Anova/Sous-Vide ERA

bye · May 17, 2018

When searing anything you really need to first of all avoid nonstick pans and use either cast iron, stainless steel, Dutch oven etc anything that retains and conducts heat well. If you add too much oil you won't get a good sear either, you only need like a teaspoon or so for a steak, piece of chicken, and a tablespoon for larger items. Third make sure you heat the pan/oil till it smokes before you add the meat. Making sure your food is dry is also essential, and adding salt to the surface will help with the maillard reaction. Hope this helps :)

ReAxion · May 17, 2018

drying is an essential step that i sometimes forget.

Deleted member 4452 · May 17, 2018

I dried it, but maybe not enough. I'll try it again tonight!

ReAxion · May 17, 2018

as i posted before, i still like non-stick for searing. but as always, do what you like. it's your food.

jts · May 18, 2018

Aurongel said:
Which vacuum dealer and bags are you using? I'm considering getting one but the single use bags seem like they'd get expensive quick. On the other hand, using the water displacement method never gets enough of the air out of resealable bags. It has been frustrating so far so I'm looking to see how the costs of a resealer looks.

I bought a local off-brand device with no bells or whistles whatsoever, which is probably a generic chinese product with a logo on top, but it cost me 40€ already with a vacuum bag roll included, so I'm pleased.

Seriously, the water displacement method can do in a pinch but it is frustrating! When the water is hot it's hard to do it, so you should do it first and then put it back in the fridge (or leave it on the sous vide water already I guess); you're never fully confident that they won't leak, and for all week batch cooking that's a problem. With a sealer you alleviate those headaches, can batch cook better and more confidently and it's somewhat fun too. I've been enjoying food I vacuum packed 3-4 days ago and they taste just as good as fresh.

oddjobs · May 18, 2018

jts said:
I bought a local off-brand device with no bells or whistles whatsoever, which is probably a generic chinese product with a logo on top, but it cost me 40€ already with a vacuum bag roll included, so I'm pleased.

Seriously, the water displacement method can do in a pinch but it is frustrating! When the water is hot it's hard to do it, so you should do it first and then put it back in the fridge (or leave it on the sous vide water already I guess); you're never fully confident that they won't leak, and for all week batch cooking that's a problem. With a sealer you alleviate those headaches, can batch cook better and more confidently and it's somewhat fun too. I've been enjoying food I vacuum packed 3-4 days ago and they taste just as good as fresh.

Where did you get that? Finnish, right?

jts · May 18, 2018

oddjobs said:
Where did you get that? Finnish, right?

From Halpa-Halli. I'm not Finnish, but I'm in Finland yeah :p

I Don't Like · May 18, 2018

Aurongel said:
Which vacuum dealer and bags are you using? I'm considering getting one but the single use bags seem like they'd get expensive quick. On the other hand, using the water displacement method never gets enough of the air out of resealable bags. It has been frustrating so far so I'm looking to see how the costs of a resealer looks.

Got this one recently and it's legit:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2HE2HD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6C0.Ab4E3N5TP

Comes with a bunch of bags so you won't have to buy any for a while.

Genryu · May 18, 2018

If I wanted to sear something after sous-vide, could I use a propane blowtorch to do it?

Sandfox · May 20, 2018

Just cooked some large chicken breast with salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary at 150 for two hours and it's the best I've ever had. Next time I want to try pork tenderloin.

Absinthe · May 20, 2018

bye said:
When searing anything you really need to first of all avoid nonstick pans and use either cast iron, stainless steel, Dutch oven etc anything that retains and conducts heat well. If you add too much oil you won't get a good sear either, you only need like a teaspoon or so for a steak, piece of chicken, and a tablespoon for larger items. Third make sure you heat the pan/oil till it smokes before you add the meat. Making sure your food is dry is also essential, and adding salt to the surface will help with the maillard reaction. Hope this helps :)

Also, I've found a nice hot BBQ is much preferred over cast iron as it's easier to cook, makes less mess, and overall tastes better IMO.

Masquerade Overture · May 20, 2018

Anytime I hear the words "Sous-Vide" I think about that one Sean Penn passage.

cyberninja · May 21, 2018

jchap said:
If you really want to know the joy of cast iron you should sand out that Lodge and then reseason. You will probably throw away all your teflon non stick gear after seeing the results. Alternatively there are cast iron companies such as Stargazer that sell their pans with machined inner surfaces. Also one could buy antique Wagner's if they want a smooth inner surface. I've had good luck sanding Lodge pans but it is a bit of work.

