What's cooking? (1 Viewer)

[RobertR]

Damn, I love the hot chocolate recipe I came up with: Heavy whipping cream, milk, sugar, Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa, a dash of vanilla....sooooo good.

 

[DaveF]

Ah. I’ve done normal sear in cast iron with secondary cook in oven. Works well but sets off smoke alarms. Now, I only cook steaks on grill. Filet with high heat (500F - 600F) seared for two minutes on a side gives nigh-perfect steaks.

 

[DaveF]

Damn, I love the hot chocolate recipe I came up with: Heavy whipping cream, milk, sugar, Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa, a dash of vanilla....sooooo good.

What are the amounts?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Ah. I’ve done normal sear in cast iron with secondary cook in oven. Works well but sets off smoke alarms. Now, I only cook steaks on grill. Filet with high heat (500F - 600F) seared for two minutes on a side gives nigh-perfect steaks.

Apartment living dictates my choices are either grill pan or cast iron. I usually just turn off the smoke alarm for the ten minutes I’m in there and live with it.

I’ve had a lot of luck in the past couple years with the supermarket butcher. I’ll have him cut me a steak that’s an inch or an inch and a quarter thick. Salt and pepper each side liberally, allow to sit out at room temperature for an hour or so, pat dry any released moisture, then cook for about five minutes each side on a cast iron pan that’s spent at least five minutes heating on the stove’s highest setting, and then let it rest for another five minutes after it comes off the heat. Gets me a beautiful char on the outside and medium rare on the inside. I’m all for experimenting with other methods but this way, I can simultaneously make a steak in one pan, sauté some spinach or broccoli in olive oil and garlic while that’s cooking (or a simple arugula salad in the warmer months), and if I’m really in a hurry, I can forgo a potato in favor of fresh rolls or bread from the bakery.

I love that this is both a favorite meal of mine and one of the easier things I can make. Usually my favorites take much more time and effort

 

[RobertR]

What are the amounts?

I use a BIG 32 ounce mug, so the amounts are greater than usual: 1/3 cup whipping cream, then fill the mug a little more than halfway with milk. Microwave 90 seconds. Add the vanilla, 2 tbsp sugar, 5 tbsp cocoa. Mix in a blender. This increases the volume considerably, making it very frothy. Pour back in the mug and microwave until it almost overflows. The first few sips will taste mild because of the froth, but as you keep drinking, the deep dark chocolatetiness becomes wonderful.

 

[DaveF]

I was a not chocolate junkie in my ‘20s. But the sugar rush and crash got me in my 30s and I replaced it with coffee as a mid-day pick me up. And I haven’t done much hot chocolate since.

This makes me want to have some.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I also haven’t had hot chocolate in forever but had been thinking about fixing it over the last couple days.

The food portion of after hours is really sizzling these days!

 

[Johnny Angell]

A reverse sear consists of cooking a steak in the oven or on the grill at a low temp. Once the steak is within 10-15 percent of desired temp, remove the steak, bring the grill to a high temp, and sear both sides. The steak should reach final doneness during the sear.

The sous vide process is similar. Cook steak at low temp till near the desired doneness than sear on a very hot pan, preferably cast iron.

 

[DaveF]

It’s similar, I see. Except the sous vide fully cooks the food. The sear is solely for flavor and texture, not for food safety or otherwise finishing the interior cook.

 

[Johnny Angell]

It’s similar, I see. Except the sous vide fully cooks the food. The sear is solely for flavor and texture, not for food safety or otherwise finishing the interior cook.

Ok, good to know. Seems like sous vide allows for more precise cooking. I wonder if it’s possible to cook 2 steaks to difference levels of doneness in the same pot?

 

[DaveF]

Should be, by starting one earlier so it cooks longer.

Check the Anova forum. I think there’d be discussion on these nuances.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

A scorching hot iron skillet, sear it, and then put it in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes to finish the ribeye off.

Perfect.

 

[DaveF]

You left out the finishing step of “open all doors and windows and wave frantically at smoke alarms to get them to stop!”

 

[Josh Steinberg]

What am I doing that I’m not getting that much smoke? Or have I just gotten used to seeing through a haze as part of the steak ritual?

 

[DaveF]

The way I’ve done it is to heat the skillet in the oven at 400F or higher, then heat it on stovetop to another five minutes. It does a sear quick, and into the oven for another few minutes. But it’s easy to over do it and get smoke. I’ve also cooked burgers in skillet and it’s also easy to smoke it

At least, easy for me!

 

[Johnny Angell]

On Friday night we fired up our Anova for the first time. We did a single large rib eye, about 2.5 inches thick. According to the chart it would take 3.5 hours but we ended up doing it for about 4:15 and you see the result of the cook above. I was going for med rare but my wife says it’s closer rare. Maybe so, but I like rare and she said it was no problem eating the rare.

After the souse vide, we seared it 30 seconds a side, plus on the edges, in a very hot cast iron pan (kept in 500 degree oven). The steak was absolutely delicious and the first use of the Anova is a resounding success.

Over on the Anova forums I learned some things, though I have to go back and read again and ask questions. It seems to me the temp of the water is more important than the time. Apparently the steak can be held at the temp for longer then is needed and it won’t be overcooked. One user ended up doing his steak for over 5 hours and still had the perfectly cooked and tender steak he was hoping for. I think he added tenderness to the steak with the extra cooking.

I was surprised how quickly the water was brought to temp, about 15-20 minutes. The thing is almost silent, i love that.

Has anyone gotten one of those dedicated cooking containers? They look quite convenient. I wonder if the cover (extra $$) is useful to have?

We each had a third of the steak leaving a substantial piece of meat which I ate the next day. Usually I eat a leftover steak cold so not to overcook it. I’m wondering if I could have used the Anova to warm the steak up without cooking it beyond the rare condition we had?

 

[DaveF]

Which sous vide did you buy specifically?

 

[Johnny Angell]

Which sous vide did you buy specifically?

This one: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WQ4M5TS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Johnny Angell]

Another thought about the sous vide process: very little water evaporates. We never added water during a 4:15 cooking process.

 

[DaveF]

I used a pot covered with foil to start. Then got a plastic tub with top meant for sous vide. Makes it easier for me. I think that extra expense is worthwhile but YMMV. This one I think.

EVERIE Collapsible Hinged Sous Vide Container Lid Compatible with Anova Culinary Precision Cooker and 12,18,22 Quart Rubbermaid Container (Corner Mount) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071L6PRY8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_I429DbQHJ6QK3

or if you’re a DIY handy kinda person, you can make your own containers from coolers.