[wi30]

I'd like to give it a trial run before spending a hundred bucks on the cooker.

See how I like it vs. my traditional cast iron method.

[Veloce]

(06-28-2017 01:05 AM)wi30 Wrote:  

Any chance of testing this method with a normal meat thermometer and pot on an electric burner or would there be too much variance in temperature? I obviously wouldn't waste a steak doing this but it'd be something to try with a couple chicken breasts before buying the sous-vide cooker.

For the record, I'm an average sub-par meat and potato home chef using primarily cast iron pans and slow cookers.

Yes it's 100% doable with a pot of water, a thermometer, and some BPA-free ziplock bags. Just keep adjusting the heat on your burner to maintain the water temp around 130F (or whatever internal temp you're trying to achieve) and stir the water every once in a while. It's the ultimate low tech sous vide method.

The benefit of using an immersion circulator and a vacuum sealer is the convenience and ability to walk away from your food knowing you won't overcook it. But if you're willing to babysit just to check the results and don't want to commit, start with the low tech method first.

[Veloce]

(06-27-2017 01:41 AM)SamuelBRoberts Wrote:  

Can you tell me more about how you can portion meat or poultry with a vaccuum sealer? Does it make it last longer?

There's a variety of factors in any food preservation, but one of them is definitely oxygen. Removing oxygen via a vacuum sealer increases the shelf life and improves quality:

1) oxidized meat tastes terrible
2) there's a whole category of oxygen-based bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.
3) that said, there's also anaerobic bacteria that thrives WITHOUT oxygen (botulism) that's extremely nasty so just vacuum sealing food doesn't make it inherently safer.

A couple suggestions for increasing the shelf life of meat:

1) ALWAYS wear gloves while handling protein. I enforce this in every kitchen I run. Invest in a box of disposable nitrile gloves. There's countless bacteria and enzymes in your skin that you don't want contaminating meat. Handling meat right before you cook it is fine, but if you're portioning or prepping meat for the long haul, wear gloves.
2) if you're going to freeze meat, two factors to consider: you want to freeze the meat as quickly as possible, and thaw it as slowly as possible. The faster meat freezes, the smaller the ice crystals will develop. Larger ice crystals means more damage to the meat and when you cook it in can develop an undesirable mealy texture.

[Hypno]

I'm sure the food tastes great, but aren't you afraid of chemicals leaching from the plastic bags, especially under temperature? Even the BPA-free plastic has been found to leach dangerous chemicals.

[komatiite]

(06-28-2017 01:23 AM)wi30 Wrote:  

I'd like to give it a trial run before spending a hundred bucks on the cooker.

See how I like it vs. my traditional cast iron method.

http://m.seriouseats.com/2010/04/cook-yo...-hack.html

[Steelex]

This is not how a man cooks steak.

[Drazen]

(06-28-2017 04:40 AM)Hypno Wrote:  

I'm sure the food tastes great, but aren't you afraid of chemicals leaching from the plastic bags, especially under temperature? Even the BPA-free plastic has been found to leach dangerous chemicals.

not at all, your probably getting more carcinogenic material cooking over wood or coals or searing/burning over time.

[realologist]

It would be interesting to try but I would rather have a seared edge with the steak cooked in loads of butter.

[debeguiled]

@Veloce

If you had to choose between a Sous-Vide cooker, and a binchotan grill, which would it be?

[Veloce]

(07-01-2017 03:15 PM)debeguiled Wrote:  

@Veloce

If you had to choose between a Sous-Vide cooker, and a binchotan grill, which would it be?

Bincho grill hands down.

That's not necessarily an endorsement saying open fire cooking is better (although most would say it is). It's just me doing what I prefer. Having cooked professionally for almost 20 years, I have no use for fine dining techniques on the rare occasion that I do cook at home. I'd much rather get a live fire going, there's a certain ritual in grilling; enjoying the pyromaniac childish pleasure of staring at something on fire, of saturating your clothes with the smell of smoke and rendered animal fat, burning your fingertips and focusing on cooking a chunk of meat just so...there's nothing that comes close to that visceral experience.

That said, cooking over fire is hard to do well, and I have to generally look the other way (or take matters into my own hands) when witnessing most home cooks' attempts at grilling, as dick-ish as that sounds. I happen to be pretty good at it (one would hope so after years of trial-and-error) and I take a selfish pleasure in cooking an entire meal over live coals. My go-to meal to make at home is some piece of animal as well as some vegetables cooked over coals, served with rice, pickles, and some kind of light sauce, usually some herbs (oregano, mint, parsley), garlic, lemon and olive oil smashed up in a mortar and pestle to form a smooth paste. It's primal cooking that elicits a satisfied response from people that eat it, and even better washed down with some cheap shit beer and shots of tequila or whiskey, whatever your preference. A few choice cuts of meat, perfectly steamed rice, a branch or two of charred broccoli, and a light sauce...it's masculine cooking that doesn't lead to bloating or discomfort, equally suitable for having a girl over or cooking for friends and family.

