Help with Sous Vide Pork Chops Technique

[fzxdoc]

My family loves my wet brined/reverse seared pork chops. When I got the Joule, I thought they would be even better--no brining, simple sear after a leisurely bath for the chops. Each time I've tried (about 4 times), the chops are not nearly as juicy as with wet brined/reverse seared.

I've tried the basic Joule recommendations and have also tried a wet brine then sous vide technique. Both were marginal compared to my TnT method of wet brine/reverse sear.

Help! I want to perfect sous vide pork chops.

Kathryn

[troymeister]

I too have had the same problem. I tried Chef Steps recommendation. https://www.chefsteps.com/activities...vide-pork-chop

1' thick, 144 degrees for 60 min. But I did a blazing hot sear on the grill. They were good but not as good as your method.

I am wondering if pork chops don't lend themselves to SV that well. My family ended up telling me to forget about pork chops with SV.
I hope there is a solution.

Troy

[CaptainMike]

Same result here. Will only wet brine from now on. Unless convinced otherwise, of course....

[Potkettleblack]

You're cooking these too hot in SV, imho. I prefer my chops cooked at 135*, and up to 4 hours. I am usually doing 14 oz porterhouse chops. I also don't like a hard sear on pork cooked sous vide. A light browning for appearance is preferable.

I go back and forth on preference for SV vs 5S (select, salt... wet brine, season... mmd, smoke, sauce... glaze). I like the flavor build up in the 5S method, but the SV does something great to the fat.

If you are trying with boneless loin steaks (it's not really a chop without a bone), and you are buying IBP/Hormel commercial raised "other white meat" chops, you may never get a good one out of SV. I find that SV fails at lean meats with no connective tissue, like eye of the round.

[EdF]

Maybe some chops closer to the shoulder?

[fzxdoc]

If you are trying with boneless loin steaks (it's not really a chop without a bone), and you are buying IBP/Hormel commercial raised "other white meat" chops, you may never get a good one out of SV. I find that SV fails at lean meats with no connective tissue, like eye of the round.

That's my problem. My family likes really thick (1.5+ inches) boneless pork chops, cut from the loin (striploin?). I always choose the ones with the most marbling. I usually get them from a (relatively) local butcher or Fresh Market. Why would the Porterhouse cut pork chop be any better, since one side of it is the strip loin and the other side the tenderloin, both tender but not very well-marbled cuts? Does the bone provide protection even with sous vide? Hard to imagine, but hey, what do I know.

And I agree with the light sear, for any kind of pork, or chicken for that matter.

Here are the chops I'm most familiar with. I get either bone in or boneless pork rib chop.

From the bottom up: pork shoulder chop, center cut pork loin chop, pork rib chop, and boneless pork rib chop.

Kathryn

[Potkettleblack]

Too hot. 135. No hotter than 137.

[Potkettleblack]

In reviewing other sites I trust, beyond ChefSteps, TheAlcoholian keeps it between 131 & 134 for loin/racks. Kenji did his in 10* increments for some reason, so settles on 140, over 130, w/o looking at 135. Norm doesn't have a PC on SVR, but does loin at 129 for cutlets, to pound thin, bread and shallow fry. KosherDosher doesn't do pork...

I think the folks who are more clever like it below 140.

[Potkettleblack]

That's not to say that Chefsteps and Kenji aren't clever. Kenji seems to be avoiding asking deeper questions on SV, and chefsteps seem to find set points they like, and mix time as much as temp.

[Huskee]

I've always thought lean meat (pork loin chops, chicken breast, etc) lent itself best to hot & fast. While I'm not a SV person, this further makes me think that's probably the case.

[Potkettleblack]

Really, it depends on the total composition. Stuff that is not only lean but dry, like Eye of the Round of beef, I wouldn't hot and fast that, I wouldn't sous vide it. It's either dog food or jerky. And that's where a lot of lean pork loin is, as well. But lower temp works for them, and then gets messed up with over searing on thin chops.
Chicken breast SV is the BEST way to do chicken breast.

[nyekike]

Agree on the chicken breast statement, SV makes wonders with it.

[Huskee]

Potkettleblack Touche on the chicken breast, I guess I meant in the context of grilling, they're better hot & fast (325-350) than low & slow. Indirect of course, but looking back that wasn't clear from my above comment.

[fzxdoc]

Thick pork chops are great, Huskee, wet brined and reverse seared. Sooooo juicy!

Thinner ones, for me, are done hot 'n fast, just as you say.

Kathryn

[Spinaker]

I pound out the thin cuts of pork, bread them, then fry. Anything over an inch gets a reverse sear and is finished with some of that Mumbo sauce that is very under rated here.

[Gooner-que]

Mumbo sauce on pork chops is very good!

[Hulagn1971]

I SV my pork chops at 135 as previously suggested and do so for 2-4 hours. Then seared in CI skillet. Wife says they are the best.

[choffert]

I think if you go longer at a lower temp you'll get a juicier chop. 145 sounds high, not knowing how long you're going, I use 135 for hour and a half to two (longer if frozen) and a quick, hot sear and they are pretty decent IMHO. Remember, SV allows us to use a lower 'done' temp while the longer time ensures food safety. I dry brine when I package. I focus on tender, juicy and seasoned...the kids are only going to drown them in ketchup anyway...

[Polarbear777]

I do all lean meats at 130 for minimum safety time then an ice bath. Then since it is cold when you sear you can use the back of a jet engine if you want, the internal temp will be okay. Searing immediately after sous vide can push the internal temp into the dry zone.

I only go to 140 for poultry because it’s weird at 130.

[fzxdoc]

This has been a good discussion. I'm going to sous vide the next pork chops I get at a lower temp, at 135°F, as recommended by Potkettleblack and some others here. Maybe that's the sweet spot for lean meat like this.

I'll give that Mumbo sauce a try as well. Thanks for that tip, Spinaker . That recipe looks tasty.

And, just to clarify, Potkettleblack , you sous vide boneless chicken breast at 135°F as well? If so, how long for safety sake? (Not to get too far off topic, but I'm curious.)

Thanks, everyone!

Kathryn

[Potkettleblack]

Wow. It's funny, I love SV chicken, but I eat chicken for lunch every day at work that I rarely make it at home. I think I do it at 149 for white and a bit hotter for dark. Chicken is workable at 135, but I like it a bit firmer, after years of eating it cooked to the USDA recommended and misunderstood 165.

[fzxdoc]

Thanks again, Potkettleblack and Polarbear777 for your chickeny recommendations. I may SV up a few skinless boneless birdie breasts and thighs this weekend.

Kathryn

[Potkettleblack]

You will want to do the thighs a bit higher than the breasts. Generally, start the thighs hot, cook fully, lower temp, add breasts, serve together.

[fzxdoc]

Thanx. Or fire up both my Joules. Potkettleblack .

I get such good results dumping frozen chicken in my Instant Pot with gochujang and/or other seasonings, I wonder why I'm doing this SV chicken thing. But then OTOH, why not give it a whirl?

K.

[Polarbear777]

There of course is an app for that "SousVideDash"(example above for 1” chicken breast to 140F) is the one I use but there are several that let you calculate the time to surface and core temp and time to Pasteurizaton for both surface and core. At 130 it’s about 3-4 hours generally but that all depends on thickness so you have to use a table or app to make sure. If you look up the USDA charts a core temp of 165F for 5 seconds is like 150F for five minutes and on down.

http://www.prep-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/bacteria-safety-01.jpg

[fzxdoc]

Thanks a bunch, Polarbear777 !

K.