I got my Anova today!

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zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
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@ $95 I would easily chose that over the Nano, which still isn't released. It has a larger volume capacity for the water vessel, which I would say is more beneficial than the superior temperature sensitivity of the Nano. Yeah, technologically, a resolution of 1/10th of a degree is kinda awesome, but I don't think it really means anything for any reasonable food prep.

Certainly, there are those that will eventually be convinced that cooking their steaks at 135.7 is vastly superior to 136 or 135, but these people are idiots, and probably spend $30 grand on speaker cables. EDIT: hmm, it looks like the Wi-Fi model also might allow to set at 1/10th of a degree? I didn't know that was available already-the one I still use is the original, which they no longer sell. I think it still has the largest capacity, though, at just under 6 gallons?

here's a comparison
https://anovaculinary.com/nano/

I bought the Nano(s) only because of the pre-order price of $70 each, which is really just incredible (assuming it ever exists).

And of course...if you don't yet have a souse vide device in your kitchen, then Kaido will never respect you, which I find to be very important.
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
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ah, missed this. They dropped the app-based "multi-cook" functionality, which they say will now be available on ~October release models. I understood this to mean it can't be updated with firmware or anything like that, because the offer was again to cancel your order or replace with earlier model if you want the full functionality.

I'm not sure if that feature matters much for me--it essentially allows you to pre-program multiple cook temperatures and times in one program, for it work remotely. All I ever do is cook everything that's in the pot at one temperature at a time, and you need to be there anyway if you are moving from veggies to meat, lowering temp, in the same pot

Yeah, and even with the Mellow, I almost always just use manual mode & reference my own times & temps. And that way it doesn't end a cook cycle, it just keeps it at that temp until I turn it off, which is pretty convenient for flexibility.
 

momeNt

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2011
9,297
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Another delay for the Anova Nano

rAjRjvO.png
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,387
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Ooh nice, I just did some Anova demos over the weekends, but understandably nobody wanted to shell out $150 for one. Thanks!

I also ordered this vac-sealer to test:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y3YV1K2/

$29 shipped, wet & dry mode, and supports 11" bags. It also does -0.8 bar, which is the same as my Monoprice vac-sealer. Doesn't look like it has gentle mode like the more expensive ones, so I'll have to test it to see how it fares with different ingredients. MIght be pretty nice for a cheapo unit tho! These are the bags I use:

https://www.amazon.com/l/6705582011

I tried various methods for cutting the bags (built-in bag cutter, paper cutter, etc.) & eventually settled on a nice $15 pair of scissors (diamond or titanium-lined or something like that, I don't remember) and they actually do a really good job of cutting pretty straight lines easily in the plastic. I pretty much vacuum-seal 100% of my proteins these day (flash-freeze on a knockoff Silpat for a couple hours to hold the shape, then vac-seal & throw back in the freezer) & most of my veggies. Buy in bulk, store in a large upright freezer, don't have to shop often, plenty of food available FTW!
 

Bubbleawsome

Diamond Member
Apr 14, 2013
4,833
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I've been thinking of getting a sous vide cooker for a while to make myself eat better at college. Can't buy one quite yet, but I'm watching the thread.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,387
5,255
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I also ordered this vac-sealer to test:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y3YV1K2/

$29 shipped, wet & dry mode, and supports 11" bags. It also does -0.8 bar, which is the same as my Monoprice vac-sealer. Doesn't look like it has gentle mode like the more expensive ones, so I'll have to test it to see how it fares with different ingredients. MIght be pretty nice for a cheapo unit tho! These are the bags I use:

https://www.amazon.com/l/6705582011

I tried various methods for cutting the bags (built-in bag cutter, paper cutter, etc.) & eventually settled on a nice $15 pair of scissors (diamond or titanium-lined or something like that, I don't remember) and they actually do a really good job of cutting pretty straight lines easily in the plastic. I pretty much vacuum-seal 100% of my proteins these day (flash-freeze on a knockoff Silpat for a couple hours to hold the shape, then vac-seal & throw back in the freezer) & most of my veggies. Buy in bulk, store in a large upright freezer, don't have to shop often, plenty of food available FTW!

