# Corned beef



## MrHiggins (Mar 12, 2019)

I was at the grocery store today and picked up a packaged corn beef from the massive St Patrick's day display. Mesmerized by the shamrocks and leprechauns, I failed to notice that I grabbed a round, rather than brisket (I didn't even know corned round existed, to be honest).

So now I have to make due. Because it's a lean cut, I'm thinking sous vide. Does anyone have any recipes or experience with cooking a corned round for St Patrick's day? Any help would be greatly appreciated...


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## Godslayer (Mar 12, 2019)

This is going to sound weird but corn beef with Thai Green Curry and Cabbage is delicious if you want a change, I use coconut milk in the broth to emphasize the richness of the meat and add improve the texture of the broth(I suspect a little pineapple would also help tenderize the meat and could potentially brighten the sauce, but I've yet to try that), obviously the broth is also green to fit the theme, a simple cassarole/large pot will all get the job done. I've only cooked the round once and generally prefer brisket but the round is definately worth eating, make sure to keep liquid levels high and cook it slowly, I think I did 3.5 hours at 300 and liked my end results. Adding the cabbage and root veg about 45-60 minutes out from when it's done. Chicken stock cut with water in the corn beef is also my prefered stock, I'm not sure how your doing it but normally I like to do this in one big pot, it's the Newfie in me. Plain the recipe basically stays the same low and slow, adding the veg at the end, spicing and the like is up to you and your personal preference


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## Xenif (Mar 12, 2019)

Corned Beef Croquettes, jalapeno/cilantro/lime dip in a shamrock shaped dish, served with green beer.


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## Bert2368 (Mar 12, 2019)

Xenif said:


> served with green beer.



"Geen beer" USED to mean it hadn't aged in bottle. What it means NOW is an abomination unto the Reinheitsgebot!


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## Kgp (Mar 12, 2019)

MrHiggins said:


> I was at the grocery store today and picked up a packaged corn beef from the massive St Patrick's day display. Mesmerized by the shamrocks and leprechauns, I failed to notice that I grabbed a round, rather than brisket (I didn't even know corned round existed, to be honest).
> 
> So now I have to make due. Because it's a lean cut, I'm thinking sous vide. Does anyone have any recipes or experience with cooking a corned round for St Patrick's day? Any help would be greatly appreciated...



Here is Serious Eat's take on corned beef. This is usually my go-to source for sous vide.

Not sure about a "round". I usually see them as flats or points, but I'd give this method a shot.


https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03...-day-simmering-brisket-meat-the-food-lab.html

Ken


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## ACHiPo (Mar 12, 2019)

Good thread. Subscribed. I'm planning on trying sous vide. One newbie question I had is whether I could sous vide in the vacuum package it came in? I'm guessing the answer is I should transfer it to a proper sous vide bag and add some beef stock, but???

Also, the Serious Eats cooking temp seems a bit high. I had really good results with brisket I finished on a BBQ cooking at 145 for 48 hours. Thoughts?


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## Kgp (Mar 12, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> Good thread. Subscribed. I'm planning on trying sous vide. One newbie question I had is whether I could sous vide in the vacuum package it came in? I'm guessing the answer is I should transfer it to a proper sous vide bag and add some beef stock, but???


If it were me, I'd open it and rinse it. Plus, the little packet of spices wouldn't do anything. No need to add any other liquid unless you want it for flavor. I usually braise mine in beer and onions. Haven't tried it sous vide yet, but might this time.


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## ACHiPo (Mar 12, 2019)

Kgp said:


> If it were me, I'd open it and rinse it. Plus, the little packet of spices wouldn't do anything. No need to add any other liquid unless you want it for flavor. I usually braise mine in beer and onions. Haven't tried it sous vide yet, but might this time.


I'm a bit embarrassed I posted the question before reading the link. It recommends removing the spices (in the past I just dumped the whole thing in a pot with cabbage and potatoes and called it good--it was mediocre). I read somewhere that it's good to add beef stock to the bag, and since I made a gallon and a half of bone stock last weekend I think I'll add a half cup or so. I really like the idea of doing just the meat with sous vide ahead of time then steaming the meat while the veggies cook.


