Poor man's sous-vide question

SaintJohnsEgger · December 2016

Spent too much money on my BGE and accessories lately. But I am interested in putting the vacuum sealer I am getting for Christmas to use as well as interested in trying sous-vide.

So,, why can I just vacuum seal some meat with seasonings then throw it in one of my crock pots filled with water? Wouldn't that be a poor man's sous-vide? I won't have as much temp control as some of the fancy wifi enabled digital thingees have but I would keep more of my money in my pocket.

Anyone tried this before?

jllbms · December 2016

Generally not encouraged. Sous vide devices maintain sub-degree control. Also, the crockpot won't maintain a low enough temperature. Early on, crockpots were hacked with PID controllers. Now you just buy a $150 device.

RRP · December 2016

For years before I sprung for an inexpensive ANOVA sous vide unit I merely used bags with a twisty and hot tap water and not even FS vacuum bags. Some folks use their sink, but to conserve water I used a small cooler with the lid on tight. Most water heaters are set between 128 and 133º and letting the meat warm up in that temperature for 60 to 90 minutes is all you need.

caliking · December 2016

Folks have cobbled together their own PID controller for crockpots or coffee percolators (like @Canugghead) or used something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Dorkfood-Sous-Vide-Temperature-Controller-DSV/dp/B0088OTON4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1481565064&sr=8-5&keywords=crockpot+sousvide

That's about how much you will pay for an ANOVA when its on sale.

You can just dump the sealed protein in the crockpot, but you will want to know what temp the crock pot is running at and if its holding steady at that temp. Time and temp will affect the texture of whatever you're cooking.

You can also do it in a cooler, by adding hot water intermittently to maintain the temp that you are shooting for. It gets tedious though.

SaintJohnsEgger · December 2016

I've spent $1500+ on a BGE so that I can cook meet low and slow. If I tell my wife I now want to do with a $150 sous-vide device I would be in more trouble than I could survive. My only chance of surviving is to do it for free or not doing sous-vide at all.

fishlessman · December 2016

i bought this one to use with a crock. the unit i recieved did not work. then bought an anova.

if you find one similar(i would not buy this one) you need an old style crock pot, the new digitals reset when the controller shuts off power then turns on again. you need a crock with the manual settings. waterbath in the sink is great for steaks and is the poormans sousvide
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V4TJR00?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

RedSkip · December 2016

You could always find a new wife...

JustineCaseyFeldown · December 2016

i would kinda look at from the perspective of "what are you trying to do".

if you want to control things over a much longer period of time and be safe while doing it, and you are aiming at achieving things beyond just warming up meat (for ex.), then yeah, absolutely get a sous vide rig or make one yourself.

i maintain though that short periods of less precise 'bath' heating aren't really sous vide.

for example, i'll take ice cold steaks from the fridge and hot tub them, which is to submerge in a generally airless zip-loc bag (not a foodsaver vacuum bag), and change out the water a couple times until the meat is warmed through.

then toss it on the egg and sear.

but to me that's just chill-killing. i don't go more than an hour, and i'm not aiming to really transform the food in any way. just making for an even cross section of done-ness. i don't have thermometers or charts...

it's like pulling up to a stop light in your car and driving away when the light turns green. no big deal.

but if you do it with the proper knowledge, a little specialized equipment, and expertise, then it's drag racing. and a much different thing

i'm not a drag racer.
depends what you want to eventually do. going 72+ hours for example is a totally different thing than warming cold steaks.

HeavyG · December 2016

Sous vide really does require a little closer control over the temp you are seeking. You can just do what you are suggesting and for some foods it might work fine. But if you are wanting a specific cook on a steak or eggs to a specific type of cook you really need degree level control.

I bought one of these last summer to control my old analog style crockpot. I don't use it to sous vide per se but just to keep the crockpot from exceeding 200°F when I do a Kahlua pork butt.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V4TJR00/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can set it for any specific temp you want thus the "sous vide" aspect. It's worth the <$30 but keep in mind it only will work with a non-digital style crockpot. It may work with some digital type of crock pots - the test is to turn yours on , unplug it, count to ten, and then plug it back in. If it retains the previous power setting and continues heating the crock pot it should work with that controller. Most digital types tho reset themselves to "off" when they lose power and when power is restored you have to manually press the "on" buttons again - those won't work with that controller.