The vac-sealer is on sale today, clip the coupon & it's $17 shipped! I've been using it for the past week & really like it. I've tested it with 6", 8", and 11"-width bags, does a good job on all of them. Extremely surprised at the performance for the price! Also, Amazon has their own line of Silpats out:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Silicone-Baking-Mat-2-Pack/dp/B0725GYNG6

I use a baking sheet (like a cookie sheet, with a lip around the edges), lined with a Silpat (silicone-wrapped fiberglass - it's basically like re-usable parchment paper), to flash-freeze foods - meat, berries, cookie dough, brownie squares, etc. I let them freeze for two hours (or more), then vacuum-seal them (that way they don't squish), and throw them back in the freezer for long-term storage. Just picked a few pounds of blueberries & have those flash-freezing at the moment to vac-seal later tonight!
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
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Sous vide steak + slice it up + add some spices = amazingly tender fajita bites. Ribeye at 130F for a few hours, pat dry & let cool, slice into strips, then fry up in some oil with some spices. I gave the Taco Bell seasoning a try, but I like homemade seasoning better. Threw the strips together with some shredded cheese & made Kenji's epic quesadillas:

https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/02/food-lab-great-quesadillas.html

The meat was so tender you could literally pull it apart with your fingers. Just awesome. I love sous vide! :D

nTOxUXF.jpg
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
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This thread needs more life!

Been experimenting more with make-ahead stuff using sous vide. Today's breakfast was make-ahead poached eggs & make-ahead sous vide steak. The eggs were 145F for 45 minutes & the steak was 130F for 3 hours. Put both in the fridge last night. Morning prep was carefully cracking the eggs, draining the loose whites with a slotted spoon, and swirling around in a simmering pot of water for a minute to warm it up & set the tight white (see Kenji's photos). For the steak, I simply spread some mayo on to sear (nice crusting) with some salt & pepper and seared it in a cast-iron skillet.

A steak this large with a pair of poached eggs would have set me back $25 at a local breakfast cafe; it was only $8 in ingredients to make at home (less than 1/3 the cost), and came out better because the texture sous vide gives steak is unbeatable. Plus I didn't have to drive anywhere, and I didn't really have to cook anything, it was just some quick assembly, since everything was already cooked sous vide & held in the fridge to chill until prep time.

edBdqbr.jpg
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,689
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This thread needs more life!

Been experimenting more with make-ahead stuff using sous vide. Today's breakfast was make-ahead poached eggs & make-ahead sous vide steak. The eggs were 145F for 45 minutes & the steak was 130F for 3 hours. Put both in the fridge last night. Morning prep was carefully cracking the eggs, draining the loose whites with a slotted spoon, and swirling around in a simmering pot of water for a minute to warm it up & set the tight white (see Kenji's photos). For the steak, I simply spread some mayo on to sear (nice crusting) with some salt & pepper and seared it in a cast-iron skillet.

A steak this large with a pair of poached eggs would have set me back $25 at a local breakfast cafe; it was only $8 in ingredients to make at home (less than 1/3 the cost), and came out better because the texture sous vide gives steak is unbeatable. Plus I didn't have to drive anywhere, and I didn't really have to cook anything, it was just some quick assembly, since everything was already cooked sous vide & held in the fridge to chill until prep time.

edBdqbr.jpg
Yum! I would destroy that!

99% of my Anova use is reheating smoked BBQ meat. It's worth it for me just for that feature.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
Picked up a green egg knockoff this weekend, a pit boss K22. Love it so far. Going to get rid of the charcoal grill, gas grill, and electric smoker and just use this kamado style cooker from here out.
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
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Yum! I would destroy that!

99% of my Anova use is reheating smoked BBQ meat. It's worth it for me just for that feature.

