Sous Vide Part 2

TexanOfTheNorth said:

We do all our steaks in the sv now... followed by a quick sear on the egg or in the ci skillet. They come out perfect every time!

Did some flank steak last night for fajitas. Put it in the sv yesterday morning around 6am at 130* and pulled it out about 11 hrs later. Quick sear on the egg. It was the tenderest flank steak I've ever had and was cooked to a perfect medium rare.

I'm far from an expert but be careful going longer than 3-4 hours @ 130 degrees. I believe 131 degrees is the lowest safe temp recommended. I run 132 on long bathes just to be safe.

I did two SV flank steaks recently at 135 for for 14 hours . . then Sear.  Wife and I traveled with a group to a small lake house with only a tiny weber grill, so before we left I VAC sealed two steaks (in marinade) and threw in cooler.  First night in cabin I setup the SV and tossed them in.  People looked at me like I had a penis for a nose.  Next day I pulled "marinaded steak in bag", threw it in a cooler of ice water, fired up the weber, seared both sides until char . . . . I was a little nervous it would be too salty, but turned out PERFECT.  Cut thin against grain and served on tortillas with grilled onion/peppers.  Tons of flavor, perfect texture, juicy . . .  

http://www.theroguegourmet.com/recipes/beef-pork-and-lamb/flank-steak-cooked-sous-vide-with-herbs/

Photo Egg said:

TexanOfTheNorth said:

Photo Egg said:

TexanOfTheNorth said:

We do all our steaks in the sv now... followed by a quick sear on the egg or in the ci skillet. They come out perfect every time!

Did some flank steak last night for fajitas. Put it in the sv yesterday morning around 6am at 130* and pulled it out about 11 hrs later. Quick sear on the egg. It was the tenderest flank steak I've ever had and was cooked to a perfect medium rare.

I'm far from an expert but be careful going longer than 3-4 hours @ 130 degrees. I believe 131 degrees is the lowest safe temp recommended. I run 132 on long bathes just to be safe.

I certainly don't claim to understand all the detailed science behind everything related to the sous vide process. I've read a lot of stuff and (personally) feel comfortable at 130*; plus the sear on both sides. Your suggestion to run at 132 is well noted and I'd advise others to research and do what they feel comfortable with.

As of this morning, no one as reported any ill effects from eating last night's fajitas.

Not my suggestion to run at 132, just what I do. 131 is what the pros say is safe for extended Sous Vide Cooks.
Searing on both sides after cooking sous vide at unsafe temps will not make it safe.
The risk factor for the 1 degree would vary with every cut of meat and how it was handled and stored before it went into your cooking pouch. But on the other hand, could anyone tell the diference between your meal cooked at 130 compared to 131? 
Just friendly words. Not telling you how to cook. 

Did not take it as such.

I can give you my opinion. I have fairly extensive experience with Sous Vide.
I will give you a sex analogy.
Sous Vide is equivalent to sex with an extra thick condom. The execution may be perfect, however the sensory aspect is totally lacking.
I hate to put it that way, but it is what it is.
There is no way a brief sear at the end can impart the flavor that you get from regular grilling.
There I have said it. I know its hard to hear.
 

I wish I could give you hope for the steak using the Sous Vide. Lately I've started experimenting with the reverse sear method.
Using reverse sear you get some of the benefit of SV  as well as retaining the
flavor of traditional grilling. 
SV steaks come out perfectly cooked however to me they lack the depth of flavor of traditional grilling.

I have a Poly Science SV Professional. I really wish I hadn't bought it. It is relegated to reheating pulled pork in vac bags. It also does very good on chicken breast for chicken salad.

I really want to believe that SV is the second coming, however at this point I just haven't had results with Steak to make me believe. 

danv23 said:

GregW said:

I wish I could give you hope for the steak using the Sous Vide. Lately I've started experimenting with the reverse sear method.
Using reverse sear you get some of the benefit of SV  as well as retaining the
flavor of traditional grilling. 
SV steaks come out perfectly cooked however to me they lack the depth of flavor of traditional grilling.

I have a Poly Science SV Professional. I really wish I hadn't bought it. It is relegated to reheating pulled pork in vac bags. It also does very good on chicken breast for chicken salad.

I really want to believe that SV is the second coming, however at this point I just haven't had results with Steak to make me believe. 

Check my post for sausage.  Add that to your cycle.  It's excellent.

I agree on the sausage. I sometimes do Italian, It turns out great starting on the SV and finishing on the egg.
I totally ruined a baby back rib cook last weekend. I have detailed it in other threads. It was my fault, I did 176 deg for 10 hours. Totally over cooked. Probably would have been much better at 7-8 hours. I followed the recommendation of Douglass Baldwin. 

I clearly have a lot to learn and I'm going to keep and open mind.

What temp/time for the sausage? How was the skin?

That is the problem. The whites don't set properly to me.
Some people boil the egg for a minute or so and then put into the water bath.
They claim it sets the whites better.

dlk7 said:

For SV steaks, searing on 700 degree cast iron on the egg adds the added flavor I like.

I sv my own dry aged steaks and, whether searing in the CI skillet or direct on the egg, there is no issue with flavor at all.

Ha sorry guys, just put down some stuff that we tried and enjoyed.  I did put a little dry rub on the chicken before vac seal . . but very little and no fat.  SV it per temp/time listed on one of the many available online charts.  *EDIT* finished with a cast iron sear.

I think I enjoy the SV chicken breast so much as a sammich, because super easy to bite through and every bite is super juicy.  In comparison, a grilled chicken breast will always be very over cooked on the thin outside parts (stringy & dry) assuming you have the thick middle cooked to safe IT.  Also SV chix breast great for chix salad, as someone already mentioned.

As for bland steak . . . I have no idea.  Maybe I am doing something wrong, but tried different cuts, different ways (most recent was using chefsteps method).  Always looks pretty, but not as tasty as reverse sear.   

I agree 100% regarding the texture and overall consistent doneness/juciness on the chicken breasts.

When I do steaks, I usually put a little sea salt (or for Mrs. TOTN Montreal Steak Spice) on the meat before searing it. I am also using dry aged beef. The flavor is always great!

I've been doing the SV for a while and I would agree with @NDG, though I still do a lot of steaks via SV. I would also add Pork Chops as being a good SV. Asparagus is good too.