# First Try Sous Vide Cooking



## FlFrayedKnot (Feb 15, 2009)

While visiting oldest son, he made some amazing steaks with the sous vide method. Needless to say, I had to play with this method! 

First steaks prepped and into the pot. Almost done!









Steak and instant chipotle bacon taters as a side. Yummy!









Decided to make some sweet potatoes for the wife next. Two kinds prepped for the pot.









Taters are in the pot.









Wife really enjoyed them!


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Do yourself a favor....there is a dude on YouTube called Guga (you can just search his name) but he has 2 diff channels Guga Foods and Sous Vide Everything. He is a cooking fool and will give you some great ideas!!! "Let's do it" is his favorite tag line and I drive the ole lady crazy by saying it just like him...just watch and you'll see what I'm talking bout!!!


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## FlFrayedKnot (Feb 15, 2009)

I have seen his vids while researching. In fact; on his "Sous Vide Everything" channel where he cooked a steak for a week and it was still eatable was the final convincing factor in deciding to try it out. It is about as fool proof a cooking method as exist!

I only wish I could splurge and sous vide some wagyu beef like he did; but I am way too cheap.


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## Rickpcfl (Nov 12, 2013)

I'm glad you posted this. My wife and son are out of town so my daughter and I decided to sous vide some steak tonight. I forgot to go pick some up so it can be marinating.

How did you finish it off? Hot skillet on the stove or on grill


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## FlFrayedKnot (Feb 15, 2009)

Rickpcfl said:


> I'm glad you posted this. My wife and son are out of town so my daughter and I decided to sous vide some steak tonight. I forgot to go pick some up so it can be marinating.
> 
> How did you finish it off? Hot skillet on the stove or on grill



I did nothing to finish it off, although the app mentioned that step. My son sears in a cast iron skillet. I am not as sensitive to finish as he and my brother who just started with it are, so I skipped that intentionally on the first steak.

One I am heating up tonight, I am cooking it to a higher temp as part of heating it up to see how that affects taste and moisture content, and I will sear it after one bite to get a direct comparison of with and without searing. I will use a steel skillet to do that searing with. 

Biggest surprise to me was that the fat was not like a grilled steak. Seems it does not get a high enough temp to caramelize, and the connective tissue between fat and meat is not pleasant at all, in fact; it is a slippery bitch to get out from between your teeth! I do NOT recommend eating the fat on a lower temp sous vide steak!


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## Rickpcfl (Nov 12, 2013)

Thanks. Funny description on the fat. 

I got my sous vide cooker for Christmas and have used it maybe 4-5 times. Oddly enough, the best thing out of it was the whole (but skinned) carrots that I caramelized after they were done.

My steak was good, but I don't think I seared it enough on the skillet. I'll make sure I pay attention to the fat - thanks for the advice.

I'll try to post photos if I can remember. I set mine to 129 degrees as I prefer medium rare.


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## FlFrayedKnot (Feb 15, 2009)

The steak in the picture was cooked for an hour at 135.5.


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## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

How many beers did you drink watching the pot boil?


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## FlFrayedKnot (Feb 15, 2009)

H2OMARK said:


> How many beers did you drink watching the pot boil?


None, or is this a trick question like if a rooster laid an egg on the peak of the roof and a .....

Water does not boil at 135.5 F, but the Anova does have a water circulatory pump if watching the pot is your thing! LOL


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## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

FlFrayedKnot said:


> None, or is this a trick question like if a rooster laid an egg on the peak of the roof and a .....
> 
> Water does not boil at 135.5 F, but the Anova does have a water circulatory pump if watching the pot is your thing! LOL



You may want to read up on boiling points of liquids under vacuum as most people use to seal the meats for the pot....all in good humor of course


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## FlFrayedKnot (Feb 15, 2009)

H2OMARK said:


> You may want to read up on boiling points of liquids under vacuum as most people use to seal the meats for the pot....all in good humor of course


And the water in the pot was not in a vacuum, so nice try to cover down. LOL


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## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

FlFrayedKnot said:


> And the water in the pot was not in a vacuum, so nice try to cover down. LOL


 
Guess you missed what I saying was vacuum sealed "most people use to seal the meats for the pot". So how many beers did you drink?


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## NautiCat (Mar 20, 2020)

You should try a chuck roast...tough piece of meat but I cook it anywhere between 30-36 hours with nothing but a little salt/pepper on the outside...when ready I cook in the oven at 500 for 10 minutes for the outside. Comes out tender with awesome flavor, it's great!


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## boomshakalaka (Dec 4, 2012)

do the steak at around 120-125, then do a high heat sear on each side until it's up to whatever temp you prefer. This will help render down the fat.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

NautiCat said:


> You should try a chuck roast...tough piece of meat but I cook it anywhere between 30-36 hours with nothing but a little salt/pepper on the outside...when ready I cook in the oven at 500 for 10 minutes for the outside. Comes out tender with awesome flavor, it's great!


Take it to 48hrs @ 135° with a sear and you’ll never cook it another way


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

I've been doing the reverse sear method for years, can't find any reason to do the sous thing. Same basic principle except the meat doesn't look like a gray wet piece of ugh.

Friends and family do the sous thing and love it. I already have an oven, can't see the overall advantage of another gizmo.

BUT.... if you want to invite me over for a Wagu steak or 10, you might change my mind.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

hjorgan said:


> I've been doing the reverse sear method for years, can't find any reason to do the sous thing. Same basic principle except the meat doesn't look like a gray wet piece of ugh.
> 
> Friends and family do the sous thing and love it. I already have an oven, can't see the overall advantage of another gizmo.
> 
> BUT.... if you want to invite me over for a Wagu steak or 10, you might change my mind.


They're doing it wrong if the meat is gray and wet.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

hjorgan said:


> I've been doing the reverse sear method for years, can't find any reason to do the sous thing. Same basic principle except the meat doesn't look like a gray wet piece of ugh.
> 
> Friends and family do the sous thing and love it. I already have an oven, can't see the overall advantage of another gizmo.
> 
> BUT.... if you want to invite me over for a Wagu steak or 10, you might change my mind.


Ever seen a chuck roast like that in an oven? Definitely not gray or wet.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Splittine said:


> Ever seen a chuck roast like that in an oven? Definitely not gray or wet.


Yeah that looks fine! I may have to try that sous vide stuff after all!


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

hjorgan said:


> Yeah that looks fine! I may have to try that sous vide stuff after all!


You are welcome to borrow mine as long as you don't keep it a month.


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