I've been working through this book for the last few months:

https://www.amazon.com/Sous-Vide-Harness-Schedule-Cooking/dp/1466381280/

And also reading through a lot of online stuff, especially the active FB groups. Turns out you can cook food sous-vide, then put it in either the fridge or freezer, then reheat it later to eat (less time than having to cook it when needed), which eliminates a preparation step. I've pretty much broken cooking down into 3 approaches:

1. Full meal prep from scratch
2. Assembly
3. Heat-to-eat

So full meal prep would be like cooking a steak, searing it, and eating it, along with say a baked potato, some broccoli, some dinner rolls, etc. Assembly would be where you cook the steak sous vide ahead of time & chill it in the fridge, make some dinner roll dough & freeze that, and then kind of put everything together rather than really "cook" - so you'd just sear the steak & bake the dinner rolls, no real work required. Then the last one is basically the DIY TV dinner approach...a ready-to-eat meal that is great in a pinch when you just want food & don't want to have to do anything for it, but would rather eat at home than get take-out.

Like, today's breakfast was #2, Assembly: sear steak for 60 seconds per side & stir the eggs in simmering water for 60 seconds. Amazing breakfast with very little actual effort, but stellar results. Been messing around with various ways to take advantage of make-ahead stuff like this...not necessarily heat & eat, but fairly easy assembly so you can have a great meal without actually having to "cook".
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
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101
Today is my youngest son's 11th birthday. He wanted steak so we bought some ribeyes last night and seasoned and vacuum sealed them this morning. Going to go in the anova pot today at noon for 3-4 hours and then will sear them on the kamado. I'm not a huge steak guy, so I'm going to have some burgers instead, so I'll cook them on there as well.
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,387
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I bought these Sous Vide magnets:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075XNSDW8

They were really pricey ($18 for 4 pairs), but they work so good I can't complain too much, especially since they'll probably last forever...floating bags has been my #1 issue for a long time now. These are super-strong magnet pairs, coated in silicone, so it won't damage your equipment. I've got it holding a bag of wings in my Mellow right now & it's working great!
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,387
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If you're still on the fence about diving into a Sous Vide setup, here are some pictures of mine from the last couple of years. If you like excellent, consistent results with an easy method of preparation, then sous vide is an amazing way to go!

I use a Mellow sous vide (has a chiller, to hold food until you are ready to cook it, like a mini fridge) & an Anova (primarily for larger cuts of meat, which require a larger tub). Super easy to use!

Burgers:

fZsnPTm.jpg


Steak & eggs:

edBdqbr.jpg


Sweet potatoes:

t3fspAZ.jpg


NY strip:

4FP32aw.jpg


Egg bites:

XsrRdU9.jpg


Fajita steak strips:

nTOxUXF.jpg
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,387
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I'm pretty happy with my wings procedure:

1. Sift (just swirl the bowl around, it'll mix quickly) 1:1 tapioca flour & potato flour (not potato starch); tapioca is for crunch, potato is for browning
2. Roll wings in flour mix (automatically sticks on, no egg mixture required!)
3. Vac-seal or bag up & sous-vide at 152F for 2 hours (note, you can fridge/freeze before cooking, if you want)
4. Shock in ice water & either store in fridge/freezer, or cook right away
5. Fry in oil at 375F for a minute or two per side (more time, if from frozen - use an instant-read thermometer if going that route, to get it up to serving temperature internally) & then flip (it's already cooked, you just want to get them crispy & brown)
6. Remove using a spider strainer & drain on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath; if using seasoning or a dry rub, season immediately after removing from the oil
7. If using sauce (bonus points if you mix your sauce with melted butter!), simply toss in a bowl

Tapioca flour (aka tapioca starch) is the secret to getting a thin but crispy crust on sous vide wings. However, it doesn't turn brown, so you have to add potato flour. The potato flour does reduce the crispiness by a bit (not a ton tho), so I may try 1/3 potato flour to 2/3 tapioca next time. Overall, I am extremely happy with how my wings come out these days. Here are the wings, fresh out of the oil with a little salt & pepper on them:

f7qjWFC.jpg


Tossed in some sweet red chili sauce:

03M6jXN.jpg
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,387
5,255
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If you hop on Google Express: (it's kind of like Amazon Pay, but for multiple sites like Best Buy, Walmart, etc.)

https://express.google.com/u/0/

You can get an Anova Nano for about $55 shipped with the coupon code "HOLIDAY18", if it's your first time checking out.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,511
29,091
146
Yum! I would destroy that!