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## Kgp (Mar 12, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> Good thread. Subscribed. I'm planning on trying sous vide. One newbie question I had is whether I could sous vide in the vacuum package it came in? I'm guessing the answer is I should transfer it to a proper sous vide bag and add some beef stock, but???
> 
> Also, the Serious Eats cooking temp seems a bit high. I had really good results with brisket I finished on a BBQ cooking at 145 for 48 hours. Thoughts?



As I recall, he experimented with different cooking temps to find the right balance between time and texture. Here's his explanation:

The amount of time needed to tenderize a piece of meat seems to increase exponentially as the temperature gets lower. The beef was fully tender after 15 hours at 175°F, but took a full 36 to tenderize at 160°. Bump the temperature all the way to 205°F—that's the temperature of a simmering pot on the stovetop, more or less—and your cooking time is reduced to 3 hours.

So obviously, the best way to cook the beef is to just boil the heck out of it until tender, right?

Not so fast. Take a look at the next graph first.









In this chart, I plotted the temperature it was cooked at along with the amount of moisture the beef lost. If you remember, moisture getting squeezed out of muscle fibers due to temperature increase is a fast reaction. That means that whether I boil a piece of beef for 3 hours or 20 hours, it makes little difference to the overall moisture level. The only thing that _really_ matters is temperature. at 160°F, about 30% of the brisket's has gone out the window. Bring it up to 190°F, and we're looking at 48% moisture loss. All the way up to 205°F, the temperature at which most people cook their beef, and we're at a whopping _53% moisture loss!_

So really, to retain the maximum amount of moisture, I wanted to cook it at as low a temperature as possible. That said, tasted side-by-side, I actually _preferred_ the slightly drier, flakier beef cooked at 175°. It just seemed more like the corned beef I was used to. Further testing showed that for my taste, 180°F cooked for around 10 hours was just about ideal, producing meat that was simultaneously tender and succulent.

And remember: if you want your beef flakier, just cook it at a higher temperature for a shorter time. Prefer it more dense and moist? Try a lower temperature for a longer time. Got it?

Looks like there is no one perfect method, just depends on what you want in the end. I like the way he explains it.
Ken


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## ACHiPo (Mar 12, 2019)

Kgp said:


> As I recall, he experimented with different cooking temps to find the right balance between time and texture. Here's his explanation:
> 
> The amount of time needed to tenderize a piece of meat seems to increase exponentially as the temperature gets lower. The beef was fully tender after 15 hours at 175°F, but took a full 36 to tenderize at 160°. Bump the temperature all the way to 205°F—that's the temperature of a simmering pot on the stovetop, more or less—and your cooking time is reduced to 3 hours.
> 
> ...


Ken,
That's great. Not sure if this is the same guy from food lab that I based my original brisket testing on, but he had a similar rationale. As I recall the lower temps--135-150--gave more steak-like texture, while the higher temps were a little flakier/stringier. Oh well I've got a couple more days before I need to decide.
Evan


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## boomchakabowwow (Mar 12, 2019)

I bought both types last year. Cooked them on back to back weekends. The round was good but admittedly had a dryer mouth feel. 

Both resulting breakfast hash dishes were similar


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## MrHiggins (Mar 12, 2019)

boomchakabowwow said:


> I bought both types last year. Cooked them on back to back weekends. The round was good but admittedly had a dryer mouth feel.
> 
> Both resulting breakfast hash dishes were similar



Good to know the brisket and round aren't too different. I'm sticking with my original plan and that's to sous vide it. If I happen to run into a corned brisket between now and Friday, I'll buy it and make a pastrami out of the round (the shape would work well for sandwich-sized cuts, I think). 

Thanks for the serious eats link. They're my go-to for sous vide as well (Chefsteps is good too).


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## Paraffin (Mar 12, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> Also, the Serious Eats cooking temp seems a bit high. I had really good results with brisket I finished on a BBQ cooking at 145 for 48 hours. Thoughts?



I haven't done corned beef, but the 180 degrees in that link seems a bit high to me too. For what it's worth, my Fake-BBQ Pulled Pork Shoulder cooks sous vide at 165 deg. F for 21 hours. That's for a 2-3 lb. pork shoulder. When I think of corned beef, I think of a moist meat, not "flaky," so I'd probably go lower temp and slower, following Ken's advice in that link. Maybe 170 F for 12 hours? Something like that.