For comparison here is a pre-seasoned Stargazer cast iron pan.

So being a cast iron noob I didn't take a good care of my cast iron and it lost some of its seasoning. I think I'm ready to sand it down and re-season. Can you recommend any guides for me to do it? Thanks.

Chitown B · May 21, 2018

cyberninja said:
So being a cast iron noob I didn't take a good care of my cast iron and it lost some of its seasoning. I think I'm ready to sand it down and re-season. Can you recommend any guides for me to do it? Thanks.

Warm an unseasoned pan (either new or stripped of seasoning) for 15 minutes in a 200-degree oven to open its pores. The best way to strip a cast-iron pan of seasoning is to run the pan through your oven's self-cleaning cycle.
Remove the pan from the oven. Place 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil in the pan and, using tongs, rub the oil into the surface with paper towels. With fresh paper towels, thoroughly wipe out the pan to remove excess oil.
Place the oiled pan upside down in a cold oven, then set the oven to its maximum baking temperature. Once the oven reaches its maximum temperature, heat the pan for one hour. Turn off the oven; cool the pan in the oven for at least two hours.
Repeat the process five more times, or until the pan develops a dark, semi-matte surface.

cyberninja · May 21, 2018

Chitown B said:
Warm an unseasoned pan (either new or stripped of seasoning) for 15 minutes in a 200-degree oven to open its pores. The best way to strip a cast-iron pan of seasoning is to run the pan through your oven's self-cleaning cycle.

Remove the pan from the oven. Place 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil in the pan and, using tongs, rub the oil into the surface with paper towels. With fresh paper towels, thoroughly wipe out the pan to remove excess oil.

Place the oiled pan upside down in a cold oven, then set the oven to its maximum baking temperature. Once the oven reaches its maximum temperature, heat the pan for one hour. Turn off the oven; cool the pan in the oven for at least two hours.

Repeat the process five more times, or until the pan develops a dark, semi-matte surface.

Thanks a lot. I will give it a go as soon as i find some time. For how many hours should I do the self clean to strip the old seasoning?

Chitown B · May 21, 2018

cyberninja said:
Thanks a lot. I will give it a go as soon as i find some time. For how many hours should I do the self clean to strip the old seasoning?

My old oven's self cleaning locked the oven, ran 3 hours I think, then cooled enough and unlocked. You can change the length of time but I think 3 hours is standard.

cyberninja · May 21, 2018

Chitown B said:
My old oven's self cleaning locked the oven, ran 3 hours I think, then cooled enough and unlocked. You can change the length of time but I think 3 hours is standard.

If I remember correctly, my oven has a couple of options to choose from. I will do 3 hours and see what happens. Thank you.

jchap · May 21, 2018

Like suggested above I first put my pan in the oven self cleaning cycle. I then used a quick stripping disc on a power drill to roughly smooth the pan followed by a random orbital sander to get the pan fairly smooth.

From there it's just standard seasoning. Some people like flax seed oil but I like oils that produce less of a hard flaky surface on cast iron. I use Crisco. Flaxseed oil is awesome on carbon steel pans though. From there just cook lots of fatty Meats the pan.

On my lodge griddle I actually put it on a CNC mill and milled it perfectly flat and smooth. It is a thing of beauty.

cyberninja · May 21, 2018

jchap said:
Like suggested above I first put my pan in the oven self cleaning cycle. I then used a quick stripping disc on a power drill to roughly smooth the pan followed by a random orbital sander to get the pan fairly smooth.

From there it's just standard seasoning. Some people like flax seed oil but I like oils that produce less of a hard flaky surface on cast iron. I use Crisco. Flaxseed oil is awesome on carbon steel pans though. From there just cook lots of fatty Meats the pan.

On my lodge griddle I actually put it on a CNC mill and milled it perfectly flat and smooth. It is a thing of beauty.

Thanks for suggestion. ))))

Chitown B · May 21, 2018

jchap said:
Like suggested above I first put my pan in the oven self cleaning cycle. I then used a quick stripping disc on a power drill to roughly smooth the pan followed by a random orbital sander to get the pan fairly smooth.

