Sous Vide - What do you cook with it?

[Docturphil]

Recently got a sous vide. Used it to make salmon, chicken, and steak so far.

Salmon and steak turned out fucking amazing. Cooked the salmon at 110 F and the steak at 132 F. Salmon was rare and soooooo soft and moist. Steak was a perfect medium rare. Chicken was pretty meh... Probably won't bother with chicken in the future.

Tonight I'm gonna try making some soft boiled eggs.

What do you guys make that's absolutely fucking delicious with your sous vide? Any pro tips?

[Pejo]

We've been really tempted to get one - it's good to see that the salmon/steak turned out well. I'd love to hear others' thoughts as well. Do you find it a hassle to use vs cooking with a different style? Did the steak/salmon taste quite different than if you had grilled/baked? I'm sure there is a difference but would love to hear it.

[belfpala]

Pork is another good choice.

Here's a good link. http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/01/f...l-recipes.html

[Docturphil]

Do you find it a hassle to use vs cooking with a different style?

As long as you give yourself time it's no problem at all. It's quite a bit easier than other cooking methods. All you do is fill up your pot with hot water, set the temp on your sous vide device, season your food, put it in a plastic bag, drop it in and wait. Searing the outside of your steak after it's done if that's what your cooking is recommended but not required.

They make special plastic bags for it, but large ziplock bags do the trick. That's what I've been using. You don't have to worry about the bag melting. Melting point on those bags is usually well over 200 F.

The only disadvantage is the time required. For a 1" thick cut of steak you're looking at about an hour. Two or more hours for thicker cuts.

Did the steak/salmon taste quite different than if you had grilled/baked? I'm sure there is a difference but would love to hear it.

The biggest difference is the consistency throughout. If you're grilling a steak medium rare, for example, the outside is going to be more well done and you're only going to get that nice pink color more towards the middle. With the sous vide it was that nice medium rare pink throughout.

I'd say it's possible to cook a steak on the grill just as good as you can with a sous vide, but with a sous vide it's just waaaay easier. On the grill you have to be a pro.

[Yelmurc]

Try burgers I've had good luck with them. Just make sure you sear the outside of them after sous vide. Also frozen burritos turn out amazing after you sous vide them

[Tijuana]

Recently got a sous vide. Used it to make salmon, chicken, and steak so far.

Salmon and steak turned out fucking amazing. Cooked the salmon at 110 F and the steak at 132 F. Salmon was rare and soooooo soft and moist. Steak was a perfect medium rare. Chicken was pretty meh... Probably won't bother with chicken in the future.

Tonight I'm gonna try making some soft boiled eggs.

What do you guys make that's absolutely fucking delicious with your sous vide? Any pro tips?

Weird. I had never heard of this device. That said, if you want to slow cook something, I would offer up a standard smoker as the best option.

[shoc]

Sous vide a hundred bucks worth of ribeye at 130 for a party last night, and seared with a torch. Turned out perfectly. Thanks for letting me know that Chicken doesn't sous vide well.

[belfpala]

Weird. I had never heard of this device. That said, if you want to slow cook something, I would offer up a standard smoker as the best option.

I've never seen a smoker than can maintain 125-130F for medium rare beef. And I doubt I'd try making a soft egg in a smoker, or infuse flavors into fruit, or...

[Tijuana]

I've never seen a smoker than can maintain 125-130F for medium rare beef. And I doubt I'd try making a soft egg in a smoker, or infuse flavors into fruit, or...

It's certainly an interesting device. Like I said, I have never even heard of one before.

[Docturphil]

Try burgers I've had good luck with them. Just make sure you sear the outside of them after sous vide. Also frozen burritos turn out amazing after you sous vide them

Good idea. I'll have to try that. I'm always well stocked on ground turkey from Costco so maybe I'll try turkey burgers.

[alzoron]

Looks like it's just boil in bag food dressed up with a fancy name and words. I remember it being marketed towards lower income families 20 or so years ago.

[Docturphil]

Sous vide a hundred bucks worth of ribeye at 130 for a party last night, and seared with a torch. Turned out perfectly. Thanks for letting me know that Chicken doesn't sous vide well.

Chicken might be worth a second try. If I remember correctly I tried like 152 F. Might turn out better if you do like 140-145ish. Usually I just throw chicken on my George Foreman though.

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Looks like it's just boil in bag food dressed up with a fancy name and words. I remember it being marketed towards lower income families 20 or so years ago.

Not exactly. You never boil anything. You would probably never exceed 160 F. And the key is to keep the water at a precise temperature. Basically the temperature you want your food to be at.

Considering the method is most often used to cook nicer cuts of meat, I don't see why they would market towards lower income families. But I suppose things could have been different back then.