EDIT: I really should remember to reload the page BEFORE I post my comment to avoid duplicating what may have already been said while typing my comment.

SaintJohnsEgger · December 2016

RedSkip said:

You could always find a new wife...

I like your optimism but at my age I'm set in my ways and finding someone else to put up with me would be tough.

SRFShane · December 2016

I tried it out a couple of years ago: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=179794

Results were great, and ultimately are why I bought a sous vide unit.

Carolina Q · December 2016

jllbms said:

Generally not encouraged. Sous vide devices maintain sub-degree control. Also, the crockpot won't maintain a low enough temperature. Early on, crockpots were hacked with PID controllers. Now you just buy a $150 device.

Not encouraged by whom, Anova?

I do it all the time. Just finished a 48 hour beef roast locked in at 130° with my 30+ year old Crock Pot. Every time I checked, it was +/- 2 tenths°. For TWO DAYS! Seared on the egg... perfect!

I use one of these (and have been for over a year now). Under $30.
https://www.amazon.com/WILLHI-WH1436A-110V-Temperature-Controller/dp/B00V4TJR00/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1481566091&sr=8-5&keywords=digital+temperature+controller

You do need a Crock Pot that is not programmable though. Off-Lo-Hi only. Also, you are limited by the size of your Crock Pot. Otherwise, a perfect "Poor Man's SV".

fishlessman · December 2016

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

i would kinda look at from the perspective of "what are you trying to do".

if you want to control things over a much longer period of time and be safe while doing it, and you are aiming at achieving things beyond just warming up meat (for ex.), then yeah, absolutely get a sous vide rig or make one yourself.

i maintain though that short periods of less precise 'bath' heating aren't really sous vide.

for example, i'll take ice cold steaks from the fridge and hot tub them, which is to submerge in a generally airless zip-loc bag (not a foodsaver vacuum bag), and change out the water a couple times until the meat is warmed through.

then toss it on the egg and sear.

but to me that's just chill-killing. i don't go more than an hour, and i'm not aiming to really transform the food in any way. just making for an even cross section of done-ness. i don't have thermometers or charts...

it's like pulling up to a stop light in your car and driving away when the light turns green. no big deal.

but if you do it with the proper knowledge, a little specialized equipment, and expertise, then it's drag racing. and a much different thing

i'm not a drag racer.
depends what you want to eventually do. going 72+ hours for example is a totally different thing than warming cold steaks.

i only go 3.5 hours in the sink with ribeyes, way easier with the anova and its still just under 4 hours with a ribeye

SaintJohnsEgger · December 2016

I have 3 crock pots and the oldest just has hi/Lo settings. I'll have to check the water temp in it and see how it varies over time.

JustineCaseyFeldown · December 2016

fishlessman said:

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

i would kinda look at from the perspective of "what are you trying to do".

if you want to control things over a much longer period of time and be safe while doing it, and you are aiming at achieving things beyond just warming up meat (for ex.), then yeah, absolutely get a sous vide rig or make one yourself.

i maintain though that short periods of less precise 'bath' heating aren't really sous vide.

for example, i'll take ice cold steaks from the fridge and hot tub them, which is to submerge in a generally airless zip-loc bag (not a foodsaver vacuum bag), and change out the water a couple times until the meat is warmed through.

then toss it on the egg and sear.

but to me that's just chill-killing. i don't go more than an hour, and i'm not aiming to really transform the food in any way. just making for an even cross section of done-ness. i don't have thermometers or charts...

it's like pulling up to a stop light in your car and driving away when the light turns green. no big deal.

but if you do it with the proper knowledge, a little specialized equipment, and expertise, then it's drag racing. and a much different thing

i'm not a drag racer.
depends what you want to eventually do. going 72+ hours for example is a totally different thing than warming cold steaks.

i only go 3.5 hours in the sink with ribeyes, way easier with the anova and its still just under 4 hours with a ribeye

i go until the rib eye is no longer cold.

couple/few changes of water. less than an hour

like i said, two different things. if you go for a longer period, your goal is obviously more than just bringing the meat to within a few degrees of being 'done'. Cook'S Illustrated went longer I think, and talked a great deal about developing 'aged' flavors (not dry aged obv, just aged) by accelerating the work of the enzymes in warmer temps.