From there it's just standard seasoning. Some people like flax seed oil but I like oils that produce less of a hard flaky surface on cast iron. I use Crisco. Flaxseed oil is awesome on carbon steel pans though. From there just cook lots of fatty Meats the pan.

On my lodge griddle I actually put it on a CNC mill and milled it perfectly flat and smooth. It is a thing of beauty.

I used to use vegetable shortening (Crisco) but it leaves the pan way more splotchy than Flax Seed and Flax will not go rancid.

My iron is from the 1930's so it's thin and smooth :)

jchap · May 21, 2018

Chitown B said:
I used to use vegetable shortening (Crisco) but it leaves the pan way more splotchy than Flax Seed and Flax will not go rancid.

My iron is from the 1930's so it's thin and smooth :)

The key to any seasoning is to keep it in very thin layers. Apply some oil and then try to wipe it all off with a clean towel before heating. If you get splotches its because there was too much grease.

Chitown B · May 22, 2018

jchap said:
The key to any seasoning is to keep it in very thin layers. Apply some oil and then try to wipe it all off with a clean towel before heating. If you get splotches its because there was too much grease.

I always wipe it off. It just retains seasoning better with flax than crisco, for me.

jts · May 22, 2018

Anyone still having issues with the timer when operated via the app and just with the app in general? I'm cooking egg bites for the first time and after the water reached the desired temperature it changed to "now cooking" but the timer doesn't move at all. This isn't the first time either, and sometimes when I change a timer, it will go back to "pre-heating" when it's already at the temp. Bit frustrating.

You'd think Anova would have nailed these basic functions by now.

Luchashaq · May 22, 2018

Genryu said:
If I wanted to sear something after sous-vide, could I use a propane blowtorch to do it?

I don't see any reason why not, I use my acetylene welder to do it.

Chitown B · May 22, 2018

Genryu said:
If I wanted to sear something after sous-vide, could I use a propane blowtorch to do it?

you could but it can impart some gas flavor. I'd recommend a spreader or searzall

Maynerd · May 22, 2018

Anova keeps delaying their Nano, I swear the thing is never going to come out.

Chitown B · May 24, 2018

Maynerd said:
Anova keeps delaying their Nano, I swear the thing is never going to come out.

Why would anyone want it? The OG is usually on sale for $105-109, and the Nano is way less powerful at $100 (or $90 early bird).

nampad · Jun 2, 2018

Just tried to season my new iron pan (never had one). Some parts of it are not perfect.

Good or bad idea to try to sear my just bought dry aged Irish steak on it tomorrow?

I Don't Like · Jun 10, 2018

nampad said:
Just tried to season my new iron pan (never had one). Some parts of it are not perfect.

Good or bad idea to try to sear my just bought dry aged Irish steak on it tomorrow?

I would have said no reason not to. Did you end up doing it?

I'm going to try meatballs tonight for first time. Got a good looking recipe from Anova app.

Rarely eat pasta so this will be a nice treat. Got spaghetti and some good sauce ready.

I Don't Like · Jun 11, 2018

PlayALLTheGames said:
I would have said no reason not to. Did you end up doing it?

I'm going to try meatballs tonight for first time. Got a good looking recipe from Anova app.

Rarely eat pasta so this will be a nice treat. Got spaghetti and some good sauce ready.

Edit: meatballs turned out really well. It was challenging putting 3 bags of them in the container (mine is smaller) without stackin, so some of the meatballs were more oblong shaped once they came out but after a quick sear, adding the sauce and dumping it all on the spaghetti, damn that was some good pasta.

kvetcha · Jun 11, 2018

nampad said:
Just tried to season my new iron pan (never had one). Some parts of it are not perfect.

Good or bad idea to try to sear my just bought dry aged Irish steak on it tomorrow?

The best way to season cast iron is through rote use. Cook bacon or cornbread.

nampad · Jun 13, 2018

PlayALLTheGames said:
I would have said no reason not to. Did you end up doing it?

I'm going to try meatballs tonight for first time. Got a good looking recipe from Anova app.

Rarely eat pasta so this will be a nice treat. Got spaghetti and some good sauce ready.

Yes I did and I really liked the new pan. My wife adjusted the colors a bit so it doesn't look like there was a big crust in the first pic.

The beef was from John Stone and was really great. Was a bit skeptical because there wasn't much marbling going on.

kvetcha said:
The best way to season cast iron is through rote use. Cook bacon or cornbread.

