Looking to purchase a sous vide and need help

michigan_jason

So, as some of you know, I just got my egg less than a month ago and have since bought a bbq guru digiq dx2 and thermapen. I am learning new methods to cook food i've cooked for years. I made a bootleg sous vide for some filets last week and they were amazing. I want to buy a sous vide unit. Where do I buy it, and wich one should I go with? Money is not a factor for me as I prefer quality and functionality when buying something like this.

 

Thank you,

 

Jason

Village Idiot

Jason,

Welcome to the exclusive club.  

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I originally bought the Sous Vide Demi (the smaller one) from Costco online.  It came with Baldwin's book, the Sous Vide vacuum sealer, and some vacuum plastic.  I cooked one meal on it and decided I liked doing it, but thought I might need a larger volume in the future.  I returned it to a Costco store ($411 total) and bought a Sous Vide Supreme (the larger one) for $399 + tax from Sur La Table.  I am sure I won't regret getting the larger model.

I'm just barely into it, but have had a couple of amazing results so far, and am anxious to try lots and lots of recipes.

michigan_jason

So $400 and it came with the food sealer and bags?

Village Idiot

Yes, the Demi model from Costco.  I already had a Foodsaver, so I didn't need the sealer.

Note:  Costco has a "no questions asked" return policy.  I took the machine back and got a cash refund and a smiling face (I wanted the Supreme and Costco doesn't sell it).

If you have a Costco in your town, buy one online, test it out, and if you don't want it, return it to the store.  

billybon

If money is no object, I would look at the PolyScience products. They have a long history of manufacturing quality scientific equipment.

michigan_jason

If money is no object, I would look at the PolyScience products. They have a long history of manufacturing quality scientific equipment.

What is the main difference? 1K? I mean, I understand a good name brand, but is it worth the extra $1K?

billybon

If money is no object, I would look at the PolyScience products. They have a long history of manufacturing quality scientific equipment.

What is the main difference? 1K? I mean, I understand a good name brand, but is it worth the extra $1K?

You said you wanted quality and functionality and that is what you get from PolyScience. Lots of people are happy with the Sous Vide Supreme models and that is not a bad place to start. I personally think that a circulator is important but I have cooked SV many times without a circulator and got satisfactory results. results. 

michigan_jason

If it is worth the extra money, I will buy it. I just wanted to know as I have not experienced either.

billybon

If it is worth the extra money, I will buy it. I just wanted to know as I have not experienced either.

Worth all depends on how often you will SV cook, the types of foods you will SV cook, and the volume you will SV cook. If you get hooked on SV, you will wish you had the flexibility that is afforded with a highly accurate clamp-on circulator/heater. You will then only be limited by the plastic bag and the size of the vessel that is holding the water. For example, If you wanted, you could even SV a small pig.

michigan_jason

I see....I didn't think about that
.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

What he meant to say is if you wanted to, you could even do a small pig .......... For $3500 that you would need for a large commercial vac sealer. Hey, it money is no object, I'll help you spend it!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

The circulators are great but I've gotten great results without. Would I prefer to have it? Probably, but I can't say that it would produce any betters results I get with my SVS.

Newportlocal

What he meant to say is if you wanted to, you could even do a small pig .......... For $3500 that you would need for a large commercial vac sealer. Hey, it money is no object, I'll help you spend it!

Looks like the polyscience clamp on can be picked up at Williams and Sonoma for $800, but then you still need a good vacuum sealer. Tough call our style vs clamp on sous vide circulator. Guess I have more research to do.

billybon

What he meant to say is if you wanted to, you could even do a small pig .......... For $3500 that you would need for a large commercial vac sealer. Hey, it money is no object, I'll help you spend it!

Truth be told, you don't have to use any kind of vacuum sealer to SV cook. A zip lock bag and the displacement method will do just fine. In fact, it is often the preferred method. And yes, I did SV a 30 pound pig. I used a big plastic bag, added oil to fill the the chest cavity, sucked the air out with a vacuum cleaner hose, and sealed the bag with a pull tie.  No expense there!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Nice Billy! That is a crazy cook. I do ziplocks as well as vac seal
Bags. You are correct, They work just fine.

allsid

Billy-  do you have any pic's or info on your 30lb pig cook?  Did you then smoke it after the SV?  So interesting!

michigan_jason

Ok, so I will just get the sous vide unit that comes with a sealer, or is it better to buy a sealer elsewhere?

