A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Yep, that's me. I haven't changed my handle at Ricochet yet but when it comes to the frontline of culinary sophistication, I am there. I got a SousVide supreme cooking machine for Christmas and I can't think of any gift I have enjoyed more since my first BB gun.
I won't bore you with all of the details of my exploration -- just with a few of them. Sous vide cooking utilizes a water bath that precisely controls the temperature of the water so that when food is placed in a vacuum-sealed pouch it gets to the perfect temperature and then can sit there and just get happier without ever overcooking. Last Friday night, some of the clergy from church came for dinner, and, since one ate no meat, I went to the local seafood market and bought two whole fresh triggerfish for $4.99 a pound. I put the skinned filets in Zip-loc bags with a little butter, dill, and lemon slices for 45 minutes at 130 degrees. Delicious.
Tonight, I fixed a pork roast, but at the same time I added a pouch of chicken giblets to make chicken and rice for my dogs, who benefit from a low-residue diet. The Science Diet chicken and rice costs more than filet mignon. As I was chopping up the morsels of gizzards, liver and chicken hearts, I had to taste a bit. Whoa! My next project is going to be giblet pate. I'll just add some allspice and cinnamon (if any is left in the tin) along with a little Knox gelatin. It will be way more sophisticated than turkey Jell-O.
Insert your own sophisticated comments on sous vide cooking, chicken gizzards and related topics here.
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Comments:
May '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
I like to sous vide chicken roulade and then use a brown butter technique to fry it for serving. Technically you can set it to 170 for breasts, but I go with 180 to be sure. Forms up perfectly when cinched in plastic wrap. Try it. It's fun!
Edited on January 14, 2013 at 11:42pmJun '12
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
I am jealous!
This will be perfect for Lobster Tail, since it is so easily overcooked.
I found this sousvide lobster recipe
Look at the Duck Sous Vide
I have to buy this machine just for the 36 hour Pork Belly
Sous Vide Strip steak
Oct '10
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
SP, Does this makes you a gourmet cook like a Flowbee makes someone Vidal Sassoon? Just wondering because I'm doing most of the cooking lately.
Mar '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
How's it do on hot dogs?
May '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Severely, I don't know what a Flowbee is but if it is uncouth, I probably have one or am one, I don't know. Sous vide makes cooking for a small group extremely easy because it is hard to screw it up.
Percival, I doubt if ultra-slow cooking does much for hotdogs but from what I have read it is perfect for making beef brisket or corned beef where you can just slice off huge thick chunks of perfectly cooked beef for sandwiches without additional preparation.
Jun '12
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Sous Vide Hot Dog foam on Potato Confit.
secrets in the foam!
Edited on January 15, 2013 at 12:42amMay '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Joan,
One of the next things I am going to try soon is sea scallops. Like lobster they can turn into small hockey pucks in a moment if over-cooked. I figure I will use some of them served over pasta and add the rest to a chowder with potatoes, red pepper, cream and corn for the next day.
Apr '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Joan, you find the best food porn.
I have wanted to mess about with sous vide but haven't taken the time to yet. I'm a bit reluctant to invest in a special cooker for it and am investigating other ways to cook sous vide besides the machine. My foodie friends say cooking this way yields better flavor. Please let us know how the sea scallops turn out.
Oct '10
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Sounds like an interesting method of cooking. The Flowbee on the other hand has to be one of scariest and most useless devices ever marketed.
May '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Susan, there are inexpensive alternatives to sous vide but I don't know if there is a better alternative to food porn than Joan's observations.
May '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Only on Ricochet would the words food porn and chicken gizzards show up on the same page.
Apr '12
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
We've bad our sous vide about 18 months. My husband is a walking commercial for it. The combination of easy and delicious really is pretty fabulous; short rib is amazing in the sous vide.
Aug '10
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Saw this article when I first learned about the method , very funny comparison.
I'll get there, my cooking is about as subtle as ketchup on an egg. I smoke pork as a hobby and have to yet to discern how the sous vide would help.
And the crusty stuff on the sides of a pot after braising the short ribs that you scrape off into the onions and red wine, how do you replicate that one ?
Just asking. Glad to hear it is problematic with vegetables, simpatico there.
Jun '12
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
You both are making me food frisky, if there is such a thing. :D I saw the alternative methods. Heat is one thing, evenly slow spread out heat is another. Plus the right pressure. When we are dealing with protein, every second counts. In eel cooking, from the time the eel is sliced, cleaned and caramelized in super high heat take 1 minute. Any longer will be a fiasco.
Passion is manifested in heat control.
Oct '10
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Re: Joan. Draw the line at eel, used the stuff for Sturgeon bait only.
Jun '12
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
flownover
my cooking is about as subtle as ketchup on an egg.
Egg cooking is an art. Ketchup. I still don't know how to make it.
Jun '12
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Oh Wilber, that's like skipping diamonds on the lake.
Edited on January 15, 2013 at 2:57amMay '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
flownover
And the crusty stuff on the sides of a pot after braising the short ribs that you scrape off into the onions and red wine, how do you replicate that one ?
Yeah, Licking those zip-lock bags is just not the same. As Joan said passion is manifest in heat control. I have no self control, how do you expect me to have heat control?
May '11
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Joan of Ark La Tex
flownover
my cooking is about as subtle as ketchup on an egg.
Egg cooking is an art. Ketchup. I still don't know how to make it. · 23 minutes ago
Edited 22 minutes ago
Actually, Joan's illustration points out the great value of sous vide cooking. You can place whole eggs in the shell in the water bath and create perfect soft boiled eggs without worrying about the time. I don't eat a lot of soft boiled eggs but if I had Brittish friends over for brunch I would know how to impress them.
Edited on January 15, 2013 at 3:30amJun '12
Re: A Southern Sophisticate Explores Sous Vide Cooking
Southern Pessimist
Actually, Joan's illustration points out the great value of sous vide cooking. You can place whole eggs in the shell in the water bath and create perfect soft boiled eggs without worrying about the time. I don't eat a lot of soft boiled eggs but if I had Brittish friends over for brunch I would know how to impress them. · 14 minutes ago
Edited 12 minutes ago
Eggs Benedict Baby! It's the international soul food. Make your guests cry or laugh with the EGG. Remember, eggs are from FEMALE hen. I.e. It's perfección!
I think I linked the wrong Sous Vide Egg. Here it is.
Edited on January 15, 2013 at 3:53am