I know that it will get better with more usage but I wasn't sure it was ready for some expensive cut of beef. Thanks, bacon sounds good, Germany isn't big on cornbread though.

kvetcha · Jun 13, 2018

nampad said:
I know that it will get better with more usage but I wasn't sure it was ready for some expensive cut of beef. Thanks, bacon sounds good, Germany isn't big on cornbread though.

Anything that uses lots of natural fat (bacon, deep or shallow frying, etc) will do wonders for your pan. As far as initial seasoning, I did mine from bare metal just using bacon grease and baking in the oven for a few hours. It was splotchy at first but smoothed out over time. I've heard a lot of people use flaxseed but I've also heard that the seasoning it produces, while pretty, is rather brittle.

blackhawk163 · Jun 13, 2018

jts said:
Anyone still having issues with the timer when operated via the app and just with the app in general? I'm cooking egg bites for the first time and after the water reached the desired temperature it changed to "now cooking" but the timer doesn't move at all. This isn't the first time either, and sometimes when I change a timer, it will go back to "pre-heating" when it's already at the temp. Bit frustrating.

You'd think Anova would have nailed these basic functions by now.

Worse yet, for me, is when I move to far and lose bluetooth connection, upon reconnect and entering the app, the temp gets reset to 55° f.

Also, do you folks put your Mears in the fridge for about 10 minutes? I do. I pat it dry and then far side down, I put the meat in the fridge. This, I found creates a wonderful sear, as the top layer is nearly completely dry, and the internal wonderfully juicy.

kvetcha · Jun 13, 2018

blackhawk163 said:
Worse yet, for me, is when I move to far and lose bluetooth connection, upon reconnect and entering the app, the temp gets reset to 55° f.

Also, do you folks put your Mears in the fridge for about 10 minutes? I do. I pat it dry and then far side down, I put the meat in the fridge. This, I found creates a wonderful sear, as the top layer is nearly completely dry, and the internal wonderfully juicy.

That's a smart way to quick-dry!

I've got the original, dumb Anovas. Two of 'em. I enjoy the simplicity.

jts · Jun 13, 2018

Yeah I've learned to use my Anova mostly manually. Still need to use the app to set more precise temperatures (at least in C°). But other than that I set my timers on my own, and the wireless capabilities I just see as semi-reliable extras that can sometimes help.

RetroMG · Jun 17, 2018

So my brother-in-law talked me into sous vide-ing a bunch of steaks for Father's day. Yesterday he showed up on my doorstep with four packages of smallish sirloins and a pack of chicken breasts, explaining that one of our sisters-in-law won't eat red meat. So now I'm sous vide-ing a pack of marineted chicken breasts and a metric ton of steak today.

Trying to think of the best way to do this. Best I've got so far is to cook the chicken at 150 for two hours, then drop the temp down to around 130 for the steaks, and leave the chicken in the water with the steaks so that the chicken stays warmish while the steaks cook. Thoughts?

kvetcha · Jun 17, 2018

RetroMG said:
So my brother-in-law talked me into sous vide-ing a bunch of steaks for Father's day. Yesterday he showed up on my doorstep with four packages of smallish sirloins and a pack of chicken breasts, explaining that one of our sisters-in-law won't eat red meat. So now I'm sous vide-ing a pack of marineted chicken breasts and a metric ton of steak today.

Trying to think of the best way to do this. Best I've got so far is to cook the chicken at 150 for two hours, then drop the temp down to around 130 for the steaks, and leave the chicken in the water with the steaks so that the chicken stays warmish while the steaks cook. Thoughts?

Neither chicken nor steak take particularly long to cook unless they're frozen, so that should be just fine. I'd recommend using ice to chill the bath quickly from 150 to 130. Wouldn't let it go longer than four hours overall or else you risk the chicken getting a bit mush.

You could also just remove and chill the chicken and then toss it back in 30 minutes before the steaks are done.

RetroMG · Jun 17, 2018

kvetcha said:
Neither chicken nor steak take particularly long to cook unless they're frozen, so that should be just fine. I'd recommend using ice to chill the bath quickly from 150 to 130. Wouldn't let it go longer than four hours overall or else you risk the chicken getting a bit mush.

You could also just remove and chill the chicken and then toss it back in 30 minutes before the steaks are done.

