b/c you can still burn the crap out of the food...or explode boiling water, as I found out WAS possible.

I'm on the "I shoot my own food/I grow my own food/I brew my own beer" side...things that actually take effort. 68-degree eggs, my ass. Sounds more like "Samonella Egg Special" to me. You guys are the same people that buy Ikea furniture and then complain when it breaks in 4 months b/c you "can't pass it down to my son."

Teach your son how to cut up some beef ribs, season them and smoke'em for 8 hours. THAT is cooking. Your plastic-baggery cooking is Advanced Minute Rice For Pretentious Pricks. (no insult intended...but it is what it is).

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

That sounds very much like the "food replicator machine" in the Star Trek series, where you press a button and a perfectly cooked meal pops out in seconds. Where's the skill? Where's the "I learned how to do this the hard way?" People who rely on these sorts of fancy-schmancy cookery are the exact ones who will starve to death when the lights go out b/c they have no idea how to stick a piece of meat on a stick and hold it over an open fire. *harrumph-harrumph-bah-humbug!*

Like I said if you don't want to use it that's fine. Personally I like my steak medium rare and if I can get it that way all the way through then I will. That does not prevent me from using a grill, nor does it take away my ability to build a fire in the wilderness and live off the land. I'm not doing that today. I'm using my kitchen.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

That sounds very much like the "food replicator machine" in the Star Trek series, where you press a button and a perfectly cooked meal pops out in seconds. Where's the skill? Where's the "I learned how to do this the hard way?" People who rely on these sorts of fancy-schmancy cookery are the exact ones who will starve to death when the lights go out b/c they have no idea how to stick a piece of meat on a stick and hold it over an open fire. *harrumph-harrumph-bah-humbug!*

The vast majority of people using immersion circulators are already versed in the "I learned it the hard way" aspects of cooking, It actually requires more time, and more steps are involved to cook sous vide. It's not about cooking the easy way. It's about perfection and precision. Those who aren't dedicating to cooking probably don't care about this method. Those who are and have tried it know better.

 

[MichaelD]

I definitely am not trying to insult anyone; I have spent MANY hours learning to cook the few things I know how to cook. I own and use the snot out of a slow-cooker....I'm no Luddite...I wouldn't be here if I was. I love steak. Over an open fire is the only SATISFACTORY way to cook steak, IMO>>>obviously, YMMV.

Also IMO, if you really know what you're doing, most cooking tasks are easy and come out perfect 99% of the time, assuming you don't forget the stove is on or similar. I can make a 3-gallon pot of pasta sauce, with meatballs, Italian sausage, and lamb shanks to perfection every time, but it takes 6 hours to do it. And it needs to be stirred every 20 minutes. The end result, when you're licking your fork b/c it's so damn good, is worth the effort.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Over an open fire is the only SATISFACTORY way to cook steak

Why?

 

[Howard]

Why?

Is that a question you really want to ask?

 

[MichaelD]

I'm shocked you are asking "WHY?" While beef can be a part of many delicious dishes, "a steak" as we Americans know it, only reaches it's peak deliciousness when cooked over an open wood/coal fire. I own a gas grill for convenience sake; steak cooked on it is only 75% satisfactory to me, but it's done mighty quick compared to waiting for coals to ash down.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Is that a question you really want to ask?

I'm interested in the thought process.

 

[MichaelD]

I'm interested in the thought process.

Easy peasy: Raw beef + open flame = best thing ever.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

I definitely am not trying to insult anyone; I have spent MANY hours learning to cook the few things I know how to cook. I own and use the snot out of a slow-cooker....I'm no Luddite...I wouldn't be here if I was. I love steak. Over an open fire is the only SATISFACTORY way to cook steak, IMO>>>obviously, YMMV.

Also IMO, if you really know what you're doing, most cooking tasks are easy and come out perfect 99% of the time, assuming you don't forget the stove is on or similar. I can make a 3-gallon pot of pasta sauce, with meatballs, Italian sausage, and lamb shanks to perfection every time, but it takes 6 hours to do it. And it needs to be stirred every 20 minutes. The end result, when you're licking your fork b/c it's so damn good, is worth the effort.

Maybe it's possible that your idea of "perfect" is someone else's definition of crap?

My intent is not to insult your cooking, but perhaps you should actually try cooking sous vide before knocking it? I can appreciate paleo-cooking too but it's very possible you don't know what you are missing with sous vide since you haven't even tried it.

