Sous Vide Mega Thread - Fine Dining for Dummies

[PostandIn]

I'm totally bummed out. Got home after work and my Anova has malfunctioned / failed. The display had gone crazy with half the LCD's out and it was no longer heating or circulating. Running four consecutives days. Water level was fine. Unplugged it, replugged it, but now there's no display, can't turn it on and it just makes a faint ticking noise. Thoughts / ideas? Beef short ribs salvaged.

[bluejays]

I made my first sous vide chicken breast and man, what a treat. Best breast I've ever had. Marinated it 24 hours ago, with spices, garlic, olive oil, came home from work today, put it for about 1hour, 40 mins at 146 even, pan fried for 3 mins, and ended with a warm thick dollop of herb and garlic cream cheese. Came amazingly moist, which I've never ever done before. I've done steaks and it's been just alright, but with the chicken I don't think I'll be able to go any other method.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by fleury

I made my first sous vide chicken breast and man, what a treat. Best breast I've ever had.

(It is yummy, I'll see myself out now).

[calumniate]

Anyone tried halibut or anything like that? I have a big piece in the oven right now. Hope I don't f it up, lol

Edit: halibut better than the flames game thus far

[Russic]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Personally, I didn't have a pot that was tall enough to take on the Sous Vide. The cost of acquiring the rubbermaid container and rack were pretty close to the price of a stock pot at Winners. In total, I spent about $60 additional on that set up. Stock pot is about $40 at winners.

This is the part where I swallow my pride and admit that for an entire year I didn't realize there's a second adjustment point on the clamp that controls the height. I was using a stock pot all year that held what seemed like 50L of water. Turns out I could use just a standard pot once I lowered the clamp. It throws off the min/max water level markings, but you can eyeball it.

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I am finding I need to extend the cook time over an hour for frozen meats. I've tried 30 and 45 minutes and still finding raw meat after the recommended cook time.

I'm making assumptions here, but what if your meat is actually cooked, and what you're seeing is just uncomfortably new? When I cook a never-been-frozen pork loin, it comes out quite pink. It would make my mother cringe, but it's safe and it's beautiful. Cooking sous vide retains a lot of moisture, so sometimes things come out looking fairly undercooked. You could always just use a meat thermometer to ensure it's hit the target temperature.

I suggest a test... put one of your frozen steaks in cool water in your sink for 30 minutes (this is what I typically do with frozen meat). I bet it fully thaws. Then you'll know if 30 minutes extra in a much warmer sous vide bath is getting the job done.

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

No, veggies cook at a much higher temp.

I'm kicking myself a bit for not buying a second one to do veggies in a separate pot.

Originally Posted by calumniate

Anyone tried halibut or anything like that? I have a big piece in the oven right now. Hope I don't f it up, lol

Edit: halibut better than the flames game thus far

Salmon is probably my favourite sous vide food. I'm a pretty competent cook, but man can I ever wreck a salmon. I find sous vide is perfect for fish.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'm kicking myself a bit for not buying a second one to do veggies in a separate pot.

So buy another? They are still $70 off.

[me_dennis]

Originally Posted by Russic

Salmon is probably my favourite sous vide food. I'm a pretty competent cook, but man can I ever wreck a salmon. I find sous vide is perfect for fish.

I made salmon the other night (following directions on the Anova app)

I've never had salmon like that before. At first, I thought it was still underdone, but after a few bites of the most delicate, moist, slightly flaky, salmon, I figured this is how salmon should be cooked.

I wouldn't mind upping the temperature a bit and cooking for a full hour to get it a bit closer to the flakiness, while still being moist.

Never will I have dry, overcooked salmon again.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'm kicking myself a bit for not buying a second one to do veggies in a separate pot.

Could you not use a similar technique to the dark/light meat turkey bath? Start the veggies at their require temp & time, lower the temp and throw your meat in later? Leaving the veggies "held" at the lower temp till serving time?

Or would an additional hour at 135 for a steak ruin the carrots previously cooked?

[Russic]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Could you not use a similar technique to the dark/light meat turkey bath? Start the veggies at their require temp & time, lower the temp and throw your meat in later? Leaving the veggies "held" at the lower temp till serving time?

Or would an additional hour at 135 for a steak ruin the carrots previously cooked?

You know Dorn I don't say this much because you're so rarely correct... but that's a really good idea. Only one way to find out.

[IGGYRULES]

Originally Posted by PostandIn

I'm totally bummed out. Got home after work and my Anova has malfunctioned / failed. The display had gone crazy with half the LCD's out and it was no longer heating or circulating. Running four consecutives days. Water level was fine. Unplugged it, replugged it, but now there's no display, can't turn it on and it just makes a faint ticking noise. Thoughts / ideas? Beef short ribs salvaged.

I've got an extra that I was going to gift at XMAS but then found out they already had one. If yours isn't under warranty still and you want another I'll sell you mine for what I paid. I had a $90 off coupon for WIFI model so I think I paid $178 including taxes. I was just going to send it back for a refund.

[D as in David]

Mine came yesterday! Where's the best place to start? The beginning of this thread?

Sorry, really busy because I'm in the midst of getting my house ready for sale and Xmas and such.

[Kjesse]

So far my results with sous-vide steak have been good but due to the crusting I'm able to get with traditional grilling, so far my grilled steaks have better flavour than my sous vide ones. The difference is the sous-vide then searing method is pretty easy while grilling and getting a consistent internal colour is hard. I'll keep experimenting.

We are going to sous vide lobster tails tonight, from this site (http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/12/f...e-lobster.html) sounds like its going to turn out great.

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Could you not use a similar technique to the dark/light meat turkey bath? Start the veggies at their require temp & time, lower the temp and throw your meat in later? Leaving the veggies "held" at the lower temp till serving time?