Darn, now I might have to get a corned beef and cabbage thing going for the weekend. It's not my favorite food, but corned beef hash and eggs the morning after a heavy night of St. Patrick's Day drinking, *is* one of my favorite foods.


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## Michi (Mar 13, 2019)

I've made my own pastrami, dry cured. 48 hours at 60 ºC (140 ºF). Stays nice and moist that way, no stringiness.

Recipe here: https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/pastrami/13343/2

I modified the recipe a little: https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/pastrami/13343/37


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## ACHiPo (Mar 13, 2019)

I decided to go with 140F. I rinsed the uncured, marinated brisket, removing as many spices as I could, and dried with paper towels. I put about 1/4C of beef stock in the vacuum bag with the brisket and tossed it in the bath. Will pull it tomorrow night after about 48 hours and chill for slicing. I plan to basically follow the Serious Eats recipe after that.


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## Kgp (Mar 13, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> I decided to go with 140F. I rinsed the uncured, marinated brisket, removing as many spices as I could, and dried with paper towels. I put about 1/4C of beef stock in the vacuum bag with the brisket and tossed it in the bath. Will pull it tomorrow night after about 48 hours and chill for slicing. I plan to basically follow the Serious Eats recipe after that.


Can't wait to see how it comes out. I travel during the week, so don't have 48 hours at home to do a cook like this, so I'll have to go the shorter route. I may try my beer and onion braise in the sous vide to see if is better than low and slow in the oven.

Ken


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## ACHiPo (Mar 13, 2019)

Kgp said:


> Can't wait to see how it comes out. I travel during the week, so don't have 48 hours at home to do a cook like this, so I'll have to go the shorter route. I may try my beer and onion braise in the sous vide to see if is better than low and slow in the oven.
> 
> Ken


I'll post pictures if I remember. I often focus on cooking and prep so forget about taking pics.


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## Michi (Mar 13, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> I'll post pictures if I remember. I often focus on cooking and prep so forget about taking pics.


Don't you dare!


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## rickg17 (Mar 13, 2019)

Hmm. Interesting. I have some brisket curing and need to pull it tomorrow. Might sous vide it vs simmering at 190.


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## ACHiPo (Mar 13, 2019)

Michi said:


> Don't you dare!


Here you go Michi--a progress pic. 24 hours down, 24 to go...


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## Michi (Mar 13, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> Here you go Michi--a progress pic. 24 hours down, 24 to go...




Nice big pot there! The lid looks interesting. Is that a special sous vide lid for the Anova, or something else that you re-purposed. Looks like it does the job nicely!


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## ACHiPo (Mar 13, 2019)

Yeah I got that many years ago as part of a beer making kit. I never made the beer, but have gotten my money's worth from the big stock pot! The lid was a Christmas gift--it's a silicone thing that fits over the Anova (or probably Joule) sous vide stick and covers the pot. A bit nicer than the foil I had been using.) I think it was an ebay or Amazon special.


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## Bert2368 (Mar 14, 2019)

Damn you all!

I thought I had EVERY KITCHEN THINGY I COULD NEED!!!

Now I have read the @#%$! Serious Eats page and am checking the local Target for an immersion heater/circulator and bags. Because, my crock pot DOES NOT maintain a very tight temperature, has only high/low/warm settings.

At least I already HAD the corned beef brisket.


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## Michi (Mar 14, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> Damn you all!
> 
> I thought I had EVERY KITCHEN THINGY I COULD NEED!!!


This forum is full of temptation. Absolute cesspit of evil…


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## Kgp (Mar 14, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> Damn you all!
> 
> I thought I had EVERY KITCHEN THINGY I COULD NEED!!!
> 
> ...


Come over to the dark side! Look up some recipes for creme brûlée. Super easy in sous vide. Jumbo lobster tails cooked in butter... 

Ken


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## Paraffin (Mar 14, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> I thought I had EVERY KITCHEN THINGY I COULD NEED!!!



If you have a smartphone and reliable home WiFi, do check out the Joule brand circulator. It's not expensive, and it's such a pleasure to lie in bed at night just before going to sleep, and check on my phone that the thing is still running on a 21 hour cook. I can be out of the room when I've started it heating, and it tells me it's ready to add food with a bleep on my phone. So convenient.

And then I can tell you about the nice dedicated clear plastic tub and racks I found for doing this. No problem. Glad to help.