 

[MichaelD]

I guess I just have no Fancy Frenchman in me, that's all. I'll bet you guys "drizzle" some sous over the baggie-cooked chicken, am I right? And you have radishes cut up to look like flowers next to them...NOT for eating...for "flair."

 

[Ns1]

I guess I just have no Fancy Frenchman in me, that's all. I'll bet you guys "drizzle" some sous over the baggie-cooked chicken, am I right? And you have radishes cut up to look like flowers next to them...NOT for eating...for "flair."

your cooking style can be best described as "old school". there is nothing wrong with that btw.

 

[MichaelD]

Look, I'm the kind of guy that will cook 100 pounds of steak and potatoes over an open fire for friends and not bat an eye...but this fancy cookery...just rubs me the wrong way...I don't see the skill or finesse in it. We're not overclocking chicken here, guys...you COOK to EAT, not discuss that the 69-degree pork was so much more succulent than the 70.12 degree pork...that is just garbage. To each his own. Cook on, friends.

 

[MichaelD]

your cooking style can be best described as "old school"

Yep. And it works really well. And I don't have to take the pump from my water-cooled PC to help with my roast beef either.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I'm shocked you are asking "WHY?" While beef can be a part of many delicious dishes, "a steak" as we Americans know it, only reaches it's peak deliciousness when cooked over an open wood/coal fire. I own a gas grill for convenience sake; steak cooked on it is only 75% satisfactory to me, but it's done mighty quick compared to waiting for coals to ash down.

I'm not trying to start an argument, but like I said the thought process is important here.

As I said I like my steak medium rare, and by that I don't mean the innermost part. I mean the whole steak that way, but that was impossible. Now it's not. The end result is superior if I have the knowledge and means.

Now "deliciousness" is no doubt in the eye of the beholder, and I understand that the process may be part of it. I mean if you have a couple of guys over in the summer you can toss them some beer and throw steaks on the grill. There's the smells and the conversation (or BS if you like) and it's an experience that standing around a circulator doesn't quite match. If that's what you are thinking of or something like that I get it.

But that's not where my head is most days. What I want is the best I can do. I want a way that I can serve six people hot food done at the right time all at once. When they bite into it I want them to have the same quality of food that they would pay a lot for. That's my "thing".

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Oh, my steak will come out better than yours

 

[Ns1]

Yep. And it works really well. And I don't have to take the pump from my water-cooled PC to help with my roast beef either.

you'll never be able to able to cook with the same precision either =P

it's just a different way of cooking ^_^

 

[MichaelD]

OK, OK, I get it. I actually am not a caveman when it comes to cooking. I cut all my meats/veggies to the exact same size so they cook evenly. I have a meat thermometer and know how to use it. I baste my turkey. Wait...that doesn't sound right...oh well, this is OT.

You get the idea. Cook on, friends.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

OK, OK, I get it. I actually am not a caveman when it comes to cooking. I cut all my meats/veggies to the exact same size so they cook evenly. I have a meat thermometer and know how to use it. I baste my turkey. Wait...that doesn't sound right...oh well, this is OT.

You get the idea. Cook on, friends.

Yes, we get the idea.

lol

 

[torpid]

It is a myth that searing meat seals in the juices. That has been debunked time and again. Sous Vide will almost always be juicier because not only is the moisture somewhat sealed (it's effectively braising), but you are cooking it to a lower temperature as well. The reason you don't normally cook chicken to 140 degrees is because you have to cook it precisely at that temp (not letting it dip a lot) for quite a while before it effectively kills the bacteria and viruses that might harm you.

Also, ponyo, I would be careful when cooking directly in the vacuum sealed bags that food comes in from costco and other places. You are not guaranteed that they are safe for SV. Did you research first or more of a, "meh, doing it once won't kill me" kind of thing?

I would be surprised if you can technically call anything sous vide without it being vacuum sealed (or at least sealed using the archimedes principle). Sous Vide literally means under vacuum. The immersion circulator is optional.

And for the record, referral bonus abound indeed, because I ordered an Anova over the weekend. I was disappointed that the Blue and Red ones weren't available, but oh well.

 

[DrPizza]

Damnit! Told myself I wasn't going to open this thread. And, here I am again, wondering if I should spend $200 on an Anova.

Question: is there a maximum number of pounds that can be cooked at one time? E.g. can I fill a cooler with 140 degree water from the tap, then start cooking, say, 20 pounds of chicken? Or a 20 pound roast?

