The Sous VIde Thread

[otc]

I'd take some

 

[mgm9128]

I think you'd enjoy them. Similar flavor and texture as artichokes, much less prep required. PM me your shipping info and I'll send some out this week.

 

[ehkay]



While on the subject, would anyone here like some free salsify? I have a box sitting in my fridge that I simply won't be eating. They are from Belgium and they are a delicious vegetable to cook sous vide. I can USPS to all 48 contiguous states.

This is a great service. I'll vouch for it.

 

[mgm9128]

I have an 87% positive feedback record on craigslist.

 

[GraphicNovelty]

A friend's dad challenged me to a BBQ cook-off for 4th of july and I want to bring my A-Game. I cook mainly italian food so I figured why not convert the t-bone fiorentina recipe to a sous vide chick roast (probably 4-5 lbs).

A few questions:

1) What's the best way to get a crust on the grill without overcooking the meat? Just get the grill searingly hot? Maybe add some sugar to jumpstart the browning? Finally cave and buy a searzall? Just accept some overcookedness in the outside?

2) I'm going to be doing the cook beforehand, ice-bathing, transporting, re-heating and then searing so that I can make sure things don't go south. How hot should I make the re-heating bath?

3) Bag it with dried versions of the fiorentina herbs but no salt yes? Should I re-herb before searing?

4) I'm going to be testing to see if i want 24, 48, or 72 hours SV @ 135*. I don't want it to be excessively tender, just tender enough to have a good bite. Any experience?

5) Any other tips? I'm going to practice my long cooking beforehand but I really want to wow

 

[ehkay]

I didn't read numbers 1-4, but for #5 I suggest you search this forvm for posts by "GrillinFool".

 

[Bounder]

First, "chick roast" is a really excellent typo.

Second, maybe you ought to clarify the rules of this "BBQ cook-off".

 

[GraphicNovelty]

it's pretty much open to whatever. We're both not really huge grillers, mainly home cooks (since the only time we can really grill is summer), and it's basically just a fun little competition to have us cook for them.

Thanks for the help everybody!

 

[Bounder]

I have now done some experiments with meat and I am not as impressed as I had hoped to be.

Sous vide certainly allows for an impressive consistency I can only approximate with conventional cooking and a digital thermometer. And you can certainly do a lot of tenderizing with cheaper cuts of meat that is pretty tough to do otherwise. I think this is where I've been most impressed.

Sous vide certainly doesn't dry meat out and it retains almost all its moisture. But I think this may be a problem.

Most of the sous vide roasts and steaks just haven't been as flavorful as they would have been with conventional cooking. This isn't very noticeable with a sauce but I found it very noticeable with a simple preparation. For example, a tri-tip prepared sous vide and then finished for a few minutes on a grill comes out very different, both in flavor and in texture. While it is anything but dry, the flavor is "washed out". The problem with the texture is a bit harder to explain. A properly-grilled tri-tip will be tender yet "toothy" -- Jesus, this is harder than describing wine -- anyway, it has a different feel in the mouth. Whereas a tri-tip prepared sous vide is almost "buttery". That's nice too but somehow not quite as satisfying. It's almost like you don't have to chew it at all.

I've noticed similar issues with other cuts as well. I am thinking that this may be exactly because sous vide does not dry out the meat. Perhaps all that extra water means less-concentrated flavor. I'm not saying this is bad, exactly. In some cases it could be a huge advantage, but it's definitely different.

I am wondering if you could avoid these problems by using dry-aged beef. Has anyone tried this?

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I've only ever used it with dry aged beef and I definitely think it isn't as good as normal cast iron pan cooking.

 

[Piobaire]

Just my opinion here but I think sous vide excels are two main types of proteins. First, it excels at very lean cuts. A 6" think baseball cut fillet mignon comes to mind. You're just never going to get a 6" thick cut of extra lean meat that perfect pink all the way through like sous side will. The other type is a cut full of connective tissue that is also a cut that it's standard to use heavy flavouring on. Braised shortribs come to mind, in particular the David Chang 48 hour short ribs.

Just an off the cuff ramble here so don't take it too seriously.

 

[itsstillmatt]



Just my opinion here but I think sous vide excels are two main types of proteins. First, it excels at very lean cuts. A 6" think baseball cut fillet mignon comes to mind. You're just never going to get a 6" thick cut of extra lean meat that perfect pink all the way through like sous side will. The other type is a cut full of connective tissue that is also a cut that it's standard to use heavy flavouring on. Braised shortribs come to mind, in particular the David Chang 48 hour short ribs.

Just an off the cuff ramble here so don't take it too seriously.

I've always been wary of cooking something like fillet sous vide, and especially that thick. I think it tends to mush up a bit if left in a long time, and a 6" steak has to be in a long time. Never done it, though, but just my worry.

 

[GraphicNovelty]

48 hour sous vide chuck tender roast. It was good but honestly it would've been a lot better without that line of gristle that runs through it. Texture was super tender though--I'll probably do it again but carve out some faux filet mignons (the taste is pretty similar too).

Also it was hard to get even browning in a dry pan. Will attempt more of a shallow fry next time.

 

[MSchapiro]

I have now done some experiments with meat and I am not as impressed as I had hoped to be.

Sous vide certainly allows for an impressive consistency I can only approximate with conventional cooking and a digital thermometer. And you can certainly do a lot of tenderizing with cheaper cuts of meat that is pretty tough to do otherwise. I think this is where I've been most impressed.

Sous vide certainly doesn't dry meat out and it retains almost all its moisture. But I think this may be a problem.

Most of the sous vide roasts and steaks just haven't been as flavorful as they would have been with conventional cooking. This isn't very noticeable with a sauce but I found it very noticeable with a simple preparation. For example, a tri-tip prepared sous vide and then finished for a few minutes on a grill comes out very different, both in flavor and in texture. While it is anything but dry, the flavor is "washed out". The problem with the texture is a bit harder to explain. A properly-grilled tri-tip will be tender yet "toothy" -- Jesus, this is harder than describing wine -- anyway, it has a different feel in the mouth. Whereas a tri-tip prepared sous vide is almost "buttery". That's nice too but somehow not quite as satisfying. It's almost like you don't have to chew it at all.

I've noticed similar issues with other cuts as well. I am thinking that this may be exactly because sous vide does not dry out the meat. Perhaps all that extra water means less-concentrated flavor. I'm not saying this is bad, exactly. In some cases it could be a huge advantage, but it's definitely different.

I am wondering if you could avoid these problems by using dry-aged beef. Has anyone tried this?

I found the same thing. I started using a better quality french grey salt and more of it. When finishing on an incredibly hot pan I'll add the sauce back over the steak at the end and it almost forms a glaze. Adds back all the flavor and more.
I also always make to add some kind of vinegar to the bag and potentially a balsamic for the sugar. It doesn't play much of a difference during the sous vide itself but really comes out at the end.

 

[Piobaire]



I've always been wary of cooking something like fillet sous vide, and especially that thick. I think it tends to mush up a bit if left in a long time, and a 6" steak has to be in a long time. Never done it, though, but just my worry.

It's been a year or so since I've done it, and I think your concern is very valid, but I don't remember the texture being compromised. I'll have to experiment again at some point.

Now that I have the Anova, and a big polycarbonate container, I think I need to try some 48 hour dino (beef) ribs. Have you done those?