Sous vide steak

[bcoop]

You too uppity to eat my dish washer steak, son?!

Yes. Yes, I am.

[CWO]

Yes. Yes, I am.

Isn't it technically doing basically the same function as the wand?

Maintaining temp and circulating the water? Am I retarded?

[bcoop]

Isn't it technically doing basically the same function as the wand?

Maintaining temp and circulating the water? Am I retarded?

You don't have precise control over the temperature. Water heaters and dishwashers are not created equally. You can't guarantee or even guess at a temp, spray pattern, etc. Over time, scale builds up in wash arms, and there are a number of other issues. Bosch dishmachines don't have heating elements, for instance. Others use cheap elements that have a wide temperature swing. You may be able to dial in a specific temp at the water heater but by design, water heaters over shoot the temps, as well as fall below the temp. Also, dialing it in at the heater doesn't take account for the 20, 30, 50 foot line run underground, losing temp the whole way. What if the washing machine is running and someone is in the shower at the same time? What if your family of 4 has showered, and you throw some steaks in the dishwasher and leave for work? To my knowledge you can not set a residential dishwasher for an infinite run time. When it's done, it's done, and you're still at work. Meanwhile steak falls in to danger zone waiting on you to get home. Thermostats get corroded with scale, and lose effectiveness. These are just a few things that make this a non option for me.

The benefit to sous vide is precise control over the temperature to a fraction of a degree. You have constant water circulation, and it is completely submerged in water. Using a dishwasher would be more comparable to putting the vac sealed steak under a stream of hot water from the faucet, and expecting precise sous vide results. It can be done with the right circumstances, but it isn't advisable. With steak, you don't have the same food safety issues as you do with chicken, pork, or fish. Would you trust the dishwasher method cooking something where you know foodborne illness is an issue? I am in no way saying it can't be done. I'm saying I wouldn't trust it. These sous vide wands are cheap, it's not some elaborate system that costs a fortune and takes up a ton of space.

[CWO]

You don't have precise control over the temperature. Water heaters and dishwashers are not created equally. You can't guarantee or even guess at a temp, spray pattern, etc. Over time, scale builds up in wash arms, and there are a number of other issues. Bosch dishmachines don't have heating elements, for instance. Others use cheap elements that have a wide temperature swing. You may be able to dial in a specific temp at the water heater but by design, water heaters over shoot the temps, as well as fall below the temp. Also, dialing it in at the heater doesn't take account for the 20, 30, 50 foot line run underground, losing temp the whole way. What if the washing machine is running and someone is in the shower at the same time? What if your family of 4 has showered, and you throw some steaks in the dishwasher and leave for work? To my knowledge you can not set a residential dishwasher for an infinite run time. When it's done, it's done, and you're still at work. Meanwhile steak falls in to danger zone waiting on you to get home. Thermostats get corroded with scale, and lose effectiveness. These are just a few things that make this a non option for me.

The benefit to sous vide is precise control over the temperature to a fraction of a degree. You have constant water circulation, and it is completely submerged in water. Using a dishwasher would be more comparable to putting the vac sealed steak under a stream of hot water from the faucet, and expecting precise sous vide results. It can be done with the right circumstances, but it isn't advisable. With steak, you don't have the same food safety issues as you do with chicken, pork, or fish. Would you trust the dishwasher method cooking something where you know foodborne illness is an issue? I am in no way saying it can't be done. I'm saying I wouldn't trust it. These sous vide wands are cheap, it's not some elaborate system that costs a fortune and takes up a ton of space.

So it's not ideal but could work. I hear what you're saying. I agree with you, but would try it anyway LOL

[8mpg]

I believe Modernist Cuisine recommends doing a beverage cooler steak. Basically fill a cooler (Yeti/Coleman/Whatever) with the hottest tap water you can out of your faucet (mine is at 140*F) and drop your steak in. In an hour, hour and a half it will be done. Coolers work as a great insulator and the goal is to get that meat and keep it near 130*F.

A video from Serious Eats:

[bcoop]

So it's not ideal but could work. I hear what you're saying. I agree with you, but would try it anyway LOL

Yes sir. I'm not trying to promote a product or anything. It *can* work. I absolutely would never try it with anything other than steak though, due to the foodborne illness reasons posted above. Too much risk with proteins other than steak imo.

[CWO]

... and for the record, I don't typically throw some steaks on right before leaving the house for 8 hours and we only have two people at our house. I usually know when the other person showers. I can probably avoid any of those potential problems. ... and I already have a dishwasher


again, I agree with the sentiment

[bcoop]

I believe Modernist Cuisine recommends doing a beverage cooler steak. Basically fill a cooler (Yeti/Coleman/Whatever) with the hottest tap water you can out of your faucet (mine is at 140*F) and drop your steak in. In an hour, hour and a half it will be done. Coolers work as a great insulator and the goal is to get that meat and keep it near 130*F.

A video from Serious Eats:

That would be the best way, yes. But it isn't the only way. There is nothing wrong with using stock pots, cambro containers, plastic tubs, etc. I can assure you restaurants doing sous vide are not doing it in coolers.


Really, all the cooler does is reduce the load and cycles on the heating unit.


Edit: I'll also add, I do not want 130-140 degree water. That may work for others, but when I sous vide a steak, I'm still going to slap them on the grill for a high temp sear after the water bath.Therefore, I pull my steaks at 115, let them rest, then sear for a minute and a half or so per side (depending on thickness) or pull off the grill at an internal temp of 135-140, and it will hit 145 during the rest. Done-ness being a matter of personal preference, obviously.

[bcoop]

... and for the record, I don't typically throw some steaks on right before leaving the house for 8 hours and we only have two people at our house. I usually know when the other person showers. I can probably avoid any of those potential problems. ... and I already have a dishwasher


again, I agree with the sentiment

Yeah. What works for one may not work for another. I just don't like blanket things like "cheap sous vide that everyone can do!" It's irresponsible. Lol. That's another benefit of the sous vide though. Throw a couple 2" steaks in a 115 degree bath and they can stay there until I get home and get the grill lit. It won't overcook.

[Rick Modena]

You too uppity to eat my dish washer steak, son?!

ahahahahaha!

[mustang1200]

Yeah. What works for one may not work for another. I just don't like blanket things like "cheap sous vide that everyone can do!" It's irresponsible. Lol. That's another benefit of the sous vide though. Throw a couple 2" steaks in a 115 degree bath and they can stay there until I get home and get the grill lit. It won't overcook.

Ditto. I use a tall aluminium stock pot. The Anova hang off the side perfectly. I don't use ours nearly as much as I should though.