Sous vide

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by CigarNut

Got a question: I need to cook 3 steaks medium-rare and one medium. I cook my medium rare steaks at 129 degrees and the medium at 135 degrees -- all for an hour.

I was thinking that I would cook the medium rare steaks first, then take them out of the bath and heat the bath up to 135 and then cook the medium steak. This means that the MR steaks will sit out (in their bags) for a bit over an hour and I don't know if that's OK. And, I'm loath to refrigerate the MR steaks as they may not heat up enough from the quick sear...

Is there a better way to do this?

I would cook them all MR and just sear one another 60-90 seconds each side.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by CigarNut

Got a question: I need to cook 3 steaks medium-rare and one medium. I cook my medium rare steaks at 129 degrees and the medium at 135 degrees -- all for an hour.

I was thinking that I would cook the medium rare steaks first, then take them out of the bath and heat the bath up to 135 and then cook the medium steak. This means that the MR steaks will sit out (in their bags) for a bit over an hour and I don't know if that's OK. And, I'm loath to refrigerate the MR steaks as they may not heat up enough from the quick sear...

Is there a better way to do this?

Set the temp for the medium steak. Cook it first.

Add ice to drop the bath temp to what is appropriate for the rare steak.

Toss in the raw steaks that are desired to be served rare.

Mark the bag of the medium steak, toss it in too. It won't cook any more since the temp is lower than it was cooked at, but it will stay warm.

Pull all the steaks out at once, dry, season and sear.

[jonumberone]

I'd prefer to use the method Peter mentioned.
Using Adam's method won't cook the steak any more, like he said, but the extra time could impact the texture.
Especially if other things start to take longer, or guests arrive latter than planned.

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

I'd prefer to use the method Peter mentioned.
Using Adam's method won't cook the steak any more, like he said, but the extra time could impact the texture.
Especially if other things start to take longer, or guests arrive latter than planned.

True.

But I wouldn't think 2 hours would have an impact on texture. He could leave the medium steak out for the first 30 minutes and toss it back in with the medium rare for the last 30 minutes.

The method I mentioned may or may not be the best. But it IS the easiest.

[croatan]

Originally Posted by pnoon

True.

But I wouldn't think 2 hours would have an impact on texture. He could leave the medium steak out for the first 30 minutes and toss it back in with the medium rare for the last 30 minutes.

The method I mentioned may or may not be the best. But it IS the easiest.

Yeah, I've always done as Peter described for cooking my mother's steaks to her preferred level of overcooked (she's always the odd person out at family gatherings), but might try Adam's method in the future.

[bonjing]

I don't know if I'm going to make any sense but I'll give it a shot.

Has your guests ever had a souse vide steak before? The reason for my thinking is that a sous vide cooked steak at 129deg versus a steak cooked on the grill at 129deg will both have different consistencies/looks when compared to each other. Maybe your 129deg would be just fine.

Or do i just cooked totally f-u'ed up

[Tio Gato]

Greg, there's nothing wrong with traditional grilling. Guests will appreciate both preparations. Sous vide will cook the steak evenly from the outside to the center, all at the same temp. Grilling a steak to 129F in the center will cook it from the outside in. So by the time the center reaches 129F the outer parts will be cooked to a higher temp. Sous vide produces the same temp through out the meat. It will need to be browned fast and furious on the outside for the texture and taste. It's that even cooking that makes the sous vide steak different.

both are yummy. Do whatever you like. Your guest will enjoy. The first few times I made sous vide steak for guests, they went nuts with joy.

[bonjing]

That's kind of what I am trying to, but unsuccessfully, trying to put down. A lot of people are grossed out by the look of a steak that's done on a grill, oven or stove top to a med-rare temp because it looks more bloody on the inside compared to a steak done to the same temp in a souse vide.

Myself I like med-rare (the 129 deg recommended by the annova cookbook), but even at some steakhouses a med-rare can come out pretty bloody, I don't mind it but most people that are used to that type of preparation are mostly turned off and and go with a more cooked meat. Marie likes a med done steak when we go out, but doesn't mind the med-rare on the souse vide, although sometimes she will ask me to sear the steak a little longer to get rid of the pink, she goes back and forth.

[Tio Gato]

To please all types I'll do a whole tenderloin to 129F. A good sear at the end will cook the tapered end even more yielding a more med. rare or med. cook.
I slice the whole thing and serve on a platter and let the guests choose the degree of "doneness" they like.

[Brlesq]

Originally Posted by Tio Gato

To please all types I'll do a whole tenderloin to 129F. A good sear at the end will cook the tapered end even more yielding a more med. rare or med. cook.
I slice the whole thing and serve on a platter and let the guests choose the degree of "doneness" they like.

Tenderloins @ 129F are so easy and tender. Cut with a fork like butter.

[pnoon]

Looks great, Bruce.

[Flynnster]

Pork loin is one of my favorite things to sous vide! So easy to do, stays moist and tender, then toss them on the grill to render any fat on the outside and sear things up. I also feel like the direct heat helps firm up the meat a bit.

[pnoon]

Bratwurst at 147.5 for two hours and finished in a cast iron skillet.
Sauteed onions. With mustard on a roll.

x 10

[Porch Dweller]

Originally Posted by pnoon

Bratwurst at 147.5 for two hours and finished in a cast iron skillet.
Sauteed onions. With mustard on a roll.

x 10

My stomach just went "RRROOOOAAAR". It's 7:40am and I now crave a bratwurst for breakfast.

[stearns]

Originally Posted by pnoon

Bratwurst at 147.5 for two hours and finished in a cast iron skillet.
Sauteed onions. With mustard on a roll.

x 10

How do they compare texture wise to normal cooking methods? Never thought to SV sausages but the thought does sound good.

Side question: anybody try regular hot dogs? would there be any benefit? maybe I'm just thinking crazy now

[T.G]

Originally Posted by stearns

How do they compare texture wise to normal cooking methods? Never thought to SV sausages but the thought does sound good.

Side question: anybody try regular hot dogs? would there be any benefit? maybe I'm just thinking crazy now

SV sausages tend to be much juicer. I've never used long cooks though, Peter would have to tell you if the texture changes any with a 10 hour cook.

I don't think a hot dog would change that much since it's already cooked.

[stearns]

Originally Posted by T.G

I don't think a hot dog would change that much since it's already cooked.

I figured the same, just some early morning ramblings

[T.G]

Originally Posted by stearns

I figured the same, just some early morning ramblings

Heh.

BTW, now that I think about it, I recall that I SV'd a few slices of spam once. It did nothing for it. Actually might have made it worse.

[stearns]

Originally Posted by T.G

Heh.

BTW, now that I think about it, I recall that I SV'd a few slices of spam once. It did nothing for it. Actually might have made it worse.

People always say spam can be made into something edible, I've never seen it

[T.G]

Originally Posted by stearns

People always say spam can be made into something edible, I've never seen it

spam musubi