What's cooking? (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

I haven't, but I've heard great things about it.

Lately I've been having fun making thicker streaks (one inch to an inch and a half) in my cast iron pan. I don't know why but I had been wary of using cast iron for the longest time, I think just because I was spooked by the cleanup, but once I got over that fear, it's been smooth sailing. I was extremely happy with how my steak came out on Monday night. But I think the reverse sear would be fun to try and once of these days I'll do that experiment.

With reverse sear you can do thicker steaks, 1.5 being a minimum.

(Sous Vide, he whispers...Soooooouuuuus Viiiiiide.....)

 

[Josh Steinberg]

A friend of mine is huge on that, but it doesn't really appeal to me. I'm not really opposed to the concept, per se, but it seems like one more gadget for a tiny kitchen that doesn't have enough space to begin with.

 

[DaveF]

I understand. I’m getting pickier because my kitchen is filled up. On the plus side, it’s much smaller than an instapot. About the size of a skinny rolling pin. But no joke, if you want perfect steaks or great seared salmon filets, SV is worth considering.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I dunno, the steak I made in the cast iron this week came out absolutely perfect for how I like it.

Some of these gadgets seem like solutions in search of a problem to me. I realize that’s not actually the case of course. My biggest cooking related hassles are dealing with food shopping, not having enough space to clean and prep everything comfortably, not really having enough space to do plating/garnishing, and not having a dishwasher to help with cleanup. The actual part where I’m cooking the ingredients is the fun part for me. I think some of these gadgets like a sous vide sound interesting and I’m naturally curious about them - but they don’t really speak to any of the kitchen issues that I do have.

 

[KPmusmag]

I dunno, the steak I made in the cast iron this week came out absolutely perfect for how I like it.

Some of these gadgets seem like solutions in search of a problem to me. I realize that’s not actually the case of course. My biggest cooking related hassles are dealing with food shopping, not having enough space to clean and prep everything comfortably, not really having enough space to do plating/garnishing, and not having a dishwasher to help with cleanup. The actual part where I’m cooking the ingredients is the fun part for me. I think some of these gadgets like a sous vide sound interesting and I’m naturally curious about them - but they don’t really speak to any of the kitchen issues that I do have.

The thing I like about sous vide is that you can't accidentally over cook the steak (or whatever). It can just sit there until you are ready and it will never overcook. I did shrimp recently and it was nice not having to worry about the split second where the shrimp gets rubbery if it is on too long. Eggs are another temp sensitive food that does great in sous vide, for instance if you like soft boiled you just set the temp, let it go for the minimum amount of time, and they will stay soft boiled no matter how long you leave them in.

 

[Johnny Angell]

The thing I like about sous vide is that you can't accidentally over cook the steak (or whatever). It can just sit there until you are ready and it will never overcook. I did shrimp recently and it was nice not having to worry about the split second where the shrimp gets rubbery if it is on too long. Eggs are another temp sensitive food that does great in sous vide, for instance if you like soft boiled you just set the temp, let it go for the minimum amount of time, and they will stay soft boiled no matter how long you leave them in.

I’m not understanding that. I don’t doubt you but if food is left at a temp, any temp, won’t it continue to cook?

 

[KPmusmag]

I’m not understanding that. I don’t doubt you but if food is left at a temp, any temp, won’t it continue to cook?

No. A steak is medium rare at 130 degrees so if the water never goes above that it will stay medium rare indefinitely.

 

[KPmusmag]

This is from the Joule website:

So, how does sous vide work? And why is it so much better than traditional cooking methods for some foods? Allow us to explain. With traditional cooking methods, heat flows from a burner to a pan then into our food, or the glowing elements of an oven heat the air around the food, cooking it. Because the air in the oven and the metal in the pan are much hotter than you want your food to be, you’ve got to take it away from the heat at just the right time. Take it off too early or too late and your food is either over- or undercooked. But when cooking with water, instead of an oven or a pan, we can raise the temperature just enough to get the food to the exact temperatures we prefer. We can take it out as soon as it's done cooking, or let it rest in the water until we’re ready to eat—no more obsessively checking inside the oven, no more chaining yourself to the stove.

Instead you can pour yourself a drink and chill, chat with your guests, or focus on a more high-maintenance part of the meal. Perfect food that’s easy to prepare and ready at your convenience: that’s what makes sous vide such a popular solution in restaurants, and that’s what makes it an amazing tool for home cooks as well. Try it, and right from the jump you’ll see how it can drastically improve matters in the kitchen—you’ll be cooking more and having more fun doing it. And your steaks will be the stuff of legend.