i don't disagree with anything you are saying. in fact, agree entirely. "if you want to go longer (for whatever reason), then use a sous vide"

fishlessman · December 2016

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

fishlessman said:

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

i would kinda look at from the perspective of "what are you trying to do".

if you want to control things over a much longer period of time and be safe while doing it, and you are aiming at achieving things beyond just warming up meat (for ex.), then yeah, absolutely get a sous vide rig or make one yourself.

i maintain though that short periods of less precise 'bath' heating aren't really sous vide.

for example, i'll take ice cold steaks from the fridge and hot tub them, which is to submerge in a generally airless zip-loc bag (not a foodsaver vacuum bag), and change out the water a couple times until the meat is warmed through.

then toss it on the egg and sear.

but to me that's just chill-killing. i don't go more than an hour, and i'm not aiming to really transform the food in any way. just making for an even cross section of done-ness. i don't have thermometers or charts...

it's like pulling up to a stop light in your car and driving away when the light turns green. no big deal.

but if you do it with the proper knowledge, a little specialized equipment, and expertise, then it's drag racing. and a much different thing

i'm not a drag racer.
depends what you want to eventually do. going 72+ hours for example is a totally different thing than warming cold steaks.

i only go 3.5 hours in the sink with ribeyes, way easier with the anova and its still just under 4 hours with a ribeye

i go until the rib eye is no longer cold.

couple/few changes of water. less than an hour

like i said, two different things. if you go for a longer period, your goal is obviously more than just bringing the meat to within a few degrees of being 'done'. Cook'S Illustrated went longer I think, and talked a great deal about developing 'aged' flavors (not dry aged obv, just aged) by accelerating the work of the enzymes in warmer temps.

i don't disagree with anything you are saying. in fact, agree entirely. "if you want to go longer (for whatever reason), then use a sous vide"

so far the best thing ive got with it was fake prime rib with a chuck roast. there is a noticeable difference with a steak in the sink coming up on 4 hours over 1 hour taste wise and texture wise. also found you can get canning lids to vacuum pop at low temps which keeps some things crisper

Carolina Q · December 2016

SaintJohnsEgger said:

I have 3 crock pots and the oldest just has hi/Lo settings. I'll have to check the water temp in it and see how it varies over time.

I tried that. Not only does it vary, it goes well above the temp I wanted for med rare. I don't remember how hot, but even on low it was much too hot. The temp controller I mentioned above takes care of that. You could do it manually of course. Just watch the temp and when it goes above your target, unplug the crock pot for a minute or so, until the temp drops, then plug it back in until the temp gets back to your target. For $30, electronics will do that for you. Overnight or for DAYS if desired.

whldch · December 2016

I want to try this during the holidays

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/cook-your-meat-in-a-beer-cooler-the-worlds-best-sous-vide-hack.html

Legume · December 2016

SaintJohnsEgger said:

RedSkip said:

You could always find a new wife...

I like your optimism but at my age I'm set in my ways and finding someone else to put up with me would be tough.

Buy it for yourself, wrap it up, under the tree and sign it from her, or Santa, or your brother, sister, boss, someone. You'll still get busted, but it will be funny and it will be Christmas.

buzd504 · December 2016

Legume said:

SaintJohnsEgger said:

RedSkip said:

You could always find a new wife...

I like your optimism but at my age I'm set in my ways and finding someone else to put up with me would be tough.

Buy it for yourself, wrap it up, under the tree and sign it from her, or Santa, or your brother, sister, boss, someone. You'll still get busted, but it will be funny and it will be Christmas.

This is how I get most of my presents.

Canugghead · December 2016

did @caliking say 'cobbled'? in fact I'm a cobbler's son. Yup rigged this up way back when when sous vide was $pendy, I've since bought two Anova's on KS.
At today's price, it's as cheap or cheaper to just buy an Anove, no fuss

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1146283/diy-sous-vide

caliking · December 2016

Canugghead said:

did @caliking say 'cobbled'? in fact I'm a cobbler's son. Yup rigged this up way back when when sous vide was $pendy, I've since bought two Anova's on KS.
At today's price, it's as cheap or cheaper to just buy an Anove, no fuss

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1146283/diy-sous-vide

That was unintentional! Too bad that one can't get shoes like the ones from Bentick Street back in the day

Didn't you have one made with a coffee percolator? I though I remembered that one having fewer wires.