Or would an additional hour at 135 for a steak ruin the carrots previously cooked?

This website says to do that exact thing.

http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/en-us...alplanning.htm

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by PostandIn

I'm totally bummed out. Got home after work and my Anova has malfunctioned / failed. The display had gone crazy with half the LCD's out and it was no longer heating or circulating. Running four consecutives days. Water level was fine. Unplugged it, replugged it, but now there's no display, can't turn it on and it just makes a faint ticking noise. Thoughts / ideas? Beef short ribs salvaged.

Warranty?

How old is the thing? If it looks pretty new... there's a... umm... unethical way to get a warranty done, but it sorta involves purchasing another Sous Vide, then selling the "spare" after you send in the unit for replacement.

I have read the fuses can be the culprit on Anova failures.

Originally Posted by Russic

This is the part where I swallow my pride and admit that for an entire year I didn't realize there's a second adjustment point on the clamp that controls the height. I was using a stock pot all year that held what seemed like 50L of water. Turns out I could use just a standard pot once I lowered the clamp. It throws off the min/max water level markings, but you can eyeball it.



I'm making assumptions here, but what if your meat is actually cooked, and what you're seeing is just uncomfortably new? When I cook a never-been-frozen pork loin, it comes out quite pink. It would make my mother cringe, but it's safe and it's beautiful. Cooking sous vide retains a lot of moisture, so sometimes things come out looking fairly undercooked. You could always just use a meat thermometer to ensure it's hit the target temperature.

Yes and no. I know I can use a regular pot, but another issue I have is the pot isn't big enough for what I wanted to do with the Sous Vide. I did realize I could adjust the height using the ring, but I generally make servings for 5-6 people, so basic pots were a no fly due to the size issue.

Regarding your comment about the steak, the meat is still cold inside even after a quick sear. Steak was cold inside, chicken was translucent, not even pink. Pork was pink, but only on one chop that was thicker than the other 3. So at first I was wondering about the difference in Sous Vide cooking, but now I think my frozen meat is taking forever to thaw.

But in hindsight, I am now also wondering if it's because I'm cooking 4-6 portions of extra thick meat in one go and whether those other posters that are saying 30 minutes are only cooking 2-3 portions. 2x the portions of extra thick iciness means more cooling of the water. 2x 30 minutes is an hour ish or more. Maybe that's why?

Originally Posted by D as in David

Mine came yesterday! Where's the best place to start? The beginning of this thread?

Sorry, really busy because I'm in the midst of getting my house ready for sale and Xmas and such.

Whatever your heart desires. Literally. Don't change your eating habits, just change the cooking of it.

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

But in hindsight, I am now also wondering if it's because I'm cooking 4-6 portions of extra thick meat in one go and whether those other posters that are saying 30 minutes are only cooking 2-3 portions. 2x the portions of extra thick iciness means more cooling of the water. 2x 30 minutes is an hour ish or more. Maybe that's why?

From what I've read, 30 minutes is only possible for thin cuts of meat. Typically at reasonable temps, the texture and juiciness of meat shouldn't change too much between 1-4 hours. Based on your description, a 2-3 hour cooking time should get the meat to the desired temperature.

[PostandIn]

Originally Posted by IGGYRULES

I've got an extra that I was going to gift at XMAS but then found out they already had one. If yours isn't under warranty still and you want another I'll sell you mine for what I paid. I had a $90 off coupon for WIFI model so I think I paid $178 including taxes. I was just going to send it back for a refund.

Thanks but I jumped on the offer that was linked earlier in the thread. Should arrive Monday or Tuesday. 😋

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Russic

You know Dorn I don't say this much because you're so rarely correct... but that's a really good idea. Only one way to find out.

And here I thought 2016 was just an end to end crapshoot. But gaining just the slightest shred of your respect has cast this dumpster fire of a year in a whole new light.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Warranty?

How old is the thing? If it looks pretty new... there's a... umm... unethical way to get a warranty done, but it sorta involves purchasing another Sous Vide, then selling the "spare" after you send in the unit for replacement.

I have read the fuses can be the culprit on Anova failures.



Yes and no. I know I can use a regular pot, but another issue I have is the pot isn't big enough for what I wanted to do with the Sous Vide. I did realize I could adjust the height using the ring, but I generally make servings for 5-6 people, so basic pots were a no fly due to the size issue.

Regarding your comment about the steak, the meat is still cold inside even after a quick sear. Steak was cold inside, chicken was translucent, not even pink. Pork was pink, but only on one chop that was thicker than the other 3. So at first I was wondering about the difference in Sous Vide cooking, but now I think my frozen meat is taking forever to thaw.

But in hindsight, I am now also wondering if it's because I'm cooking 4-6 portions of extra thick meat in one go and whether those other posters that are saying 30 minutes are only cooking 2-3 portions. 2x the portions of extra thick iciness means more cooling of the water. 2x 30 minutes is an hour ish or more. Maybe that's why?



Whatever your heart desires. Literally. Don't change your eating habits, just change the cooking of it.

What matters for cooking time is the radial distance to the centre of the meet from the water.

So two 1 inch thick steaks stacked on top of each other to form a 2 inch thick body will take 4 times as long to heat to uniform temperature as 2 1 inch steaks spaced apart.

Air in the bag will also reduce heat tramsfer

[PostandIn]

Originally Posted by PostandIn

Thanks but I jumped on the offer that was linked earlier in the thread. Should arrive Monday or Tuesday. 😋

Yay, Canada Post just dropped the new one on my door step! Thanks Trudeau (and Anova).

[Swayze11]

Lots of good success stories but where are the pics guys?