Sous vide equipment recommendations

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

[Mod.edit: this post and following few moved to form a new thread (MG)]

Flat Iron steak came up in a discussion the other day, so I pulled one out of the freezer for supper tonight. Sous vide, then seared in butter in a cast iron pan. A side of mashed spuds. That's hot butter from the pan on the bottom of the plate, with some meat juices.

That steak cost me about 6 bucks, and it is as tender and juicy as Filet Mignon, but has more beef flavor.

View attachment 106798

CD

I have always resisted sous vide because when I first looked into them they were only available as large expensive catering sized equipment.

The kettle cooking has gone so well, producing tasty surprises I’m ready to take the plunge.

What machine do people use and what should I avoid?

 

[PabloLerntKochen]

The very cheap sous vide solutions are a pot with water and a decent oven that can hold the temperature. Then you need the bags and the vacuum machine.

The vacuum stick and a water bath are the most common solutions and are not that expensive.

It's good for meal prep and the veggies hold more flavor, but you can archieve nearly the same results with proper technique and save the plastic bags

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

The very cheap sous vide solutions are a pot with water and a decent oven that can hold the temperature. Then you need the bags and the vacuum machine.

The vacuum stick and a water bath are the most common solutions and are not that expensive.

It's good for meal prep and the veggies hold more flavor, but you can archieve nearly the same results with proper technique and save the plastic bags

Hmm I don’t like the plastic bag part of it. I can’t imagine there’s a way around that? Perhaps there are reusable bags that have a good lifespan.

 

[medtran49]

I have always resisted sous vide because when I first looked into them they were only available as large expensive catering sized equipment.

The kettle cooking has gone so well, producing tasty surprises I’m ready to take the plunge.

What machine do people use and what should I avoid?

I use an Anova in a stainless pasta pot, with a flexible silicone top/mat that has a hole cut out to fit the Anova. I bought both on Amazon. I'll look back in my orders for the top/mat link as it was an after market item.

When I bought my Anova they came in a range of a basic model that you set on the device itself to a Bluetooth enabled version that you had to use your phone to program. I got the basic model and it works just fine.

Yes, you can get reusable bags. I don't sous vide a lot so I just use regular freezer bags and use the air/water displacement method, which works just fine.

 

[caseydog]

I have always resisted sous vide because when I first looked into them they were only available as large expensive catering sized equipment.

The kettle cooking has gone so well, producing tasty surprises I’m ready to take the plunge.

What machine do people use and what should I avoid?

I have an Anova circulator -- the best selling circulator in the US, at least. You can use it in any stock pot or heat tolerant plastic container.

Here is mine...

CD

 

[ThatDude]

I run the same set up as caseydog. Cheap and efficient.

There are some better bags out there that claim to be reusable, but I've not had much luck with them as the ziplock tops always get fouled and won't seal again very well.

 

[caseydog]

I run the same set up as caseydog. Cheap and efficient.

There are some better bags out there that claim to be reusable, but I've not had much luck with them as the ziplock tops always get fouled and won't seal again very well.

I wish there was a more Earth-friendly way to sous vide and freeze food than vacuum sealing, but I haven't found one that works as well, and isn't a PITA.

CD

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Thanks guys. Thats really useful. I was concerned the stick in a tub version might not be efficient but you’ve all been using it successfully so thats a great endorsement.

The Anova is available in the UK and is very well reviewed so that looks like the way to go, if I get over the plastic bag thing

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I use an Anova in a stainless pasta pot, with a flexible silicone top/mat that has a hole cut out to fit the Anova. I bought both on Amazon. I'll look back in my orders for the top/mat link as it was an after market item.

When I bought my Anova they came in a range of a basic model that you set on the device itself to a Bluetooth enabled version that you had to use your phone to program. I got the basic model and it works just fine.

Yes, you can get reusable bags. I don't sous vide a lot so I just use regular freezer bags and use the air/water displacement method, which works just fine.

Interested in the silicone mat thing you mention. I have large pots that I think would work well.

 

[caseydog]

if I get over the plastic bag thing

Here is how I look at it. I use vacuum seal bags for freezing meats, and for sous vide cooking. I can often use the same bag to freeze a steak and cook it sous vide.