Village Idiot

Ok, so I will just get the sous vide unit that comes with a sealer, or is it better to buy a sealer elsewhere?

I've read several articles saying that the Sous Vide sealer is not very good.  FoodSaver brand is the most popular.  I have one and it works great.

michigan_jason

Ok, so between the two sous vide, it seems like the bigger one is worth the extra money.

Village Idiot

that's what I decided.  

Newportlocal

Brought up the sous vide on another forum a lot of guys with the poly science circulator. Jury is still out on which vacuum sealer lots of options.

lemonade

So, as some of you know, I just got my egg less than a month ago and have since bought a bbq guru digiq dx2 and thermapen. I am learning new methods to cook food i've cooked for years. I made a bootleg sous vide for some filets last week and they were amazing. I want to buy a sous vide unit. Where do I buy it, and wich one should I go with? Money is not a factor for me as I prefer quality and functionality when buying something like this.

 

Thank you,

 

Jason

What is bootleg SV?   I'd like to try it.  I already use FoodSaver products, but can't "experiment" with over $300.   Could I use a slow cooker to try it? 

michigan_jason

So, as some of you know, I just got my egg less than a month ago and have since bought a bbq guru digiq dx2 and thermapen. I am learning new methods to cook food i've cooked for years. I made a bootleg sous vide for some filets last week and they were amazing. I want to buy a sous vide unit. Where do I buy it, and wich one should I go with? Money is not a factor for me as I prefer quality and functionality when buying something like this.

 

Thank you,

 

Jason

What is bootleg SV?   I'd like to try it.  I already use FoodSaver products, but can't "experiment" with over $300.   Could I use a slow cooker to try it? 

I just sealed the filets in zip locks and sucked the air out. Put a pot of water on the stove and used the thermapen in there as instant reading. Once the temp was where I wanted it, I adjusted the heat, and stirred frequently. It worked, but im sur enot like it would in a sous vide unit.

Newportlocal

So, as some of you know, I just got my egg less than a month ago and have since bought a bbq guru digiq dx2 and thermapen. I am learning new methods to cook food i've cooked for years. I made a bootleg sous vide for some filets last week and they were amazing. I want to buy a sous vide unit. Where do I buy it, and wich one should I go with? Money is not a factor for me as I prefer quality and functionality when buying something like this.

 

Thank you,

 

Jason

What is bootleg SV?   I'd like to try it.  I already use FoodSaver products, but can't "experiment" with over $300.   Could I use a slow cooker to try it? 

Some people use a crockpot. This unit would probably make you a lot happier and very very close to your $300 experiment quote. Lots of people using these. http://www.amazon.com/SousVide-Supreme-Electric-Vacuum-Cooker/dp/B004CNT3M2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1337708816&sr=8-2

Newportlocal

If money is no object, I would look at the PolyScience products. They have a long history of manufacturing quality scientific equipment.

What is the main difference? 1K? I mean, I understand a good name brand, but is it worth the extra $1K?

I found it for $800. One main difference is you have less limitation can use container size you want with a circulator and easier for storage. Sure lots of people make same statement in regards to BGEs I guess for the vast majority of us we love to cook and nice things are nice.

billybon

Billy-  do you have any pic's or info on your 30lb pig cook?  Did you then smoke it after the SV?  So interesting!

I am not sure if this is the 30 pound pig, but here are pictures of one we SV cooked before finishing off in the pizza oven rotisserie:
1. Before closing the stomach cavity.
2. Stomach closed and ready to be bagged.
3. In the bag, surrounded in oil, and zipped up tight.

Gadfly

hmm.., his fly is open.

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michigan_jason

hmm.., his fly is open.

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LMFAO!

Little Steven

If it is worth the extra money, I will buy it. I just wanted to know as I have not experienced either.

I don't know how far you are from Windsor but there is a chef's supply about two miles off the bridge that has discounted equipment. You could reclaim the taxes on it but they have a really good warehouse.

Little Steven

Sorry I meant and they have a good warehouse

Little Steven

Sorry I meant and they have a good warehouse

And it's called Williams chef supply
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