If so, and I was cooking steak for a dozen or so people, could I simply cook a whole striploin, then just prior to serving time, remove it from the bath, slice into individual steaks, and sear over a red hot cast iron frying pan? - E.g., when we're at the lake, I'd be able to start the sous vide in the morning, then when we all came in from fishing, water skiing, tubing, etc., I could prepare dinner for all 12 people in a matter of minutes? And, how about baked potatoes - can I start themin there, then finish the skins over the hot coals of a very hot wood fire? Btw, searing ribeyes in a visibly glowing red cast iron pan - I wish I could do that every day.

How about corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and steak - can they be cooked together in separate bags? Or does each require its own temperature?

 

[HumblePie]

It is a myth that searing meat seals in the juices. That has been debunked time and again. Sous Vide will almost always be juicier because not only is the moisture somewhat sealed (it's effectively braising), but you are cooking it to a lower temperature as well. The reason you don't normally cook chicken to 140 degrees is because you have to cook it precisely at that temp (not letting it dip a lot) for quite a while before it effectively kills the bacteria and viruses that might harm you.

Also, ponyo, I would be careful when cooking directly in the vacuum sealed bags that food comes in from costco and other places. You are not guaranteed that they are safe for SV. Did you research first or more of a, "meh, doing it once won't kill me" kind of thing?

I would be surprised if you can technically call anything sous vide without it being vacuum sealed (or at least sealed using the archimedes principle). Sous Vide literally means under vacuum. The immersion circulator is optional.

And for the record, referral bonus abound indeed, because I ordered an Anova over the weekend. I was disappointed that the Blue and Red ones weren't available, but oh well.

^^

Handy gadget, but not needed if you know what you are doing. As noted, sous vide means vacuum sealed. You want all the air out of the bag on a bag that won't melt in the water. The air is too big of a barrier to the heat transfer from the hot water to the meat. But you can just heat up water in a pot on the range top, stick in a vacuum sealed bag and cook it the same. Of course you have to have some thermometers and you'll have to watch the temp far more often. Also stirring the water yourself helps. But basically the food should sink to the bottom of the pot if all the air has been sucked out. As the food is denser than the water. Just maintain the proper temp for the water at the BOTTOM of the pot and you are all set.

But these devices are nicer set and forget tools. Would love to have one, but will wait for the inevitable made for TV version that sucks, but will help bring to market to drive the price down on good versions of a sous vide tool to something $49.95 and under

 

[HumblePie]

Damnit! Told myself I wasn't going to open this thread. And, here I am again, wondering if I should spend $200 on an Anova.

Question: is there a maximum number of pounds that can be cooked at one time? E.g. can I fill a cooler with 140 degree water from the tap, then start cooking, say, 20 pounds of chicken? Or a 20 pound roast?

If so, and I was cooking steak for a dozen or so people, could I simply cook a whole striploin, then just prior to serving time, remove it from the bath, slice into individual steaks, and sear over a red hot cast iron frying pan? - E.g., when we're at the lake, I'd be able to start the sous vide in the morning, then when we all came in from fishing, water skiing, tubing, etc., I could prepare dinner for all 12 people in a matter of minutes? And, how about baked potatoes - can I start themin there, then finish the skins over the hot coals of a very hot wood fire? Btw, searing ribeyes in a visibly glowing red cast iron pan - I wish I could do that every day.

How about corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and steak - can they be cooked together in separate bags? Or does each require its own temperature?

The Anova is rated to 5.8 gallons of water. With a minimum pot height of 7 inches. I'm guessing you can cook whatever fits so long as you don't go below the minimal or maximum water levels of the device.

 

[Kaido]

But these devices are nicer set and forget tools. Would love to have one, but will wait for the inevitable made for TV version that sucks, but will help bring to market to drive the price down on good versions of a sous vide tool to something $49.95 and under

It'd be interesting if a budget model came out, like from FoodSaver or something - basically a plastic bin with marking lines and an Anova built-in. Plug in, fill with water, set the time, set the temp, done - just like a crockpot or something.

 

[Kaido]

If so, and I was cooking steak for a dozen or so people, could I simply cook a whole striploin, then just prior to serving time, remove it from the bath, slice into individual steaks, and sear over a red hot cast iron frying pan? - E.g., when we're at the lake, I'd be able to start the sous vide in the morning, then when we all came in from fishing, water skiing, tubing, etc., I could prepare dinner for all 12 people in a matter of minutes? And, how about baked potatoes - can I start themin there, then finish the skins over the hot coals of a very hot wood fire? Btw, searing ribeyes in a visibly glowing red cast iron pan - I wish I could do that every day.

Ooh dang, there's an idea! Bulk beef + finish with a crust! I wonder how that'd work out...