multi temp SV

[docjsmith]

Has anyone ever done a temp change during SV? say start at a higher temp then lower after a certain amount of time? Thanx

[Bkhuna]

I haven't. It's never crossed my mind. What's the reason for doing it this way?

[Huskee]

I haven't either. I suppose you could but it doesn't seem to be an advantageous approach considering SV is meant to be steady steady steady. But I'm looking forward to learning more about what I don't know.

[Purc]

Welcome to The Pit from Texas.

[shify]

What are you trying to accomplish? This works if you are trying to cook like both white meat and dark meat chicken. You would start the dark meat first, at at higher temp, and when that is done, keep it in the sous vide but lower the temp to the proper temp for white meat, add in the white meat while keeping the dark meat.

A similar concept would work if you want well done steak and medium rare. Put the well done steak in first at say 150, cook for 1-2 hours, lower the temp to 131 and add the 2nd steak. After another hour, both steaks are done.

[Draznnl]

My wife prefers well done steaks, so I SV mine first at 131, ice bath it and increase the temp to155 for hers. If you do them in the other order, how do you reduce the temp of the water bath before putting the medium rare steak in to cook?

[DaveD]

Draznnl, I'd reduce the bath temperature by dipping a pyrex measuring cup in there and bailing out some hot water, replace with cold until you get the drop you want.

Thank goodness I don't live with someone who wants well done steak! *whew*

[rickgregory]

What are you trying to accomplish? This works if you are trying to cook like both white meat and dark meat chicken. You would start the dark meat first, at at higher temp, and when that is done, keep it in the sous vide but lower the temp to the proper temp for white meat, add in the white meat while keeping the dark meat.

A similar concept would work if you want well done steak and medium rare. Put the well done steak in first at say 150, cook for 1-2 hours, lower the temp to 131 and add the 2nd steak. After another hour, both steaks are done.

This actually won't work sometimes, depending on temps and water volume. Water won't drop that quickly depending on volume, so the protein you want cooked at the lower temp will spend some time at the higher temp. IF the volume is small it might be insignificant since adding the second batch will drop the temp but in a large bath, there could be an issue. This is why OP's suggestion puzzles me.

I sometimes do what you suggest, but in reverse and the day before. Like this... Preheat the water bath to the lowest temp and put in the steaks meant to be the least well done. When those steaks are finished, remove them and shock. Raise the water temp and when it's at the new temp, put in the more done steaks. Remove and shock when they're done. Repeat as needed. Then refrigerate. The next day, bring the water bath to about 120F or so (just below the least done steak's temp) and add all of the steaks about 30-40 mins before you want to sear. That brings them to serving temp. Then remove and sear.

[shify]

Fair point - in theory it works but definitely need to make sure the temp does drop sufficiently before adding in new meat.

Certainly going from 183 (veggies) to 131 (medium rare steak) would take lot of time, even in a small container. Put provided you can manage that, or help it along with some ice cubes/cold water, it is the simplest approach.

[rickgregory]

Eh. See above. Going from low to high takes time too but most circulators will tell you when they're at the new temp.

[fzxdoc]

Welcome to The Pit, docjsmith . You're going to enjoy coming here. So much to see and learn with so many really good people on this friendly site.

In an attempt to answer your question, this is the premise of the new Turbo Joule, which uses a dynamic temperature setting, apparently. You can read more about the technique on this topic:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/accessorize-your-pit/sous-vide-circulators/1415911-new-turbo-sous-vide-joule

It's called the Delta-T method and has been around for a while. I was going to get in to it, even going so far as to purchase a sous vide thermometer setup from Thermoworks to play with it, but that's as far as I got before life seriously intervened. I'd like to get back to doing some experiments with the Delta-T method in the coming months.

Kathryn

[acorgihouse]

Yes, when cooking to two temps. Say you are cooking two steaks, one to well done, say 145F. The other to med rare, say 131F. Cook the well done one first, at 145F. After time to done, lower temp to 131F, you can throw in some ice to bring temp down faster. When temp hits 131F, throw in second steak, leave the done one in to stay warm. Both end up warm and cooked to desired doneness. Hope this makes some sense..

[docjsmith]

When I asked the question, I knew I had not seen much - if anything - on the topic. I agree, in theory only, and appreciate everything everyone is suggesting. I’m new to both smoking AND sous vide, have been “crash course-ing” for a month or two, but am generally a quick learner. I don’t have the practical experience so I have these thoughts come to mind, and sometimes I just toss them out there.
why this question now: I’m doing different cuts for a large party, pork shoulder, brisket, ribs… I guess I was wondering if I could overlap any of the SV cooks… for example…
I have pork shoulder in bath and it’s gonna come out in 6 hours but I’d like to get a start on the brisket which will be a lower temp.
shoulder 155
brisket 145
is this this just a stupid idea - reasonable opinion
OR
could I add the brisket to the last couple hours of the shoulder and lower the temp to 145 as I place it in the bath…? The brisket is 11lbs and cut into 3 pieces

thank you everyone for your thoughts!! Happy to be here and absorb !!
JB

[acorgihouse]

I think the trick is that you can cook something to the temp/doneness you want, then keep warm (or rewarm) at a lower temp. You cannot reliably, though, throw something in the bath at a different temp than you are shooting for, and expect it to work the way you want. Example, if you were cooking the shoulder at 155, and then threw the brisket in near the end (brisket you wanted to go to 145), makes sense that you could get that shoulder out and lower the temp before the brisket hits 145.<next>

[rickgregory]

"I think the trick is that you can cook something to the temp/doneness you want, then keep warm (or rewarm) at a lower temp." for a while. But leaving some things in for a lot longer than their cook time can affect texture.

JB - I think that cook is ambitious for someone new to SV. Also, Brisket and butt aren't going to fully render in 6 hours. You're better off cooking them sequentially, shock in ice, refrigerate and rewarm IMO

[acorgihouse]

<contd> The thing is, you'd have to watch carefully, and juggle a bit (most likely) with the temps, and that kind of flies in the face of the precise temp control that sous vide lives for. Plus, a shoulder and a brisket in the same bath would require a bonafide bathtub! Have you considered doing the sous vide to doneness temp in advance, and then put on smoker to warm and impart some smoke at same time. You wouldn't have to do the lengthy cook, because you are only rewarming and smoking a bit.

[DaveD]

I put this in a comment above, but bears repeating: To lower the temp of the bath, get a pitcher or something and bail out a couple fills of hot water, and replace with cold. The temp will drop in seconds. Get it a little bit below the lower target value you want and your SV will bring it right up in just a couple minutes. Easy as cake.