99% of my Anova use is reheating smoked BBQ meat. It's worth it for me just for that feature.

This will be sacrilege to you, but I suggest trying Kenji's sous vide + smoker method for brisket:

https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/08...de-sous-vide-barbecue-smoked-bbq-brisket.html

...and try it with chuck! I know you're a fan of chuck anyway, so just one attempt and I promise that your sacrilege will turn into sacrilicious.

Not that I have that much personal experience with brisket, because I don't really cook it that often and don't have a real history with it, I can say that this gives me a brisket that is only second to what I have had at Franklins
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,511
29,091
146
I'm pretty happy with my wings procedure:

1. Sift (just swirl the bowl around, it'll mix quickly) 1:1 tapioca flour & potato flour (not potato starch); tapioca is for crunch, potato is for browning
2. Roll wings in flour mix (automatically sticks on, no egg mixture required!)
3. Vac-seal or bag up & sous-vide at 152F for 2 hours (note, you can fridge/freeze before cooking, if you want)
4. Shock in ice water & either store in fridge/freezer, or cook right away
5. Fry in oil at 375F for a minute or two per side (more time, if from frozen - use an instant-read thermometer if going that route, to get it up to serving temperature internally) & then flip (it's already cooked, you just want to get them crispy & brown)
6. Remove using a spider strainer & drain on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath; if using seasoning or a dry rub, season immediately after removing from the oil
7. If using sauce (bonus points if you mix your sauce with melted butter!), simply toss in a bowl

Tapioca flour (aka tapioca starch) is the secret to getting a thin but crispy crust on sous vide wings. However, it doesn't turn brown, so you have to add potato flour. The potato flour does reduce the crispiness by a bit (not a ton tho), so I may try 1/3 potato flour to 2/3 tapioca next time. Overall, I am extremely happy with how my wings come out these days. Here are the wings, fresh out of the oil with a little salt & pepper on them:

f7qjWFC.jpg


Tossed in some sweet red chili sauce:

03M6jXN.jpg

OK, I am going to have to try this out, if for no other reason than my tenant, who actually does make the absolute best wings I have ever had, and still claims mortal offense over the notion of "boiling meat," as he calls it, would lose is shit if I tried something like this.

That sauce looks gross, though, because it isn't buffalo sauce. I won't eat a wing if it is anything but dry or buffalo. :D (sweet red chili does sound good, though....I just can't stand thick "BBQ" stuff that people slather on their wings)
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,387
5,255
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OK, I am going to have to try this out, if for no other reason than my tenant, who actually does make the absolute best wings I have ever had, and still claims mortal offense over the notion of "boiling meat," as he calls it, would lose is shirt if I tried something like this.

That sauce looks gross, though, because it isn't buffalo sauce. I won't eat a wing if it is anything but dry or buffalo. :D (sweet red chili does sound good, though....I just can't stand thick "BBQ" stuff that people slather on their wings)

I kind of overdosed on buffalo sauce when I was younger, I can't eat it anymore lol. Same with really hot sauces...pretty sure I melted off several layers of my stomach lining over the years :D

It's a nice procedure for several reasons:

1. The chicken is super tender
2. The chicken is neither undercooked (raw) nor overcooked (dry & chewy)
3. The only reasons for frying it are (1) to bring it up to serving temperature, (2) to make it crispy, and (3) to make it brown (aka not to actually COOK the meat, since it's already been sous-vided), so you only need a sub-5-minute flash fry (depending on if your wings are fresh out of the bath, chilled in the fridge, or frozen)
4. Surprisingly, gluten-free, if you care about that
5. Can be finished with a dry rub or a sauce of your choice

Now that I've got a solid base recipe down, my next project is to get a bunch of rubs & sauces mastered. Currently working on garlic parm wings...nom nom nom!