Sous vide

croatan · 01-05-2017, 09:38 AM

I made the best pork tenderloin I've ever had last night. Cooked two of them (one peppercorn pre-seasoned and one au natural that I did with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and butter) at 136 for an hour and a half or so and then seared in cast iron. It was the most tender pork I've ever eaten. I served the medium-rare pork to two people who normally only eat well-done steaks and they both loved it. I don't think I'll ever do a pork tenderloin any other way again.

Also, while the pork was in the bath, I threw in some asparagus with salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and butter. Let it sit with the pork for half an hour or so, then when I took the pork out, I added some boiling water and bumped the temp up to 170ish for another 10-15 minutes. Came out great. I don't normally even like asparagus, but this way it had good flavor and didn't have any of that nastiness that I usually associate with the stuff.

Alpedhuez55 · 01-05-2017, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by croatan

I made the best pork tenderloin I've ever had last night. Cooked two of them (one peppercorn pre-seasoned and one au natural that I did with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and butter) at 136 for an hour and a half or so and then seared in cast iron. It was the most tender pork I've ever eaten. I served the medium-rare pork to two people who normally only eat well-done steaks and they both loved it. I don't think I'll ever do a pork tenderloin any other way again.

Actually, I have one of those pre-seasoned peppercorn tenderloins I was thinking of putting on when I get home. But I may just wait until the weekend. I have that same pork fear a lot of people have. My Mom was so afraid of getting sick from it that it was always well done and stringy or else I fear I am going to end up with trichinosis. Hopefully the Sous Vide will help me get over that fear.

T.G · 01-07-2017, 12:00 PM

Tried a stepped temperature cook a few days ago, actually quite pleased with the results.

Took about a 1" thick sirloin steak. 1.3 hours at 103F, then 1.3 hours at 120F, then 2.5 hours at 127F.

Somewhat impressed with the flavor and tenderness developed in what was a not-so-special select grade cut from Safeway. Going to have to try this again with a better steak.

I've never really been happy with the bark on a sous vide steak. Yeah, it's not the worst out there, but it just doesn't hold a candle to what I can get on any one of my grills (other than the pellet grill). To get a good bark, I was basically wrecking all the work I had done for the SV cook. So I played around with a heavy pre-sear, then a cook, then a normal post sear. Making sure to dry the steak with a few paper towels before each sear. This actually kind of worked, the pre-cook sear could be heavier/longer since the meat is still cold and not going to be as affected by it, the post-cook sear was basically just re-crisping the work from the onset. Not to mention the flavor that was infused into the meat during the cook from all the little burnt bits. Need to try that again, but this time, with a frozen steak. That way I can sear the crap out of it yet only have that part of the cook penetrating a few mm.

I still prefer stuff grilled, but I'm starting to find a usable alternative with this process.

01-05-2017, 09:38 AM	#1
croatan Missing Peter Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: James Location: la Vuelta Abajo Posts: 3,727 Trading: (6)	Re: Sous vide I made the best pork tenderloin I've ever had last night. Cooked two of them (one peppercorn pre-seasoned and one au natural that I did with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and butter) at 136 for an hour and a half or so and then seared in cast iron. It was the most tender pork I've ever eaten. I served the medium-rare pork to two people who normally only eat well-done steaks and they both loved it. I don't think I'll ever do a pork tenderloin any other way again. Also, while the pork was in the bath, I threw in some asparagus with salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and butter. Let it sit with the pork for half an hour or so, then when I took the pork out, I added some boiling water and bumped the temp up to 170ish for another 10-15 minutes. Came out great. I don't normally even like asparagus, but this way it had good flavor and didn't have any of that nastiness that I usually associate with the stuff. __________________ Fumo ergo sum.

01-07-2017, 12:00 PM	#3
T.G Grrrrrr Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: The Other Adam Posts: 15,582 Trading: (37)	Re: Sous vide Tried a stepped temperature cook a few days ago, actually quite pleased with the results. Took about a 1" thick sirloin steak. 1.3 hours at 103F, then 1.3 hours at 120F, then 2.5 hours at 127F. Somewhat impressed with the flavor and tenderness developed in what was a not-so-special select grade cut from Safeway. Going to have to try this again with a better steak. I've never really been happy with the bark on a sous vide steak. Yeah, it's not the worst out there, but it just doesn't hold a candle to what I can get on any one of my grills (other than the pellet grill). To get a good bark, I was basically wrecking all the work I had done for the SV cook. So I played around with a heavy pre-sear, then a cook, then a normal post sear. Making sure to dry the steak with a few paper towels before each sear. This actually kind of worked, the pre-cook sear could be heavier/longer since the meat is still cold and not going to be as affected by it, the post-cook sear was basically just re-crisping the work from the onset. Not to mention the flavor that was infused into the meat during the cook from all the little burnt bits. Need to try that again, but this time, with a frozen steak. That way I can sear the crap out of it yet only have that part of the cook penetrating a few mm. I still prefer stuff grilled, but I'm starting to find a usable alternative with this process.