Sous Vide SNAFU (trashed a tri-tip & overcooked a ribeye)

[Clint]

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?76988-Sous-Vide

I just couldn't eat the TT, once it hit the grate I just didn't have confidence in the safety of the meat. I stretched the process via freezer, and would probably have been fine, but for $10 worth of meat, it just wasn't worth it.

(TT sitting out waiting for the grill)

A log out of Chuck's playbook:

It just didn't look right.

so I pulled a steak I cut from the Xmas ribeye roast from the freezer, & into 125F water for not much more than 40 minutes:

Not the prettiest thing but I'm not able to eat freezer steaks so quickly very often.

Just some S&P, leftover from what I used on the briskets a couple weeks back:

The potatoes got some smoke

My plan to cook lid-off for 3 mins per flip was changed about 2 minutes in....the recurring timer was set to 1 minute intervals, & the lid was used.

 

[Clint]

not sure how many flips I did

I should've pulled it earlier - first check with the thermometer said 156F so I pulled it quickly

The baked potatoes I did yesterday were perfect.....better than this crispy-wise, but this wasn't cooked in the oven (((got my oven baked potatoes DOWN...as of yesterday, hope to repeat on command)))

It was good! I'd have pulled it at 125-130F, but other than that, no complaints.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Wow, this is something that happens very rarely for you! But, now we know you are really human!
I’m unclear on the potato project, you said you had done them the day before? I’m even more confused writing that.
Did you Sous Vide them then bake?

 

[Clint]

Wow, this is something that happens very rarely for you! But, now we know you are really human!
I’m unclear on the potato project, you said you had done them the day before? I’m even more confused writing that.
Did you Sous Vide them then bake?

nope, the potatoes that turned out perfectly were cooked and consumed the day before (had tuna filets from the freezer that I cooked SV & then finished in a CI skillet). I was trying to make them finish at a closer time so I cooked the potatoes hotter than normal & it worked out. First thing: coated in mixed veg oil & then rubbed with kosher salt, then in the oven for ~30 minutes @ 425F, then I bumped the temp to 475F for maybe 25 minutes, then back to 425F. I checked the temp when they looked good & they were ~185F, CI or ATK had an article or episode where they let them go to 205 so I left them in until the next time I checked & they were 202F. The insides were the lightest & fluffiest I've had, & the skins were crispy enough to pick up mostly hold their shape....after the insides were consumed. Got me excited in making more twice-baked potatoes but I'm sure the skins will soften. (((I <3 TBPs)))

the potatoes from this cook were going to be a repeat, but after I lost confidence in the Tri Tip I pulled them from the oven & onto the grill, which seems to have a much more moist heat than my gas oven.

 

[Monty House]

My mantra is FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS SOUS VIDE.

With respect,
Monty

 

[Clint]

it's a good way to defrost & reheat. I'm going to try hard boiled eggs. It's such a precise & flexible device but not exactly my style. I'm sure I'll find a good use for it.

I was happy with the corned beef / pastrami I did, I don't think I posted it here..... I ran the SV @ ~140F for 19 hours iirc, then finished on the genesis1 with a smoke tube w/ Alder pellets.........or was it Mesquite chips.

 

[Len Dennis]

I still believe 100% in S.V. (despite what Monty said ) but at 156o, a tad too long on the grill. Your plan at 2min per side might be pushing it if it was already 156o. OR was the 156 after your 2-3 min flipping period?

Next time I'd stick to the max 1-2 min / side REGARDLESS of how brown the meat looks (or doesn't look). You know it's done. Sometimes esthetics have to take a back seat. You're not going to get that classic brown/pink/brown ratio with SV. It's more brown/PINK/brown with pink like 98% of the colour when cut.

Your fire looks hot enough (coal-wise) in one pic for a 1-2 min "drying out/browning" but in another those flames were something else.

Don't give up on that method Clint. Works well for me S.V. then gasser.

 

[CaseT]

I use my Sous Vide once or twice a month. I did a Mississippi Tri tip a while back that turned out great. I ran it at a higher temp, 200 for 10 hours.

I primarily use it for tougher cuts of beef or pork. I've had mixed results with chicken.

I tend to follow Kenji Lopez-Alts times and temps and have had great results.

The best is the corned beef, 180-188 for 10-12 hours. It honestly produces the best texture I've ever had on corned beef and pastrami.

One of my favorite things to make is Amaretto Creme Brulee. Super easy and tastes fantastic. I halved the recipe, so you end up with 6 half pint jars. If that's too many you can freeze after cooked right in the jar and thaw in fridge overnight, or half the recipe again.

I've been wanting to try beef ribs. I have a recipe for them that when I make I'll post.

 

[BFletcher]

Count me as being happy that my friends let me Sous Vide. It's a fun departure from the norm, sometimes, and there are times that we are otherwise not available to cook a piece of meat by any other means due to time constraints.

 

[JKalchik]

Oooohhh.... hadn't contemplated corned beef. Yeah, sous vide would be nearly ideal for that, far better than boiling.

I did some 3/4-1" yukon gold potatoes last night, yum. Nearly perfect.

 

[BFletcher]

I haven't done potatoes yet but I'll need to change that

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

My brother was disappointed in a Sous Vide corned beef but, he can be really obstinate, he rather likes living in his world of absolutes. Often what he does is right and even if I use his method if I do it it’s wrong.
I’ve done exactly one tri tip using the Sous Vide and was very pleased with the result, that’s just my experience.
I did 125 for maybe five or six hours, fired up blistering hot direct set up and just about three minutes per side, it was great.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

I'm in the anti-sous vide camp, but that looks good. My Dad is super into it. I forgive him. The temptation is getting it to reheat barbecue. That's how they get you!

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

The unit has its uses but, not necessarily something I’d use all the time. My first tri tip project was pretty good.

 

[Clint]

I'll probably try hardboiled eggs next. I have a pretty good method for them already.

I've also read that bacon is one of the best uses for it - I haven't read up on the specifics yet.

 

[timothy]

It's one of those things you just got to get used to.
Hard boiled eggs are perfect. Tough cuts like eye of round or corned beef come out tender with a good mouth feel. ( I did the EOR for 30 hrs and the CB for 24)
I will say I got a deal on two no roll Beef tenderloins, and both times they came out fantastic using the SV!

Tim