Sous Vide or not Sous Vide, that is the question.

Yno

I am having some guests over next month for a BBQ. I will be doing smoked shogun shells as an appetizer, which take almost two hours. The main course will include double cut pork chops, which can also take almost two hours, but I don’t want them ready at the same time. I am considering a couple of methods. 

First is to put the shells on a raised grid for ease of glazing. I can pull the grid off temporarily after an hour or so and throw the chops on the lower grid and go from there. 

Secondly, I could sous vide the chops and sear when we are ready to sit down for din-din. I have only used the Joule for chuck roasts for OTT chili, so I don’t have much experience with this. 

Third choice would be to sous vide the chops the day before and refrigerate them. I don’t know how well this would work.

 I am also planning on a bourbon pecan pie on the Egg, so it will be getting a lot of use that day.

 I am open to suggestions, although I may just wing it when the time comes.

 

Thanks, all!

JohnInCarolina

SVing the chops the day before will definitely work.  You’ll know they’re cooked for sure and then all you need to do is sear them to finish.  

loco_engr

totally new concept . . . shogun shells (shotgun?)

Hansm

Put the apps on 1 hour before they arrive, then throw chops on

lkapigian

Shotgun shells Bacon Wrapped Manicotti stuffed with Sausage 

RRP

lkapigian said:

Shotgun shells Bacon Wrapped Manicotti stuffed with Sausage 

That’s a new term to me! Look delicious! Mind sharing the recipe?

lkapigian

RRP said:

lkapigian said:

Shotgun shells Bacon Wrapped Manicotti stuffed with Sausage 

That’s a new term to me! Look delicious! Mind sharing the recipe?

@RRP , sky is the limit, i stuff with whatever homemade sausage I have on hand , uncooked manicotti shells and wrap in center cut bacon use your favorite rub , I do use a thicker cut bacon, smoke 275 till desired doneness and glaze 

you can stuff by hand pressing the sausage in the shells, I use a sausage stuffer 

caliking

That's a pretty fabulous menu you have planned!

As mentioned about, I'd consider throwing the shells on well beforehand, maybe keep them warm in the big clock. 

SV the chops. Sear when ready to serve. 

Do the pie the day before. When dinner is winding down, throw it on the egg to warm up. 

I think this may let you have more time with your guests, vs. tending the grub the whole time. 

Yno

I will have to think carefully about this with a nice glass of wine.....

Thanks for the comments!

RyanStl

I vote SV the pork ahead of time. You'll be a lot less stressed when you can pull them out and hit it with a sear. Then you can concentrate on your other cook

caliking

I'm intrigued by these shotgun shells.

What does the texture of the manicotti end up like? Does it soften like boiled pasta? Chewy? Crunchy?

lkapigian

caliking said:

I'm intrigued by these shotgun shells.

What does the texture of the manicotti end up like? Does it soften like boiled pasta? Chewy? Crunchy?

@caliking , I would call it "al dente" you could par boil , but I have never felt the need, it is even softer if prepped a day ahead 

They are very rich

rekameohs

RyanStl said:

I vote SV the pork ahead of time. You'll be a lot less stressed when you can pull them out and hit it with a sear. Then you can concentrate on your other cook

If you do them ahead of time, they will be cold from the fridge.   How do you get them back up to temp, before you add the sear?

I like the original idea to do SV about the same time as the others.  That way, they will be at temp to add the sear.

JohnInCarolina

rekameohs said:

RyanStl said:

I vote SV the pork ahead of time. You'll be a lot less stressed when you can pull them out and hit it with a sear. Then you can concentrate on your other cook

If you do them ahead of time, they will be cold from the fridge.   How do you get them back up to temp, before you add the sear?

I like the original idea to do SV about the same time as the others.  That way, they will be at temp to add the sear.

The sear heats them up plenty well.

Moleman

Larry, assuming you make the manicotti wrapped with bacon to be able to use the stuffer, is that accurate? 

lkapigian

Moleman said:

Larry, assuming you make the manicotti wrapped with bacon to be able to use the stuffer, is that accurate? 

Yes, make it a multi use tool then 

caliking

lkapigian said:

caliking said:

I'm intrigued by these shotgun shells.

What does the texture of the manicotti end up like? Does it soften like boiled pasta? Chewy? Crunchy?

@caliking , I would call it "al dente" you could par boil , but I have never felt the need, it is even softer if prepped a day ahead 

They are very rich

Never heard of these before, but now I want some. Thanks for the clarification!

Yno

I have made them before, and everyone likes them. I learned of them when someone posted a video of a Texas gal making pig shots. I watched it on YouTube and then went down the BBQ video rabbit hole. These came up and I thought they would be good. They are!

Yno

If you are a Michelin star chef, you could improve them by using a three cheese blend, but that might be too hard for we mere mortals to make.

jtcBoynton

I would have the chops sitting in the sous vide bath ready to take out to sear. They can sit there for quite a while. Makes timing easy. How sure are you of the timing for the appetizer and the time your guests will take eating it?  

RyanStl

Yno said:

If you are a Michelin star chef, you could improve them by using a three cheese blend, but that might be too hard for we mere mortals to make.

I believe it would need at least five cheeses.

Yno

jtcBoynton said:

I would have the chops sitting in the sous vide bath ready to take out to sear. They can sit there for quite a while. Makes timing easy. How sure are you of the timing for the appetizer and the time your guests will take eating it?  

The timing on the appetizer is pretty well known. I plan on them being ready just after the guests arrive, and we can then have an hour of conversation and a few bottles of wine. So I have a fair amount of time to ready the chops.

These guests are also (Thank God!) punctual. Others that I have had in the past can show up at the appointed hour plus or minus two bottles of wine!