Is a Sous Vide worth it?


(Doug) #41

Yes, Goohsmom, a Cambro is cheaper, the 19 quart model is $20.91 U.S. right now, not a bad price for it:

Looking back over the past 6+ years, above.

A hole saw from 2-3/8" to 2-3/4" (6cm to 7cm will make many a container lid fit most circulators, too, I think. Plenty of people make 'Frankencoolers" - and since they’re insulated they can be bigger than what a given circulator is recommended for.


(PSackmann) #42

Thanks Doug, I’m pretty sure we already have a hole saw in the garage/workshop. We also have a good kitchen supply house close by. I’ll have to check to see what they have for sous-vide equipment, they may have less expensive racks available as well. We also have lots of coolers, I’m sure I could commandeer at least one to use, especially for larger batch cooking and bigger pieces of meat.


(Doug) #43

I like the look and relative thinness of the polycarbonate containers, but an insulated vessel definitely has merits. If it’s cold weather enough to be heating the house, no problem with sous viding away, but the thought of a long cook when you’re running the air conditioner irks me - all the waste heat from the container going to heat the air, working against the A/C… :neutral_face:


#44

You could also use a Dremel, or similar to do this as well. I would just mark the area and take your time cutting out the needed area. Takes a little more finesse, but can be done easily. Plus you can make sure to cut the area for a better fit as well.


(Doug) #45

Right on, Dave. :slightly_smiling_face: Not sure how smooth an edge a Dremel would leave, so perhaps a little sandpaper to finish up, if needed?


#46

Or just switch the attachment bit to one of the sander ones. :slight_smile: … For this, I would actually measure a bit smaller so you could sand it out to proper size. (That’s if one wants to keep a tight fit for optimal performance)


(Karim Wassef) #47

I just took a sheet of thick styrofoam and made a top for my cooler. I cut out a hole in the styrofoam with a serrated knife… the cooler top doesn’t close but it doesn’t matter.

I like cheap and simple…

I did buy a WiFi plug though so I can turn off the Sousvide with a timer once the time has run out. My Anova will beep but I run it at night and need it to just turn off.


(Steve) #48

I love my handheld smoke gun. I sous vide then put my meat in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and give it about 30 seconds of clean burning smoke. It’s a great easy lazy way to get the smoke into sous vide ribs etc… I paid $20 on Amazon, it comes apart for easy cleaning.



(Karim Wassef) #49

Can you get a smoke ring in the meat with the smoke gun?


(Steve) #50

No Smoke ring as it would have to be in a smokey environment for more than a couple of minutes. The smoke gun gives it a nice smoke flavor though. I grilled some poblano peppers on the grill but wanted smoke flavor for my tacos so I threw them in my smoke bowl for a minute…Bam. Also I find that if I wrap the peppers and refrigerate overnight the flavor improves.


(Jane) #51

#MAYBECHICKENS

It has been raining non-stop here and may flood tomorrow. We are supposed to go pick them up on Tuesday but if the creek comes out of its bank and doesn’t go down before 13:30 on Tuesday we will have to re-schedule until the next hatch day, which is Thu. :grimacing:

I wanted a few days home with my baby chicks before I have to fly to China for a week sniff


(Judy Thompson) #52

I got an IP Max, 6 qt and sous vide included. It’s obviously for small stuff. I’ve only done one meal, a small pork tenderloin already vacuum sealed with sauce from the grocery store. I googled a recipe and it said 1-4 hours. Mine was closer to 4, but it was absolutely amazing. For eggs and little meals like that I’m completely happy. But a real sous vide circulator is clearly in my future at some point!


(Marie) #53

Do you sous vide until tender and then smoke? Or put in smoker and then sous vide?


(Steve) #54

Sous vide then smoke gun or smoker. I like 3 infusions of good clean smoke with the smoke gun, releasing the smoke each time before the next infusion. I also find that when I refrigerate overnight the smoke flavor penetrates more into whatever you are smoking.