 

[JQuintana]

I just don't have the time, space, or the patience for a cooking method like this. It sounds delicious but just too much time and work for a single meal.

 

[KPmusmag]

I just don't have the time, space, or the patience for a cooking method like this. It sounds delicious but just too much time and work for a single meal.

Everyone has their own style, certainly. It is mostly hands off but you do have to plan ahead.

 

[JQuintana]

Everyone has their own style, certainly. It is mostly hands off but you do have to plan ahead.

That's the main rub (pardon the pun). With kids this just isn't a working option. Even if I had guests come over I don't think I'd want to deal with all the work it takes. I'd just fire up the grill and go to town for that delicious grilled flavor.

 

[BobO'Link]

But... the inside doesn't know or care how you cooked the outside. It's similar to par-boiling a cut of meat before grilling, something we do regularly with "Hollywood style" pork ribs and boneless chicken breasts, a process I can see sous vide improving as it keeps more flavor in the meat. It can actually speed up the process, reduce grill time, get the meat exactly how you want it (and not worry about it being underdone with pork and chicken), and still get that grilled flavor. You simply throw it on the grill or in a pan for the final sear.

 

[DaveF]

I’m not understanding that. I don’t doubt you but if food is left at a temp, any temp, won’t it continue to cook?

It will eventually overcook. But you've got tens of minutes, perhaps close to an hour or more, before it's a problem. Contrast to grilling a steak or fish, where you've got tens of seconds to a minute of time before you're past the point of being overcooked.

I just don't have the time, space, or the patience for a cooking method like this. It sounds delicious but just too much time and work for a single meal.

Here's where it's great: Pull frozen pork chops out of freezer and put in ziplock bag with some oil, salt and pepper, some fresh herbs. Sous Vide 40 min (and you can walk away and do other things while it cooks, and if you're late, doesn't matter), remove and sear for five minutes. Done, perfectly. And not a lot slower than going through a defrost process and cooking normally.

But... the inside doesn't know or care how you cooked the outside. It's similar to par-boiling a cut of meat before grilling, something we do regularly with "Hollywood style" pork ribs and boneless chicken breasts, a process I can see sous vide improving as it keeps more flavor in the meat. It can actually speed up the process, reduce grill time, get the meat exactly how you want it (and not worry about it being underdone with pork and chicken), and still get that grilled flavor. You simply throw it on the grill or in a pan for the final sear.

Except it's not boiled, so it doesn't get water logged or leach out the flavor.

I don't use my Sous Vide all the time, and I was slow to buy one. But I'm sold on it for cooking fish, and frozen cuts of meat. For a filet mignon, it's an interesting variation to play with, maybe a little better than pan sear grilling. But I'm looking forward to trying other cuts of meat with more fat and connective tissue. You have to start farther ahead, but it's easier in some ways. Just toss into bag with oil and seasonings, and cook. Sear at the end for texture and the char. And it's great.

If you're a hobbyist cook -- you enjoying cooking for its own sake -- and/or like gadgets or new ways, I really do recommend a Sous Vide.

All that said, I haven't yet bought an Instapot for myself, due to not wanting yet another gadget currently (I wanted the SV more) and having to toss out the crock pot and pressure cooker to make room for that big gadget.

 

[Malcolm R]

I bought my Mom an Instant Pot for Christmas to replace her old 40-50 year old stovetop pressure cooker. It'll be interesting to see if she likes it.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

As much as I love cooking I just don't want to try charcuterie. Just too much damn work unless you're doing it for a living.

 

[BobO'Link]

I bought my Mom an Instant Pot for Christmas to replace her old 40-50 year old stovetop pressure cooker. It'll be interesting to see if she likes it.

I'd guess she'll love it. They're far more convenient and easier to use than stovetop pressure cookers. My wife loves hers. My daughter-in-law liked "mom's" so much she asked for one last Christmas. She likes hers so much she asked for another one this year.

 

[Citizen87645]

Tried the reverse sear on a couple steaks tonight. Turned out pretty well and wife approved of the method for the ability to control the doneness. I also braised some kale and carrots with shallots, garlic, and bacon for topping. That turned out much better than expected, so I'll try to repeat the results in the future.

 

[TonyD]

I’ll be smoking a 6.5 lb prime rib roast on my Akron tomorrow or Monday.

It’ll be my first go at one of these.
I’ve just done ribs and pulled pork, steaks and burgers until now on this cooker.

 

[DaveF]

I made my holiday eggnog a week ago for a neighborhood party. So good!

 

[DaveF]

I belatedly realized that I can take a tip from the cooking shows: I bought a pack of cheap kitchen towels, and set them up in a cabinet. Super handy while cooking.