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## Michi (Mar 14, 2019)

If you buy an Anova, don't even _try_ to use it using the phone app. The app is absolute garbage. And don't use the built-in timer: it does nothing other than beep at you forever once it expires, until you turn off the beeps at the device.

The only workable way to use an Anova is to set the temperature using the scroll wheel on the device, and turn it on. Set an alarm on your phone and, when it goes off, turn off the Anova manually. That works, is stress-free, reliable, and faster than fiddling with the phone app.

The main advantage of the Anova is that you _can_ use it without an app. With the Joule, you cannot. The big problem here is that you can use the Joule only for as long as the manufacturer is willing to push out updates for the app. And they have to do that regularly, because the ecosystem on phones is in constant flux, so older software typically stops working after a few years if it isn't updated.

Ten years from now, a Joule will most likely still work fine but, if you can't get the app updated anymore, it will be a useless lump of electronics.

For this reason, I _never_ buy _any_ device that can be operated only via a smart phone. There is no incentive for the manufacturer to keep spending money on updating apps once they have sold you the hardware. The economic model for phone-operated devices simply doesn't work.


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## ACHiPo (Mar 14, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> Damn you all!
> 
> I thought I had EVERY KITCHEN THINGY I COULD NEED!!!
> 
> ...


Come on in! The water's fine!

I feel your pain. I have a Watanabe 125mm Hakiri incoming that I definitely do not need as a result of some ooohing and ahhhing on another thread here.


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## ACHiPo (Mar 14, 2019)

Paraffin said:


> If you have a smartphone and reliable home WiFi, do check out the Joule brand circulator. It's not expensive, and it's such a pleasure to lie in bed at night just before going to sleep, and check on my phone that the thing is still running on a 21 hour cook. I can be out of the room when I've started it heating, and it tells me it's ready to add food with a bleep on my phone. So convenient.
> 
> And then I can tell you about the nice dedicated clear plastic tub and racks I found for doing this. No problem. Glad to help.


Anova has the same feature, but frankly I find it more trouble than it's worth.

Edit: shoulda read Michi's note before posting. What he said!


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## ACHiPo (Mar 14, 2019)

Kgp said:


> Come over to the dark side! Look up some recipes for creme brûlée. Super easy in sous vide. Jumbo lobster tails cooked in butter...
> 
> Ken


And soft eggs. And brisket for bbq. And...

Actually the creme brulee comment has me thinking back to the savory custards I get in China and Japan. Should be awesome in a sous vide!

Don't recommend it for steaks, though.


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## Michi (Mar 14, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> And soft eggs. And brisket for bbq. And...


@Bert2368: See what I mean? It's drug peddlers' central around here…


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## Bert2368 (Mar 15, 2019)

Rub it in! WHY DON'T YOU GIVE ME A NICE PAPERCUT AND RUB SOME LEMON JUICE IN IT WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!!!





I was targetting the bare bones Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Immersion Circulator, $80 at Target.

I dislike Alexa.

In return, I'm pretty sure she has OTHER uses in mind for my molecules after the singularity. *****! Just because I kept asking her to close the pod bay doors-


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## ACHiPo (Mar 15, 2019)

I guess a discussion about air fryers would be a thread jack?

Anyway I pulled my brisket after 48 hrs at 140. Seems pretty firm in the bag. Hope it’s tender.


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## Michi (Mar 15, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> I guess a discussion about air fryers would be a thread jack?


Naw, I wouldn't worry. I'm sure that @MrHiggins already broke out the popcorn quite a few posts ago 


> Anyway I pulled my brisket after 48 hrs at 140. Seems pretty firm in the bag. Hope it’s tender.


Was for me. If you decide you want it softer, increase the temperature a tad next time. It's a trade-off: the higher the temperature, the more moisture you lose from the meat. Alternatively, you can try 72 hours. (I've done brisket for that long, and it came out super-tender _and_ moist.)


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## ACHiPo (Mar 15, 2019)

Michi said:


> Naw, I wouldn't worry. I'm sure that @MrHiggins already broke out the popcorn quite a few posts ago
> 
> Was for me. If you decide you want it softer, increase the temperature a tad next time. It's a trade-off: the higher the temperature, the more moisture you lose from the meat. Alternatively, you can try 72 hours. (I've done brisket for that long, and it came out super-tender _and_ moist.)


