First real run at Sous Vide

[smokinfatties]

I was in SF for the weekend meeting up with a friend I hadn't seen for about 10 or more years. Had none of my BBQ stuff with me, but he had mentioned that he had been playing around with a new sous vide. I have a joule at home but my first attempt at trying SV was an away game on his Anova.

I found a killer butcher shop in SF (the Fatted Calf) that had some Berkshire Heritage pork. Decided to try some pork chops - they were amazing!

I didn't get all hardcore and try to SV overnight, just about an hour and a half in the hot tub at 138 and then pan fried in a cast iron with some ghee. Seasonings were simple- salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, and thyme.

[MBMorgan]

Awesome ... congrats!

[EdF]

They look really good!

[RonB]

That's lookin' really good.

[smokinsteve]

Beautiful! Sous vide pork chops is one of our favorite dinners. So simple but so good!

[kmhfive]

Nicely done.

[Steve B]

Looks like you're a hero with that cook. Nicely done.

[hogdog6]

Berkshire heritage now that's real pork. SV pork chops are great, good looking cook. Now when you get home time to break out the Joule. I haven't tried to find any Berkshire in my area but now you've motivated me to do so. Sure there is somewhere on the web to find it but I like to see the meat I'm buying if possible.

[dtassinari]

Great job! An hour and a half is about all you need even for thick chops: cooking them longer doesn't improve them. In fact it makes them worse: if you cooked them overnight you'd end up with mealy, mushy meat.

Chops (and loin/tenderloin) are tender cuts that only need to be heated until you hit your desired temp and no longer. It's tough cuts like ribs and shoulder that benefit from overnight (or multi-day) cooking to break down the tough collagen.

Berkshire pork, mmm...

[HorseDoctor]

Oh yea... now that's some pig done the way it ought to be done!!! Congrats!

[T-bone]

You obviously won your away game! Great chops. Thanks for sharing.

[fzxdoc]

Beautiful piggie chops!

I have yet to do pork chops well with my Joule. I've tried twice and both times the meat was dry and tough. Not super dry or super tough, but more so than we like. I'm spoiled by reverse searing them, I guess. The first time I followed the Chef Steps version on the Joule app to a "t". The second time I wet brined first and then followed the instructions on the Joule app. Neither result was satisfactory. So I decided not to sous vide pork chops ever again.

Now your photos, smokinfatties , and your comment, smokinsteve , have me rethinking that decision.

Kathryn

[Smoking77]

martybartram Would you still brine a Heritage pork chop that had good intramuscular fat to it, or just leaner cuts of pork?

[martybartram]

Smoking77 having never had them I would brine half &eat 2 . Seriously, that brine can only enhance not detract as long as you follow time protocols. Go too long & you risk changing the texture of the meat. I say the more I invested in the meat the more insurance I want, brine those babies.

[Smoking77]

Done and done martybartram! Thanks!

[HouseHomey]

Wow! Those look fantastic.

[Smoking77]

smokinfatties, those look amazing! How long did you pan fry them on both sides? Did you get an IT when you pulled them? Again, congrats!

[smokinfatties]

Only a minute or two on each side, just enough to brown the outside.

I didn't bother with the IT afterwards since the SV was set at 138 so i knew everything was cooked at minimum to that point,

[Smoking77]

Thanks

[Hulagn1971]

Looks awesome!