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[highrider]

Sous vide or under vacuum cooking is the technique a lot of restaurants use, mostly with meats. It’s placing individual pieces or servings in vacuum sealed bags and cooking them at low temperature for several hours in oscillating water. They have units for home use now that work well in the 150 to 200 range. The ability to have the meat essentially cooked and finishing in the fire so to speak makes something like a chicken breast a completely different flavor experience. Nothing is dry and so evenly and perfectly cooked.

I work as a chef in sort of a fancy restaurant and have been using them for a few years now. Curious to see if more people are trying this way of cooking.

 

[Kas]

I have an Anova and I use it maybe 3-4 times a month. It's a hassle, at least for me, for a family of 3. It's better suited for maybe 1-2 people, especially with a tiny kitchen.

 

[tmac456]

made lemon thyme chicken via SV tonight. 149 for 1.5hrs then into cast iron with a little oil and butter. besides fried chicken, it's the juiciest, most tender chicken you'll ever have.

 

[womfalcs3]

I've seen one sold for 100 bucks on HSN.

 

[Xisiqomelir]

My home lifehack is to use regular ziplocks instead of $5/ea "sous vide" bags.

 

[mcfrank]

Seems hit or miss to me. Short Ribs I made with it were amazing, but I find chicken to be gross. Steaks were good, but not better than using a cast iron on a hot stove with butter.

 

[highrider]

My home lifehack is to use regular ziplocks instead of $5/ea "sous vide" bags.

Yeah I’ve been using them lol

 

[TheBez]

Sous vide or under vacuum cooking is the technique a lot of restaurants use, mostly with meats. It’s placing individual pieces or servings in vacuum sealed bags and cooking them at low temperature for several hours in oscillating water. They have units for home use now that work well in the 150 to 200 range. The ability to have the meat essentially cooked and finishing in the fire so to speak makes something like a chicken breast a completely different flavor experience. Nothing is dry and so evenly and perfectly cooked.

I work as a chef in sort of a fancy restaurant and have been using them for a few years now. Curious to see if more people are trying this way of cooking.

I just bought one for myself and as an early present for my mom. Do you have any tips for beginners? Go-to recipes? Other assorted advice?

 

[highrider]

I just bought one for myself and as an early present for my mom. Do you have any tips for beginners? Go-to recipes? Other assorted advice?

Yeah, but I should start by saying I don’t generally eat red meat so it’s more less a chicken breast and fish machine for me. Buy good cuts of meat to start. You don’t have to use the special bags, ziplocks are fine. My go-to is chicken Picatta. Sous vide the chicken, usually the machine will have instructions for times and temperature, get a frying pan ready with about a half inch of oil, fry on both sides until golden brown, remove from pan or place whole pan in oven ( removing oil first ) to finish at 350 for about 5 min to add a light crispness to the skin on top of the frying.

In a separate pan, combine a half cup of chicken stock, pinch or two of capers, tablespoon of lemon juice,roughly 5 pats of butter, and a cup of white wine. Reduce it over high heat until it begins to slightly thicken, sometimes adding wondra flour or regular flour helps even the thickness when finishing, just a pinch. Once it has reduced finish with another pat of butter and mix thoroughly in the pan. Then just pour it over the finished chicken. It’s great with a pasta or cooked root vegetables. You don’t need to add salt with the capers but a little white pepper is nice.

Edit: if you’re familiar with Knorr stock pots, they are a real restaurant secret for reduction sauces. They are ideal for stuff like this.

 

[snacknuts]

I've had an Anova for almost two years and I love it.

 

[PudieRSC]

Me and my wife got one a few months ago, but it's honestly a bit intimidating lol. Looking for something super simple to start.

 

[Bessy67]

I use my Anova at least a couple times a week. I love the thing, makes cooking so much easier for me especially since I no longer have a grill.

 

[markofhavoc]

My brother in law is a chef and swears by the thing, but myself, I have never used one

 

[MultiCore]

I have an Anova, and I love it.

Great for fish, quick and easy, perfectly done every time.

I recently did a chick roast for 48 hours, came out like a prime rib.

I recommend it to everyone I talk to.

 

[Randy Monk]

I have an Anova and have only cooked steaks, chicken breast and fish.

Everything is so juicy and tender, wish I had more time to use it.