I'll stay with what I've got for now. The last time I did a non-marinated (dry rubbed) brisket 48 hrs at 140 gave great results. Plus it will get an additional hour or so of steaming after it's cut while I'm cooking the vegetables.
Not terribly attractive at this stage...


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## Bert2368 (Mar 15, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> I'll stay with what I've got for now. The last time I did a non-marinated (dry rubbed) brisket 48 hrs at 140 gave great results. Plus it will get an additional hour or so of steaming after it's cut while I'm cooking the vegetables.
> Not terribly attractive at this stage...
> View attachment 50203
> View attachment 50204



The first information I read on corned beef and sous vide: 

https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03...-day-simmering-brisket-meat-the-food-lab.html 

The writer settled on 175 F. and 10 hours after trying several combinations of brining vs. dry, temperature and time. He prefered the texture to be SOMEWHAT like the corned beef he had been used to, which would be rather drier and "flakier" as he described it. It appears you all are leaning towards minimum temperature and longer times. 

I have looked at the graphs of moisture loss vs. temperature and cooking time vs. temperature and think I understand the trade offs involved.

140 F. is warm enough for pasteurization? How low in temperature CAN you safely go?

http://www.foodsafetysite.com/educators/competencies/general/foodprocessing/processing2.html

(Quote)

How Pasteurization Works 

Foods are heat-processed to kill pathogenic bacteria.

The pasteurization process is based on the use of one of following time and temperature relationships. 

High-Temperature-Short-Time Treatment (HTST) -- this process uses higher heat for less time to kill pathogenic bacteria. For example, milk is pasteurized at 161°F (72°C) for 15 seconds. 

Low-Temperature-Long-Time Treatment (LTLT) -- this process uses lower heat for a longer time to kill pathogenic bacteria. For example, milk is pasteurized at 145°F (63°C) for 30 minutes.​


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## MrHiggins (Mar 15, 2019)

My St. P's Day celebration got bumped up to today, rather than Sunday as planned (the recent snows are making me go skiing at Taos all weekend). That changed my plans for my corned beef. I ended up finding a brisket (I chose flat cut) and sous vide it last night, 175 for 13 hours. It's resting in my fridge right now. I had planned 48 hours at 145. 

Now the questions is: what's the best mustard for corned beef and cabbage?!? (It's too late to make my own).


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## ACHiPo (Mar 15, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> The first information I read on corned beef and sous vide:
> 
> https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03...-day-simmering-brisket-meat-the-food-lab.html
> 
> ...


Bert,
I came across pasteurization curves shortly after getting my sous vide. I just looked it up as I couldn't remember the source.

http://wiki.zero-emissions.at/index.php?title=Process_Info:_Pasteurization_in_dairies
https://stefangourmet.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/pasteurization-table.png

It looks like 60 min at 130F is adequate for pasteurization. I also seem to recall some cheeses using low temp, long time pasteurization (like 135F for 12 hours) to keep more of the natural chemical make up of the milk while having the safety of pasteurization. Regardless I'm sure 140F for several hours is adequate for pasteurization.

I also saw the author's description, which is one reason I'm doubting my choice a bit, but I did have good luck previously with this time/temp. One issue with brisket is that they can vary pretty wildly in texture and toughness, so it's always a bit of a crap shoot.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.
Evan


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## ACHiPo (Mar 15, 2019)

MrHiggins said:


> My St. P's Day celebration got bumped up to today, rather than Sunday as planned (the recent snows are making me go skiing at Taos all weekend). That changed my plans for my corned beef. I ended up finding a brisket (I chose flat cut) and sous vide it last night, 175 for 13 hours. It's resting in my fridge right now. I had planned 48 hours at 145.
> 
> Now the questions is: what's the best mustard for corned beef and cabbage?!? (It's too late to make my own).


I'm partial to French's spicy brown mustard with horseradish on the side for a bit more kick.


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## Michi (Mar 15, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> 140 F. is warm enough for pasteurization? How low in temperature CAN you safely go?


The Bible for times and temperatures is Baldwin:

http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html


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## Bert2368 (Mar 15, 2019)

Beginning of a great adventure...


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## MrHiggins (Mar 15, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> View attachment 50217
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice!!


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## ACHiPo (Mar 15, 2019)

Congratulations Bert!


