ever here of this


 
What like sous-vide without the vacuum?

I'd rather bring it up to temp by letting it sit on the counter at room temperature for an hour or two before grilling it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Years ago one could have been lynched for such an offense in Texas. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
And anywhere else as well. Sounds like a method for folks that can't manage to grill a steak without burning the outside and leaving the inside raw. Not like any of us here.
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ok, it is called hot tub. you put the steak in a bag sealed. and bathe it in 110 degree water for a hour and half. so the steak does not touch the water. A lot of guys are doing it on another forum.
 
Hot-tubbing is the same as poaching. No bag. The food is cooked in liquid.

Placing food in a vacuum-sealed bag and placing it in constant-temp water is called cooking sous vide. I've cooked many things that way.

Cooking a steak sous vide for 90 minutes isn't going to have much effect.
 
I have done it, it is very popular on the bge forum. You keep your steak in a airtight bag in 100 degree water for an hour or so. When it comes time to hit the hot grill, the time it takes to get to your desired temp is shorter. It's a similar process of letting your steak get to room temp before throwing it on, this just takes it 30 degrees further. You just need a good hot sear and you are done. Personally, I like to cook over fire and not the sink, so I pass on it since the end result is not much different. I have several expensive grills I want to use more, not less. Others really enjoy it, and that's ok too.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> so I pass on it since the end result is not much different </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Yeah, I'm not getting the point. A 30? higher start temp isn't going to make that much difference. Enzyme activity would be marginally higher, as long as the temps are kept < 105. But I'd fat prefer to salt the steaks both sides, then leave them to sit on a plate on th counter an hour or two before grilling. I get the benefit of increased enzyme activity (not a big deal with already tender steaks, moreso with less-than-tender steaks and roasts) and I the benefit of the salt drawing some moisture out then the moisture with some salt being drawn in, seasoning the interior of the steak.
 
Salmon in the dishwasher- I've actually seen it done, and eaten that dish. You need a foodsaver, and then you can make airtight bags, and cook the salmon in the dishwasher.
I'm not a big fan, as I think the fish becomes too mushy, but the big advantage is that you can make salmon for let's say 30- 40- 50 people in a way that does not need any attention during the cook what so ever, apart from the "gimmick" part of it.
It is not stupid at all, the result is much better than many "hobby chefs" would manage when trying to make many meals at the same time without beeing prepared on a small stove.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
Yeah, I'm not getting the point. A 30? higher start temp isn't going to make that much difference. Enzyme activity would be marginally higher, as long as the temps are kept < 105. But I'd fat prefer to salt the steaks both sides, then leave them to sit on a plate on th counter an hour or two before grilling. I get the benefit of increased enzyme activity (not a big deal with already tender steaks, moreso with less-than-tender steaks and roasts) and I the benefit of the salt drawing some moisture out then the moisture with some salt being drawn in, seasoning the interior of the steak. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm impressed you know this stuff, Kevin, about the enzymes and all. Given previous posts of your's I've seen, I should expect you to know stuff like this, but I still find it impressive. It's so far beyond the knowledge I have it just boggles my mind.
 
Long time cooking and long time studying this stuff.

I've written on this before but since the subject is at hand: There are generally two things that come into play when beef is dry aged, moisture loss, which concentrates the flavor, and enzymatic activity, which aids tenderness. The former does not occur in wet aging - obviously, since the meat is in cryo, but the latter does.

Enzymatic activity can be used to advantage. In already tender cuts (rib-eye, say, strips, filet, etc.) one might not notice a marked difference, but in less-than-tender roasts and steaks (eye round and other round cuts, tri-tip and other bottom sirloin cuts, et al.), one does notice, imo. Leaving the meat out for an hour or two to bring it to or toward room temp helps with more even cooking (and doing the salt thing noted above helps with interior seasoning), but enzymatic activity increases with temp as well. It works slowly at the cold temps of coolers which is why aging takes up to several weeks, but as temps rise the activity quickens. Leaving the meat out first, then cooking the cuts low or moderately low and then searing (if necessary) to finish milks the cook time and keeps the meat temps on the low side for longer, benefiting tenderness. Enzymes inactivate at ~105? and 120?, depending on the enzymes in question, so extending the time below these temps is, in the case of cooking these less tender cuts, helpful, imo. Take advantage.
 
I am in no way a chef, but I consider myself a skilled home cook. To me it sounds like "hot-tubbing" is just a gimmick that people who can't grill a steak correctly use to try and achieve the results they want. Would you ever see a award winning chef in a great steak house doing this? Of course not, so obviously it is not a correct way to cook a steak IMO.
 
Well, I'd agree that the method mentioned above is gimmicky and, as noted, I don't see the point, chefs have been cooking steaks sous vide and hot tubbing, i.e., poaching, directly in liquid, usually butter, oil or a combination, for several years. I've done it many times. While I don't usually bother for tender steaks (though sometimes it can be more convenient), I do when I can for the more flavorful, less tender cuts like hanger, tri and blade.

Cooking sous vide the meat needs to be vac'd. For both sous vide and poaching the meat is placed into the bath which is kept at the desired finish temp, often 130-140, for the entire time. It is then quickly seared for service.

What I should have said upthread is that cooking a steak sous vide at less than desired finish temps is not going to have much effect. Cooking it correctly sous vide will.
 
I look at it this way. A hot tub is a great way to relax after a stressful day. A steak is already about as relaxed as it gets, so it does not need to be hot tubbed, just grilled will be fine.
 

 

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