I am thinking of venturing into sous vide, and I would like some recommendations on equipment. I know Breadhead does sous vide, and David Parrish. What do I need, and what price range for a nice home setup? Thanks.
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The Anova (or similar bazooka styles) seem to be the most versatile. -
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I use a Sous Vide Supreme and I have been very happy with it. When I bought it, circulators were about $800 or more so this seemed like a bargain and I liked the fact that it was all self contained and completely silent (still do). It's been rock solid for the last 5 years or so.
Now that you can get an Anova on sale sometimes for under $150, or the Sansaire or similar model for under $200, that might be the way I would go today.Comment
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Thunder77 ...
I'm certainly NOT an expert on this topic but I'll tell you what I've learned so far.
All you need is a SV circulator. There are lots of brands that pretty much all do about the same thing, control the water temperature & they have a little fan that circulates the water.
Some have Bluetooth and some have wi-fi. Neither of which is actually necessary. My Anova is Bluetooth so I can activate it and monitor it from my iPad... Which I RARELY do.
I have a large plastic rectangular tub that I can fit a big clod of meat in that I paid about $25 for on Amazon. With that and the circulator, you're all in, in the Sous vide game. It really is that simple.
I'm going to be buying another circulator soon so I can do multiple things at the same time at different temperatures. The next one I buy I'm going to get the Joule from ChefSteps. It's a smaller circumference and all of the controls are done in your smart phone.
If you're diligent in watching for deals you can get the Anova Bluetooth version as low as $139 to $149. So you get into SV cooking for under $200.
I think you're making a good decision to try sous vide cooking. I've throughly enjoyed the experience and the food I've produce with my circulator.Last edited by Breadhead; March 29, 2016, 01:44 PM.Comment
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I'm assuming that you have pots in your kitchen, so all you need is one of these circulator. I like the second generation Anova because I can use it with almost any container.
The folks at Chefsteps have the Joules, it it a very interesting thingamajig but has no physical buttons. It relies on their app for operating it.
My opinion, a stick is better as it is versatile and doesn't take up space.Comment
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I have the Anova and like it a lot.
Biggest "aha" I've had is that you need to insulate your tank system in order to get up to and hold temperature and to keep down the humidity. I found this out when I took things up to 195*F and found it took more than an hour to come up to temperature. I started with hot water in a my pot off of the stove at 165*F according to my Thermopop. I figure that my pot is not thick enough to retain heat and the wider the pot, the more surface area comes into play for cooling purposes.
From reading around on the web I found that a "good" tank for an Anova is a carbonate based clear food storage container rated for max temp of 212*F. I found mine and its lid at the local Chinese Restaurant/Kitchen Supply store that I frequent. Total cost with the lid was just under $20.
I wanted something at least nine inches deep especially for my Anova. My Tank is almost a 10x10 inch cube and holds 12qt of water (max is 5 gallons). I went with the smaller one due to lack of space to run it. I use a wooden cutting board underneath it to protect my wife's overly expensive counter top from heat and vibration. I cut a hole in the lid to loosely fit my Anova. I use a thicker washcloth and a bath towel 'swaddled' around the tank for extra insulation. Net results was quicker warm up and better heat retention. Getting up to 195*F works tons better too, especially if I preheat the water on the stove to 170+.
Example of Container on Amazon:
Rubbermaid Commercial FG631200CLR Space-Saving Container, 12-Quart Capacity [ don't forget to use http://tinyurl.com/amazingribs link before buying anything.]
Note1:
The better container will have the temperature range stamped on it.
The 'white-ish' translucent food grade container has a max temperature of 165*F.
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Ok. Here's another one. Has anyone sous vided a pork butt to get some of the cooking done before it goes on the smoker? Or is that too much of a sacred process that should not be fiddled with? I would think that the meat would be good, but you would obviously lose some bark since it wouldn't be in the smoker as long.Comment
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Thanks for all the feedback. I am hoping sous vide will help with meal prep so that everything can be ready at one time. I hate it when I make some really great meat, and it's the last thing done!Comment
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Originally posted by Ernest View Post
It doesn't take up much space if as you say, you are going to use it with an existing pot. But if you're going get a dedicated sous vide container, and potentially an insulated one, then that does take up a significant amount of space. And a lot of folks end up doing that for the reasons that (Oneshotxn) mentioned above.Comment
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Originally posted by jgjeske1 View Post
You will get better smoke flavor if you smoke it first, then sous vide to finish. Or you can smoke, sous vide, then back in the smoker for bark.Comment
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Thunder77 ... Response to your post #9.
Yes... I've done that cook. I SV'ed it for 24 hours to 165°. Then I took it out of the SV bag, blotted it dry and put on some beef love and added the rub.
I put it in the large BGE and smoked it at 225° for about 8/9 hours. The bark on the pulled pork was very nice. I didn't notice a big difference in the flavor, moisture and texture of the meat really.
I think I'll use that process when I'm OBLIGATED to serve the food at an exact time. I can get half the cooking done the day before and not have to worry about when it's going to be done.Last edited by Breadhead; March 29, 2016, 06:12 PM.Comment
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I started with an Anova Precision Cooker, but it beeped too much, and I didn't care for some odd quirks with the iPhone app. From that I switched to the VacMaster SV1 and I love it. Built like a tank, with a very simple control interface. Nothing fancy with Bluetooth or WiFi or poorly designed apps, has crazy good wattage, and the recovery time is fantastic.
I looked at different tubs, and ended up with the Rubbermaid FG631200CLR (12 quarts), which I use for most of my cooks. I also bought the Rubbermaid FG631800CLR (18 quarts) for bigger cooks, and a 22 quart tub is also available. Rubbermaid makes a lid that fits both of the tubs - Rubbermaid FG652300WHT. I cut out part of the lid to fit the circulator with very little gap around it, which helps with evaporation.
I also bought a Vero Chef 2 silicone baking mat and cut it to tightly slide onto the circulator and overlap on top of the Rubbermaid lid. As a result, I have never had evaporation problems (meaning I never have to add more water) even on 3 day cooks. This also helps keep the sous vide bath from adding humidity to the room, which is great in the summer.
After struggling to keep some items under water (even with strong vacuum) I tried a few different things to keep bags submerged. Warm water is brutal on anything chromed. I ended up buying a SousVide Supreme Universal Pouch Rack (available from their site under Accessories) which is relatively inexpensive and hasn't shown any signs of rust after many cooks. Works really well to keep items under water, or even keep heavier items separated for better water movement.
I picked up some Artisan Griller neoprene gloves (from Amazon), which are waterproof and very helpful for reaching into hot water, and for working bags containing things like custard that need to be sloshed around halfway through a 182 degree cook.
The most expensive thing I bought for sous vide was a VacMaster VP215 vacuum chamber sealer, but VacMaster runs some pretty good sales and offers refurb units sometimes as well. Incredible vacuum levels are possible, even with liquids. I've sealed everything from steak to french toast to soup. It's relatively quiet, and keeps coming back for more. I bought the VP112S for my mom, and she loves it.
I picked up an Iwatani Cooking Torch for searing, but it's easier to use a really hot pan or a really hot grill. The torch is fantastic for creme brulee, however.
I'd also recommend an easy timer. I use my Apple Watch, and find it indispensible. Timers on sous vide circulators and their apps are more hassle than they're worth.
Wow, more than I thought. I'll stop here. Hope this helps.Last edited by badf00d; March 29, 2016, 09:41 PM.Comment
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