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## MrHiggins (Mar 15, 2019)

So it begins... (Sous vide at 175 for 14 hours - really, really good)


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## Bert2368 (Mar 15, 2019)

Would it be OK to trim the fat layer before cooking? Obviously, this meat isn't going to dry out...


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## MrHiggins (Mar 15, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> Would it be OK to trim the fat layer before cooking? Obviously, this meat isn't going to dry out...


Fat = flavor


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## Kgp (Mar 15, 2019)

MrHiggins said:


> So it begins... (Sous vide at 175 for 14 hours - really, really good)
> View attachment 50219


Did you vacuum seal dry or did you add any liquid? I’m tempted to add beer and onion, using zip lock.

Ken


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## Bert2368 (Mar 15, 2019)

Improvised insulation.

Set for 175 F. and 13 hours. Letting it go overnight, planning to refrigerate beef in morning, then slice and re-warm over the simmering cabbage, carrots & potatoes Saturday night.

Maybe I'll get brave and whip out the green curry sauce... or wimp out and just have horseradish mustard.


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## MrHiggins (Mar 15, 2019)

Kgp said:


> Did you vacuum seal dry or did you add any liquid? I’m tempted to add beer and onion, using zip lock.
> 
> Ken


I used vacuum bags, no added liquid. I wouldn't trust a ziplock at that heat, I've had too many blowouts. Ziplocs are fine for temps < 150F. 

Also, the meat was plenty moist without additional liquid. There was about 2 cups of juice in the bag at the end. I mixed the juice with about 4 cups of water and pressure cooked my veg. The veg needed a sprinkle of Maldon at the end. The whole meal was really good.


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## Bert2368 (Mar 15, 2019)

I used zip lock bags, maker CLAIMS these can be used to microwave food and not melt below boiling point of water...

I put the brisket in bags dry after rinsing. Had to separate it into two halves, the whole 5.1 lb. piece wouldn't fit in one bag.

Bag opening ends are clipped to the pot wall above water level, so HOPEFULLY they won't inhale the water bath.

The store's online inventory claimed Target had the reuseable silicon sous vide bags when I checked last night but the computer lied. So ziplocks were what we had available. 

I also got the LAST of the "slim" model sous vide heater/circulator in store, while inventory said there were rather more on hand- I did notice it was the ONLY brand out of 3 types of sous vide units available which was wrapped in one of those anti tamper/anti theft thingies. Stock shrinkage? Who knew, shoplifters appreciate the tender moist meats too!

Put hot water at home water system's max delivered temp (120 F.) into pot, it took the little heater/circulator about 30 minutes to bring 4 gallons up to 175 F.

I need to find a more appropriate vessel for next time, this is 2X + the water volume I would have prefered to use, due to relation between shape of available stock pot, the placement of sous vide heater circulator's clamp and location of the minimum/maximum water height markings.


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## MrHiggins (Mar 15, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> I used zip lock bags, maker CLAIMS these can be used to microwave food and not melt below boiling point of water...
> 
> I put the brisket in bags dry after rinsing. Had to separate it into two halves, the whole 5.1 lb. piece wouldn't fit in one bag.
> 
> ...


Good luck with the ziplock. I've had successes, too, but it's not worth the worry for me (I wrecked a duck confit and a pork belly in ziplock, so I'm nervous).


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## Michi (Mar 15, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> I need to find a more appropriate vessel for next time, this is 2X + the water volume I would have prefered to use


I picked up a cheap storage box at a homeware store. BPA-free plastic, cost less than USD 10.

I cut a hole in the lid for the Anova, plus drilled another small hole in the opposite corner for steam to escape and for holding a thermometer. (It's not a good idea for steam to escape around the Anova because of the vents on the back of the housing. Any steam that gets in there confuses the electronics. It's a stupid design.)

For high-temperature cooks (over 80 ºC, which I rarely do), I wrap a towel around the container and throw another towel over the lid to reduce temperature loss.


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## ACHiPo (Mar 15, 2019)

MrHiggins said:


> So it begins... (Sous vide at 175 for 14 hours - really, really good)
> View attachment 50219


Nice! Good fuel for a few thousand vertical feet of powder!


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## ACHiPo (Mar 15, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> View attachment 50220
> 
> 
> Improvised insulation.
> ...