[redbeard]

(06-28-2017 04:22 AM)Veloce Wrote:  

(06-27-2017 01:41 AM)SamuelBRoberts Wrote:  

Can you tell me more about how you can portion meat or poultry with a vaccuum sealer? Does it make it last longer?

There's a variety of factors in any food preservation, but one of them is definitely oxygen. Removing oxygen via a vacuum sealer increases the shelf life and improves quality:

1) oxidized meat tastes terrible
2) there's a whole category of oxygen-based bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.
3) that said, there's also anaerobic bacteria that thrives WITHOUT oxygen (botulism) that's extremely nasty so just vacuum sealing food doesn't make it inherently safer.

A couple suggestions for increasing the shelf life of meat:

1) ALWAYS wear gloves while handling protein. I enforce this in every kitchen I run. Invest in a box of disposable nitrile gloves. There's countless bacteria and enzymes in your skin that you don't want contaminating meat. Handling meat right before you cook it is fine, but if you're portioning or prepping meat for the long haul, wear gloves.
2) if you're going to freeze meat, two factors to consider: you want to freeze the meat as quickly as possible, and thaw it as slowly as possible. The faster meat freezes, the smaller the ice crystals will develop. Larger ice crystals means more damage to the meat and when you cook it in can develop an undesirable mealy texture.

Any tips on defrosting frozen meat properly? I just do whatever I have time for, between fridge/countertop/submerged in water.

[Veloce]

(02-17-2019 11:56 AM)redbeard Wrote:  

(06-28-2017 04:22 AM)Veloce Wrote:  

(06-27-2017 01:41 AM)SamuelBRoberts Wrote:  

Can you tell me more about how you can portion meat or poultry with a vaccuum sealer? Does it make it last longer?

There's a variety of factors in any food preservation, but one of them is definitely oxygen. Removing oxygen via a vacuum sealer increases the shelf life and improves quality:

1) oxidized meat tastes terrible
2) there's a whole category of oxygen-based bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.
3) that said, there's also anaerobic bacteria that thrives WITHOUT oxygen (botulism) that's extremely nasty so just vacuum sealing food doesn't make it inherently safer.

A couple suggestions for increasing the shelf life of meat:

1) ALWAYS wear gloves while handling protein. I enforce this in every kitchen I run. Invest in a box of disposable nitrile gloves. There's countless bacteria and enzymes in your skin that you don't want contaminating meat. Handling meat right before you cook it is fine, but if you're portioning or prepping meat for the long haul, wear gloves.
2) if you're going to freeze meat, two factors to consider: you want to freeze the meat as quickly as possible, and thaw it as slowly as possible. The faster meat freezes, the smaller the ice crystals will develop. Larger ice crystals means more damage to the meat and when you cook it in can develop an undesirable mealy texture.

Any tips on defrosting frozen meat properly? I just do whatever I have time for, between fridge/countertop/submerged in water.

Try to plan ahead and do it in the fridge. Should take roughly 3 days. If you're in a pinch, doing so under running water is fine but not the ideal method.

[redbeard]

(02-18-2019 02:56 AM)Veloce Wrote:  

(02-17-2019 11:56 AM)redbeard Wrote:  

(06-28-2017 04:22 AM)Veloce Wrote:  

(06-27-2017 01:41 AM)SamuelBRoberts Wrote:  

Can you tell me more about how you can portion meat or poultry with a vaccuum sealer? Does it make it last longer?

There's a variety of factors in any food preservation, but one of them is definitely oxygen. Removing oxygen via a vacuum sealer increases the shelf life and improves quality:

1) oxidized meat tastes terrible
2) there's a whole category of oxygen-based bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.
3) that said, there's also anaerobic bacteria that thrives WITHOUT oxygen (botulism) that's extremely nasty so just vacuum sealing food doesn't make it inherently safer.

A couple suggestions for increasing the shelf life of meat:

1) ALWAYS wear gloves while handling protein. I enforce this in every kitchen I run. Invest in a box of disposable nitrile gloves. There's countless bacteria and enzymes in your skin that you don't want contaminating meat. Handling meat right before you cook it is fine, but if you're portioning or prepping meat for the long haul, wear gloves.
2) if you're going to freeze meat, two factors to consider: you want to freeze the meat as quickly as possible, and thaw it as slowly as possible. The faster meat freezes, the smaller the ice crystals will develop. Larger ice crystals means more damage to the meat and when you cook it in can develop an undesirable mealy texture.

Any tips on defrosting frozen meat properly? I just do whatever I have time for, between fridge/countertop/submerged in water.

Try to plan ahead and do it in the fridge. Should take roughly 3 days. If you're in a pinch, doing so under running water is fine but not the ideal method.

Thank you!