SaintJohnsEgger · December 2016

I've looked at the Anova but I can't seem to justify spending $100+ on a glorified fish tank heater.

Canugghead · December 2016

caliking said:

Didn't you have one made with a coffee percolator? I though I remembered that one having fewer wires.

Apology to OP for thread jacking.

My DIY setup can be used with any appliance/pot that has a heat source, just need to drop the temp probe and aquarium pump (optional) into the water, then plug the appliance into the power supply controlled by the PID. I've used it with stockpot on hotplate, rice cooker, coffee percolator, roaster oven, deep fryer, etc.

Picture above was pre packaging, once tested I tidied it up. Didn't need the big power supply shown in first photo, the recycled UPS box came with builtin 110v AC >12v DC transformer:

Image: http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr197/canadaodyowner/IMG_7769_zpsc534851f.jpg

theyolksonyou · December 2016

Canugghead said:

caliking said:

Didn't you have one made with a coffee percolator? I though I remembered that one having fewer wires.

Apology to OP for thread jacking.

My DIY setup can be used with any appliance/pot that has a heat source, just need to drop the temp probe and aquarium pump (optional) into the water, then plug the appliance into the power supply controlled by the PID. I've used it with stockpot on hotplate, rice cooker, coffee percolator, roaster oven, deep fryer, etc.

Picture above was pre packaging, once tested I tidied it up. Didn't need the big power supply shown in first photo, the recycled UPS box came with builtin 110v AC >12v DC transformer:

Or a bucket heater from the farm supply. Works like a charm!

Canugghead · December 2016

@theyolksonyou Agree, I thought of bucket heater but didn't want to $pend more, I already own most of the parts and appliances, or bought dirt cheap from thrift store.

gdenby · December 2016

If your budget doesn't allow for a controller just now, I think SV is something you'll have to wait on.

I, too, have 3 old crockpots. 1 is about shot, the heating elements aren't really good about bring the temp up into the safe range if I stick a bag w. a couple pounds of poultry in. Another is pretty good. At low, it holds 140, and w. a good pre-heat, the bath comes back to that in less than 90 minutes. Its high setting gives 185. I have a newer one where low is around 170, hi is 210, and keep warm is just above 140.

None of those temperatures is much good for SV. Too hot, and/or not precise.

Early on, I would switch the power on and off, using a thermopen to let me track an average temp. It was better than nothing, but a huge amount of work. No good for long cooks, just stuff in the 4 - 6 hours range.

SaintJohnsEgger · December 2016

So what is the correct temperature fro SV? I thought it was just below the boiling point.

theyolksonyou · December 2016

It really depends on what you're cooking. 115-183 are the ranges I use. Steak hot tub to root veggies and squash. I would suggest you do a lot more research. Try chef steps or Anova's web site.

gdenby · December 2016

SaintJohnsEgger said:

So what is the correct temperature fro SV? I thought it was just below the boiling point.

As above, there is a wide range of temperatures used in SV. For example, at the low end, down around 135F, eggs can be pasteurized in an hour or so. That way they can be used for "over easy," w. no concern about salmonella. Or, at the same temp, a tough piece of meat, like a chuck short rib, can be held at 135 for 72 hours, and turn out unbelievably tender, and still be quite pink, but ready for a quick sear.

At higher temps, eggs can be cooked to different textures, from pillowy to firm. There are recipes that will specify things like 165F for 30 minutes, 170F for 25, etc.

Typically, 180 is around the top, as the plastic bags can fall apart. You can go higher by not bagging foods, but putting them into a bath of oil, not water. The water will cook out of the food, but form a blob of juices that can be collected w. a gravy separator.

Another plus is that once pasteurized and cooked in the bag, the food/dish can be frozen, and dropped back into a bath to reheat it no more than needed. No further water or nutrition loss.

Hans61 · December 2016

With an egg you don't really need a sous vide in mho. Hot tub works great and free. What were you wanting to do with it?

Poor man's sous-vide question

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