Oh, that's a good idea! Yeah, I was worried about the chicken going mushy, but I figured the lower temp would prevent it. (I realize that makes little to no sense.) I will definitely do your suggestion, though.

kvetcha · Jun 17, 2018

RetroMG said:
Oh, that's a good idea! Yeah, I was worried about the chicken going mushy, but I figured the lower temp would prevent it. (I realize that makes little to no sense.) I will definitely do your suggestion, though.

130 is an agreed upon holding temp and the extra time *probably* won't cause you any heartache, but I figure why risk it.

ReAxion · Jun 19, 2018

did some fat swordfish steaks at 130F for 40m a couple days ago. wonderful. did the anova recipe, except i used dried thyme and not as much lemon.

I Don't Like · Jun 25, 2018

RetroMG said:
So my brother-in-law talked me into sous vide-ing a bunch of steaks for Father's day. Yesterday he showed up on my doorstep with four packages of smallish sirloins and a pack of chicken breasts, explaining that one of our sisters-in-law won't eat red meat. So now I'm sous vide-ing a pack of marineted chicken breasts and a metric ton of steak today.

Trying to think of the best way to do this. Best I've got so far is to cook the chicken at 150 for two hours, then drop the temp down to around 130 for the steaks, and leave the chicken in the water with the steaks so that the chicken stays warmish while the steaks cook. Thoughts?

For medium rare steaks, I haven't found any reason to go above 125, and that's what I use for thicker ribeyes.

Chitown B · Jun 26, 2018

PlayALLTheGames said:
For medium rare steaks, I haven't found any reason to go above 125, and that's what I use for thicker ribeyes.

Sous Vide Doneness - Temperature Range - Timing Range
Medium-rare 129°F (54°C) to 134°F (57°C) 45 minutes to 4 hours (2 1/2 hours max if under 130°F/54°C)
Medium 135°F (57°C) to 144°F (62°C) 45 minutes to 4 hours
Medium-well 145°F (63°C) to 155°F (68°C) 45 minutes to 3 1/2 hours

125 is way too low, IMO. I don't think that even pasteurizes. I've never gone below 129. 131 is a go-to for med rare steaks.

Chan · Jun 26, 2018

Chitown B said:
Sous Vide Doneness - Temperature Range - Timing Range
Medium-rare 129°F (54°C) to 134°F (57°C) 45 minutes to 4 hours (2 1/2 hours max if under 130°F/54°C)
Medium 135°F (57°C) to 144°F (62°C) 45 minutes to 4 hours
Medium-well 145°F (63°C) to 155°F (68°C) 45 minutes to 3 1/2 hours

125 is way too low, IMO. I don't think that even pasteurizes. I've never gone below 129. 131 is a go-to for med rare steaks.

What if I like my steaks rare?

CrankyJay · Jun 26, 2018

Chan said:
What if I like my steaks rare?

120-129, going solely by temp

I like rare occasionally but not sure I'd like edge to edge rare.

ReAxion · Jun 26, 2018

man, I did a london broil (I think it's called top round elsewhere) for 7 hrs at 133F and it was like a completely different cut. So tender.

I Don't Like · Jun 26, 2018

Chitown B said:
Sous Vide Doneness - Temperature Range - Timing Range
Medium-rare 129°F (54°C) to 134°F (57°C) 45 minutes to 4 hours (2 1/2 hours max if under 130°F/54°C)
Medium 135°F (57°C) to 144°F (62°C) 45 minutes to 4 hours
Medium-well 145°F (63°C) to 155°F (68°C) 45 minutes to 3 1/2 hours

125 is way too low, IMO. I don't think that even pasteurizes. I've never gone below 129. 131 is a go-to for med rare steaks.

Worked perfectly for me. 125 for 1 hour then Sear on hot ass cast iron.

Piggus · Jun 26, 2018

Chitown B said:
I wish there were more sous vide channels. they get on my nerves. I get sick of hearing 'ninja this' and 'ninja that"

Don't talk shit about the Ninja.

Chitown B · Jun 26, 2018

PlayALLTheGames said:
Worked perfectly for me. 125 for 1 hour then Sear on hot ass cast iron.

125 is cold, unless you're really cooking it when you're searing, which you shouldn't be.

Chitown B · Jun 26, 2018

Chan said:
What if I like my steaks rare?

Then cook that low. But 125 is not Med-Rare, as the original poster stated. Or just chop up for tartare.

Anova/Sous-Vide ERA

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