Sous-vide question.

Little Steven

I picked up a load of frozen lobster tails a while back on the cheap. I sous-vided some with garlic and butter. They were amazing. Only problem was I had to double or triple bag them because the damn shells kept piercing the bags. I know I can take the meat out and put them back in the shells to grill but I was thinking of plastic wrap individually and then bag. Ideas?

TexanOfTheNorth

I thought you were going to Costco!

Little Steven

Chores first. Nice and brisk out today eh?

TexanOfTheNorth

I'm in the office, but looking out the window it looks beautiful! Unfortunately, winter will be here soon.

Little Steven

I just went to Orangeville, 45*

nolaegghead

Those bags are 3 mil thick.  Cut a few strips and wrap around the tail, double thick.  Tuck the wrapped tails in the bag.  It will keep the spines from breaking the vacuum.

BigWader

What about a piece of parchment folded over 2-3 times for thickness then lay the tails spikes down on the parchment before sealing.  Should be good and just pull out when cooked... no unwrapping needed.

TexanOfTheNorth

BigWader said:

What about a piece of parchment folded over 2-3 times for thickness then lay the tails spikes down on the parchment before sealing.  Should be good and just pull out when cooked... no unwrapping needed.

Steven, you might need to use a little masking tape to keep the parchment in place.

Little Steven

I have a stapler.

@Big Wader I was worried about insulating the tail from the water. I could probably read up on it but it seems a waste of time with this body of knowledge available.

Little Steven

nolaegghead said:

Those bags are 3 mil thick.  Cut a few strips and wrap around the tail, double thick.  Tuck the wrapped tails in the bag.  It will keep the spines from breaking the vacuum.

You don't think saran wrap would work?

Canugghead

Steven, how about your favourite milk bags to shield the sharp edges?  you can also activate the manual seal function before the sucker sucked the hell out of the bag and pierced it!

John, not sure if he wants to season his lobster with adhesive from the masking tape though! food grade silicon rubber bands would be nice.

Little Steven

Gary,

Again, I was worried, well not worried but concerned, about the thickness. You know what a stickler I am for details.

BigWader

how about poultry shears and a little hair cut before they go in the bags?

Canugghead

Steven, just added this line above, not sure if you've read it ...

...you can also activate the manual seal function before the sucker sucked the hell out of the bag and pierced it!

TexanOfTheNorth

@Canugghead, the masking tape is a reference to a comment that LS made about some en papillote fish I did. I wasn't paying attention when I tore off my sheets of parchment paper so that by the time I was ready to close up the packets there was not enough paper to fold over and keep things closed (and I had already put the roll of parchment paper back downstairs). I used a little making tape to help. I am happy to report that the masking tape did exactly what I wanted it to do; with no adverse effects!

Canugghead

@TexanOfTheNorth, agree, but our friend is cooking sous vide!

Little Steven

Wife just told me she didn't like them last time. :((

TexanOfTheNorth

Canugghead said:

@TexanOfTheNorth, agree, but our friend is cooking sous vide!

I guess what I meant to say, but didn't, is that it was a joke.  ">

nolaegghead

Little Steven said:

nolaegghead said:

Those bags are 3 mil thick.  Cut a few strips and wrap around the tail, double thick.  Tuck the wrapped tails in the bag.  It will keep the spines from breaking the vacuum.

You don't think saran wrap would work?

I know the foodsaver bags are safe, but I'm not sure the saran wrap is - some of those plastic wraps have BPA, some don't.   Anyway, I know the foodsaver bags are designed to handle heat and are BPA free, and they'll keep the spines from puncturing the outer bag.  Don't worry about an "insulating" effect...air is the only insulator you need to worry about.

Canugghead

duh, I didn't get it the first time  ">

Canugghead

here's LS' favourite milk pouch, I suppose it's BPA free, and should be safe for low-temp hot tubbing or sous vide unless you're doing vege at 183*+ ?

Little Steven

I use the 1%. Gotta watch my figure.

Canugghead

to make room for this in your famous butter chicken? 

jeroldharter

I would try parchment paper.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Just stop the vacuum as soon as it's semi-snug. It does not have to be fully vacuumed down to work. . As soos as the big air pockets are out, stop the vac and hit he seal button. I do that on fish and scallops to keep them from getting flattened.

Canugghead

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Just stop the vacuum as soon as it's semi-snug. It does not have to be fully vacuumed down to work. . As soos as the big air pockets are out, stop the vac and hit he seal button. I do that on fish and scallops to keep them from getting flattened.

agree, I also do that when I notice juice/liquid from cooked food starts creeping into the chamber, even after pre-freezing in unsealed bag.

Raymont

Can you detail the temp and time you sous vide for? Did you then egg in the shell? I wonder if it is even needed as the tails would be cooked. Thoughts?

Little Steven

I just googled the poly-science cookbook. It was a surprisingly short period of time. Temp was in the 140's. Yes I put  them a roaring hot egg for about a minute and you are right it wasn't necessary. They had some of that protein coming out like you would with a steamed one.

nolaegghead

A lot of people like their tails cooked to 122 - 131F.  The lower temp range is preferred by some but others find it too "raw".  The higher you go, the more "rubbery" the texture will get.  A little vinegar added gives the meat a nice aroma.

Little Steven

It's off the table anyway. It's bisque instead :-S

nolaegghead

Last night at R'evolution: Sheep Ricotta Gnocchi with Lobster @ R'evolution (plus some other delicious stuff)