Sous Vide

[The Knize]

As cooking equipment goes this is pretty dramatic and out-of-the-box.

I wonder how it would do for creme brulee! It is one heck of a lot of fire and heat, but maybe if one were careful to keep it moving, and make sure the ramikins were well spaced out . . . . Of course, it might just blow the custard right out of the ramekin! A piece of meat is a bit more resilent and has more structural integrity, I would think!

 

[davent]

I've always used a regular propane torch for creme brulees but by your description of the weed torch, it does sound extreme, over-the-top, it must be tried! Quick with a light touch.
dave

 

[ackvil]

Showed my wife this thread and she decided we are all nuts.

 

[The Knize]

Showed my wife this thread and she decided we are all nuts.

Well, her eyesight is nearly perfect, as the joke goes!

Starting at about 1:42 of this video is a pretty dramatic illustration of what it looks like to use one of these torches on a steak. He has it turned up more than I did and more than I think it necessary. But imagine that at about 50% or maybe just 25% and it is still pretty intense!

Very fun stuff.

 

[pault]

Hell just torch the steaks, they will be just right


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[danek]

I was just about to try sneaking my steak under the rockets at the next Space X launch, but this sounds even easier.

 

[The Knize]

Hell just torch the steaks, they will be just right

I thought of that, too!

Maybe it was also the onion slice and the raw garlic put in the bag with the steak for the sous vide, and perhaps the underlying quality of a simple, cheap Aldi rib eye, but I was not much sold on sous vide steak preparation until I did this. This was an outstanding steak. Probably even better after being the the fridge for awhile. Flavorful, tender, complex, toothful, if that makes sense.

 

[The Knize]

I have replicated the above a couple of times now--that is, Aldi rib eyes, bagged with onion and garlic pieces plus salt and pepper only, two hour sous vide and finished with with flame thrower--and it has turned out fantastically each time. Crazily it seems to me, some of the very best steaks I have ever had, and I have gone to some trouble in the past to make good steaks at home and buy good steaks out. (I think the best steak I ever had was in Davenport, Iowa of all places. Dry-aged in a Himalayan salt lined vault, and cooked to perfection in heaven knows what high temperature appliance. And priced accordingly. But that is another story!)

I had thought I would be a sous vide fan when I started out, but was then rather disappointed. But I am a big fan now.

Next step up may be dry-aging!

 

[danek]

Next step up may be dry-aging!

Be sure to post a photo of that salt-lined cellar when you get it installed.

 

[The Knize]

Yeah, it does sort of raise the question of what equipment is required to properly dry age beef. I do not think I am going to be buying slabs of pink Himalayan salt for any purpose.

When I was brewing my own beer, I never got around to setting up a lagering fridge, so maybe a good faith effort at dry aging is not in the cards either!

 

[danek]

I would imagine that your aging plans are something similar to Alton Brown's technique: Dry Aged Chimney Porterhouse
I've done something similar, and it's not a bad way to go. I recommend using a THICK cut, or double, or something, because you will lose a little girth to trimming off the "leather" around the edges.

Wet aging might be easier; maybe try both methods and see which you like better?

 

[Merle]

I would need a separate refrigerator out in the boat garage to do much wet-aging. Its nearly unpalatable in the upstairs fridge over the time of a week or so if I leave something wrapped from the store... Open air? hummm...

Great story telling @The Knize - the tale has really evolved since my last visit!

 

[The Knize]

Glad you like it, Chris.

I have not really looked into what it takes to age beef. Seems kind of complicated.

 

[shavefan]

I would need a separate refrigerator out in the boat garage to do much wet-aging. Its nearly unpalatable in the upstairs fridge over the time of a week or so if I leave something wrapped from the store... Open air? hummm...

Open air is much better! Leaving meat in those wrapped bacteria trap foam trays is a disaster. When I buy steaks, they immediately go to the freezer for later use, or open air on a 1/4 sheet pan (in our main fridge) similar to what Alton does. Change out the paper towels every day and you're good. Give it a try. Works great with whole (spatchcocked) chicken too.

I have not really looked into what it takes to age beef. Seems kind of complicated.

At home, it's more drying than aging. Unless your prepared to invest in the proper aging equipment/room.

 

[davent]

I've never wrapped the meat in paper towels to air dry, i just put it on a small roasting rack, set that in/on a sizzle pan, pop that in the fridge and leave it until it's time to cook. Usually buy from one of the butcher's at the farmer's market Thursday mornings, then air dry until Saturday or Sunday. Hasn't been any kind of issue along the way so far.

Have also packed a piece of meat in salt for a few hours for similar effect, the detail escape me now.
dave

 

[shavefan]

I've never wrapped the meat in paper towels to air dry...

Me either, paper towels only underneath has worked well. For a consistent drying, I flip the steaks a couple times over the course of the few days of drying, as the top of the meat always seems to dry faster than the bottom.

 

[Thwack]

Sous vide is one of my favorite methods. Doing a brisket next week for my dads birthday, will finish on the Keg to get some bark

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Sous vide is one of my favorite methods. Doing a brisket next week for my dads birthday, will finish on the Keg to get some bark

Gotta see that. Take us some pictures of the whole event.

 

[The Knize]

Sous vide is one of my favorite methods. Doing a brisket next week for my dads birthday, will finish on the Keg to get some bark

I wondered about doing brisket myself. Recipe please. How do you get smoky flavor?

 

[Thwack]

I wondered about doing brisket myself. Recipe please. How do you get smoky flavor?

Picked up a 7lb point today, luckily it'll fit in the extra large ziplocks I have. Just deciding if I want to let it sit overnight in dr pepper that a person mentioned to me

After sous vide it'll go in the fridge overnight and next day it goes on the Keg with (probably) hickory smoke for 2-3 hours