Sous Vide Adventures by Guest Blogger Bruce Miyahara, Summer Camper Extraordinare
It all started with Nancy Oakes (Chef/owner of SF’s Boulevard) and the 62.5 egg in the immersion circulator at Tom Douglas Summer Camp. The egg was perfect, but the science geek in me loved the equipment. It was a bit much just for a perfect egg… until I learned of sous vide.
(Editor’s note: an immersion circulator is a professional piece of equipment that keeps a water bath at a precise temperature for a long period of time. Sous vide means slowly cooking foods in airtight plastic bags in a water bath well below the boiling point. )
Photo top: We borrowed this immersion circulator. We thought the equipment needed a little insulation, so wrapped the water bath container with a towel. Our first attempt was the 62.5 egg. I have to say the one hour wait at 62.5 °C was well worth it. The texture and creaminess of the yolk just can’t be described.
We then moved on to flat iron, pork shoulder, and ribs. You start vacuum sealing with a Foodsaver (photo, second from top). Four hours later at 140°F, you get a rather gray, unappetizing piece of meat (photo third from top). But a quick sear on a hot applewood fired grill and a Rub with Love Ancho Molasses glaze, and you get a wonderfully tender and flavorful result (ribs in photo fourth from top).
We originally thought it would be a lot of work, but with a little planning, sous vide cooking with an immersion circulator is simple. This is an excellent technique to prepare for a large dinner group, for sure. The main selling point for us is the tenderness, plus the flavors that permeate are retained throughout the process. Just did some Mangalista pork jowl and it was heavenly!
So… we got out own immersion circulator… these are short ribs…. (photo bottom).
Duck confit next!!
PAY ATTENTION to time and temperature control. Opportunities for bacterial grown are HUGE!!! Here’s A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Here’s a link that was on Serious Eats: I’m thinking of the home unit…
http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/10/understanding-sous-vide-cooking-heston-blumenthal.html
the home unit…
http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/
I’m just unsure about texture or how it will be received by the family! $399 would be expensive if it wasn’t awesome…although the idea sounds fab.
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:45 pm
John, good luck!!! We think it’s awesome. Yeah that Polyscience unit is even pricier, but temperature control is assured. Let me know how the sous vide supreme works for you! So far, tough fatty meats and surprisingly, fruit have worked out wonderfully.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:50 am
Bruce, those ribs look delicious! Nice work.