For freezing meat, I am cutting back on food waste by storing meat that would go bad for many months. If I use a little bit larger bag than I need to freeze that meat, I can cut it open, ad my seasonings, and reseal the same bag and cook the meat sous vide. I use ten percent more plastic for the larger bag, but use it twice.

I try to keep my carbon footprint as small as I can. That's why I don't buy Australian lamb, or Kerrygold butter. It is good, but it comes from halfway around the world. My beef comes primarily from Texas, partly because it is good beef, but it also comes from within a couple hundred miles from me. Same with my butter and lamb chops.

Little things done on a large scale make a big difference. I more than make up for my vacuum seal bags with other things I do to reduce my environmental impact. Too many people are so focused on the trees, that they can't see the forest right in front of them.

CD

 

[caseydog]

Interested in the silicone mat thing you mention. I have large pots that I think would work well.

She is doing basically the same thing I am doing with my setup. I got a container from a restaurant supply store, and cut a hole in the lid. You can do the same thing medtran49 did with a silicone sheet, or any other piece of plastic that can handle modest heat -- 140F/60C tops for most sous vide cooks.

As for the container, I went with a dedicated container, but medtran49's stock pot is a multi tasker, and it works just as well.

Sous vide cooking is really easy to get into.

CD

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Here is how I look at it. I use vacuum seal bags for freezing meats, and for sous vide cooking. I can often use the same bag to freeze a steak and cook it sous vide.

For freezing meat, I am cutting back on food waste by storing meat that would go bad for many months. If I use a little bit larger bag than I need to freeze that meat, I can cut it open, ad my seasonings, and reseal the same bag and cook the meat sous vide. I use ten percent more plastic for the larger bag, but use it twice.

I try to keep my carbon footprint as small as I can. That's why I don't buy Australian lamb, or Kerrygold butter. It is good, but it comes from halfway around the world. My beef comes primarily from Texas, partly because it is good beef, but it also comes from within a couple hundred miles from me. Same with my butter and lamb chops.

Little things done on a large scale make a big difference. I more than make up for my vacuum seal bags with other things I do to reduce my environmental impact. Too many people are so focused on the trees, that they can't see the forest right in front of them.

CD

Absolutely. It is your overall footprint that matters.

There was a space weather forecaster (the study of heliophysics) talking on the radio the other day. The presenter said “so global warming“ the forecaster let out a large deep sigh. The presenter said “oh is it that bad?” He wearily replied “Well put it this way, you may as well carry on as you are.“ The presenter said NOOO?! he replied ”Umm there is good news, humans are very adaptable.“

But anyway I shall carry on doing my best to mitigate my contribution to environmental disaster as I don’t like what he was saying and it was just one man.. one intelligent, well educated man who is dedicated to study in a way most aren’t capable of.. employed by NASA due to his accuracy

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

She is doing basically the same thing I am doing with my setup. I got a container from a restaurant supply store, and cut a hole in the lid. You can do the same thing medtran49 did with a silicone sheet, or any other piece of plastic that can handle modest heat -- 140F/60C tops for most sous vide cooks.

As for the container, I went with a dedicated container, but medtran49's stock pot is a multi tasker, and it works just as well.

Sous vide cooking is really easy to get into.

CD

I have seen those containers on amazon in the ‘people who looked at that also looked at this’ section.

It maybe a side note on the sous vide conversation but HOW did you cut such a gloriously neat hole in that plastic?!

 

[caseydog]

It maybe a side note on the sous vide conversation but HOW did you cut such a gloriously neat hole in that plastic?!

I was an art/design major, so I had to be good with an Exacto knife. That's how we did "cut and paste" before computers.

Seriously, I cut that hole by hand with an Exacto knife. I used a jar lid to draw a circle with a Sharpie marker, and cut it out. Even now, at 62, I can still cut a perfectly round hole with an Exacto knife.

CD

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I was an art/design major, so I had to be good with an Exacto knife. That's how we did "cut and paste" before computers.

Seriously, I cut that hole by hand with an Exacto knife. I used a jar lid to draw a circle with a Sharpie marker, and cut it out. Even now, at 62, I can still cut a perfectly round hole with an Exacto knife.

CD

I had to look up what an exacto knife is (what we call a craft knife) and that is impressive as you must have had to score along precisely the same line more than once or be able to apply a lot of pressure and still control the knife!