Aluminum foil works decent as well. It's less about insulation than it is about reducing evaporation. Even evaporation isn't an issue if you check on things periodically and add water.


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## Bert2368 (Mar 16, 2019)

I do have a piece of aluminum foil entirely covering the top of the pot underneath the towels.

I used to hold a steam boiler operator's license- Asside from the water possibly going too low, 540 calories per gram of water evaporated is a huge energy waste (and would steam up the windows).

I was considering abusing a cheap cooler, the size that handles a 24 pack of canned drinks.


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## Michi (Mar 16, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> I was considering abusing a cheap cooler, the size that handles a 24 pack of canned drinks.


These are very popular for Sous Vide. Cut a hole the size of the circulator through the lid and fill the gap with some filler.
Or buy an insulating mat covered with aluminium foil and cut a hole through that. That way, you can still use the cooler as a cooler.

https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/24-can-coleman-doesnt-seem-right/12796/7


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## Bert2368 (Mar 16, 2019)

Kgp said:


> Did you vacuum seal dry or did you add any liquid? I’m tempted to add beer and onion, using zip lock.
> 
> Ken



From the information I have read, I believe adding vegetables is futile for temperatures below 183 F. as the cell walls won't break down and allow softening and release of tasty juices.

There was also something about NOT adding fresh garlic due to it tasting nasty, use powdered garlic or add your fresh garlic AFTER the long term poaching if you want to use fresh.

Also read not to use fancy virgin, cold pressed olive oil during long term cooking. It is unstable in the heat, breaksndown to bad tasting things.


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## Mucho Bocho (Mar 16, 2019)

Use press and seal wrap to cover SV vessels. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Glad-Pre...INrJgbeeJPHBgot-gvjzjrYQtyMlcjLBoCn3wQAvD_BwE


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## Bert2368 (Mar 16, 2019)

Michi said:


> These are very popular for Sous Vide. Cut a hole the size of the circulator through the lid and fill the gap with some filler.
> Or buy an insulating mat covered with aluminium foil and cut a hole through that. That way, you can still use the cooler as a cooler.
> 
> https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/24-can-coleman-doesnt-seem-right/12796/7



D'oh!

I have got a couple of large rolls of the aluminized Mylar IR reflective "bubble wrap" on hand, we use it under the sheet steel roofs of our commercial buildings to prevent condensation forming on inside surfaces of roofs/reduce heating to the interior on sunny days.

And coolers- We have more than 1 cooler per crew in our equipment- and may run 9 crews at once on a busy day. Coolers are available! The combination of cooler and the IR insulation so as not to wreck said cooler for its designed use didn't occur to me.



Mucho Bocho said:


> Use press and seal wrap to cover SV vessels. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Glad-Pre...INrJgbeeJPHBgot-gvjzjrYQtyMlcjLBoCn3wQAvD_BwE



I have used this wrap before for other "foody" and field pyrotechnic setup purposes. Although it DOES work well, it's about 20% more expensive per square foot than Walmart's cheapest Aluminum foil.

And it's flammable- Oh my yes, I've set it on fire when it was used to cover large single fireworks mortars muzzles on rainy days. Good times...

Anyhow, thanks to all for the tips! The corned beef comes out of the water bath to chill in about an hour, will report further after dinner-


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## Michi (Mar 16, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> I have got ancouple of large rolls of the aluminized Mylar IR reflective "bubble wrap" on hand


Sounds like just what you need


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## Bert2368 (Mar 16, 2019)

The meat is reposing in the refrigerator, as well as the liquid for de-fatting later.

5.1 lb. raw weight for the beef, 2 lb 10.8 oz cooked weight.

About 4.5 cups of strained liquid, prior to de-fatting.

From the sample I tasted, claims of juicieness/tenderness are valid. As it didn't boil in a large pot of water with a lot of potatoes/cabbage/carrots for "salt scavenging", it is quite noticeably saltier than what momma made.


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## CoteRotie (Mar 16, 2019)

Bert2368 said:


> As it didn't boil in a large pot of water with a lot of potatoes/cabbage/carrots for "salt scavenging", it is quite noticeably saltier than what momma made.
> View attachment 50234



I didn't think of that- Do you think most people would consider it too salty? 

I wonder if soaking in cool water for a few hours prior to sous-vide would reduce the saltiness?


