Sous Vide cooking to two temps

[Burntfood]

My wife and I have two different temp preference for meat that I'm trying to find a simple solution to. For small cuts like chicken breasts I have been cooking two breasts to my preferred temp and then searing hers longer than mine at the end to 'dry it out more' for her. Screwing around with two different sears to add an extra 5 degrees is not working for me. I want to bring the second one up temp in the bath and sear them the same way just before serving. How to do this? Also want this to be able to work for larger group.

Process Solution I'm envisioning - pull the ones you want to have cooked to a lower temp, store them, raise the heat and cook the second breast to a higher temp. Questions:

Question 1 - How to hold the lower cooked breasts (just leave in bag, cover to insulate and set to the side?). Guidance please. Hold time will be less than an hour for chicken for sure.

Question 2 - how long does it take raise the internal temp 5 degree higher?

Thanks folks

[Davek8282]

I would be tempted to try starting at a higher temp for the one breast for 45 min to an hour, then lower the temp and start the second breast. Then you can pull both and sear. Please note I have never done this just an idea I had as the storing and holding the lower temp ones can be challenging. Training is the key, I had a medium well in the family and over a period of time I have now got her to the high end of medium rare. The aversion was always the "blood" on the plate one of the nice things about sous vide is you really reduce the amount of myoglobin that the meat releases.

[GolfGeezer]

My wife is also a "more medium/done" desired, especially for beef (steaks, roasts, whatever). I have not tried a two-temp SV cook. I SV at the lower temp, say 131* for steaks, and I always allow at least 20 minutes out of the bath and rest them before searing. I setup my gasser or kettle for direct/indirect, and then put her steak on the indirect side for 5-10 minutes, which usually gets the 4*-5* bump desired, then sear both. Having temp probes in the meat takes the guesswork out of knowing the IT has hit the temp we want before searing.

I apologize if this is a method you have already rejected.

[klflowers]

I come at this from the MCS side. Get a second circulator

[Jerod Broussard]

New circulator or send out a questionnaire amongst the single women in town asking how they like their steaks.

[smokenoob]

Brilliant! Go to the head of the Pit!

[acorgihouse]

I do this all the time, we had a discussion about this here somewhere. Cook the higher temp one first, then throw ice in the bath until it comes down to the lower temp. Put the second piece in, and cook till it is at the desired/lower temp. Leave the more done piece in the bath, it will stay warm and won't cook any further. So, example: I have two steaks, one I want at 129F and the other I want at 136F. Put one in at 136F, and cook through. Throw ice in the bath until the temp drops to 129F, put second steak in (leaving the already cooked one in there to stay warm) and cook till it is at 129F. Both are cooked to the temps you want, and both remain warm.

[realdocBBQ]

This is the way. 100%. Cook for an hour at the higher temp, at least, then lower temp and drop the other steak in. Works perfectly.

[Bkhuna]

Bingo!

[Burntfood]

Outstanding folks. I'm trying this tonight on two breasts. Cook the higher temp one first, cool the bath, cook second one and pull them both when we are ready for dinner. Seems obvious now....Cooling the bath is faster AND you have a nice home for already cooked one.

I really like the idea of finishing in the oven too. I can see a night where there is no time for two SV cooks. I will cook to lower temp and have my gas BBQ preheated indirect. Putting hers in the oven for 5 or 10 with a probe makes so much sense too. Trying to hit that temp on a sizzling sear pan was just toooo frustrating.

Jerod - I'm working on the survey....

[Burntfood]

klflowers - I have an MCS option but I was hesitant to share it. There is a ridiculously cheap portable induction stovetop at Costco. They advertise it for Sous Vide. Man almost has to have one as a second SV, an indoor sear station and French fine cooking on a stove top....doesn't he?

[BFlynn]

I have this issue with my inlaws when they visit.
For steaks with the reverse sear, I just start them earlier on the grill
For sous vide

I'd SV them exactly the same.
But the one to finish hotter on the cool side of the grill for another 10 degrees and then sear them the same.

[Skinsfan1311]

I do this all the time, we had a discussion about this here somewhere. Cook the higher temp one first, then throw ice in the bath until it comes down to the lower temp. Put the second piece in, and cook till it is at the desired/lower temp. Leave the more done piece in the bath, it will stay warm and won't cook any further. So, example: I have two steaks, one I want at 129F and the other I want at 136F. Put one in at 136F, and cook through. Throw ice in the bath until the temp drops to 129F, put second steak in (leaving the already cooked one in there to stay warm) and cook till it is at 129F. Both are cooked to the temps you want, and both remain warm.

This is what I do and it works.