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## Paraffin (Mar 16, 2019)

Michi said:


> The main advantage of the Anova is that you _can_ use it without an app. With the Joule, you cannot. The big problem here is that you can use the Joule only for as long as the manufacturer is willing to push out updates for the app. And they have to do that regularly, because the ecosystem on phones is in constant flux, so older software typically stops working after a few years if it isn't updated.
> 
> Ten years from now, a Joule will most likely still work fine but, if you can't get the app updated anymore, it will be a useless lump of electronics.
> 
> For this reason, I _never_ buy _any_ device that can be operated only via a smart phone. There is no incentive for the manufacturer to keep spending money on updating apps once they have sold you the hardware. The economic model for phone-operated devices simply doesn't work.



Well, I'll agree to disagree.  It's a question of convenience and economics for me. I was initially skeptical about the need for a smartphone, but I have a decent Wi-Fi setup at home, including repeaters for range, and I'm using an Android phone where that OS is not going away any time soon. I like the convenience of not having to hover over the circulator to know when it's up to temp. Without any buttons, it's mechanically simpler with fewer things to wear out.

And finally, the thing only costs $180 and I think I got it on sale for less. Maybe $160? That makes it one of the least expensive electrically-powered gadgets in our kitchen. If I have to replace it because it no longer talks to my phone (or vice-versa) it's no big deal. I think any circulator at this price point (including the Anova) is likely to have a motor or pump failure before an incompatibility with the smartphone shows up. It's not the kind of thing that will last forever. Meanwhile, it just works.


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## Paraffin (Mar 16, 2019)

CoteRotie said:


> I didn't think of that- Do you think most people would consider it too salty?
> 
> I wonder if soaking in cool water for a few hours prior to sous-vide would reduce the saltiness?



I recommend a rinse and water soak if you don't like too much saltiness. It doesn't have to be for too long, maybe a half-hour? My wife just cooked a corned beef brisket (slow oven, not sous vide), and did a rinse and short soak beforehand. It came out just right, with the kind of background saltiness you want for corned beef, but not too much.


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## ian (Mar 16, 2019)

Anyone else do SV in a dough tub? Luckily, I never seem to need to rise and circulate at the same time. But it's good to have the vessel be multipurpose. I do have two lids, though, one with a hole for the stick cut out and one with no hole.


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## Paraffin (Mar 16, 2019)

ianbiringer said:


> Anyone else do SV in a dough tub? Luckily, I never seem to need to rise and circulate at the same time. But it's good to have the vessel be multipurpose. I do have two lids, though, one with a hole for the stick cut out and one with no hole.



I know people use all sorts of things for a sous vide container, but I like clear plastic or glass. It lets me check that the water level is still good and the bags haven't shifted and are still underwater. I can also see if a bag has burst open. That hasn't happened yet, but I'd sure want to know about it quickly.


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## ian (Mar 16, 2019)

Yea, for sure. I use a clear plastic dough tub.


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## rickg17 (Mar 16, 2019)

Funny that you all should bring up using a dough tub. I just tried that and... the Anova I have (3 year old bluetooth model) lost it after 45 mins. Why? Because steam envelopes the unit and... wait for it.... the *electronics are not protected from the steam*. So they started freaking out, turning the heater off and on and beeping incessantly.

IF you do this, *get a lid* so that most of the steam is trapped in the tub. Cut a hole in it that the circulator fits in that's just wide enough for it.


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## ACHiPo (Mar 16, 2019)

I think the 140F 48 hour sous vide is gonna be just fine. It is firm, but the piece I tried cold had great flavor and was tender with a nice bite. Here are some progress pictures.


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## Michi (Mar 16, 2019)

ACHiPo said:


> I think the 140F 48 hour sous vide is gonna be just fine. It is firm, but the piece I tried cold had great flavor and was tender with a nice bite.


Looking good!


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## Bert2368 (Mar 16, 2019)

This...




is WAY better than what I was directed to put out for the customers at "The Inn on the Park" in Madison, WI back around 1998.

I added some extra spices (mustard seed, whole corriander, a bay leaf, a couple each of whole cloves, whole black peppercorns and whole alspice to a mixture of 4 cups de fatted and strained liquid from meat water + 8 cups additional water I used for for cooking the veges.

Veges took about 45 minutes on simmer after bringing to a boil. Added first the large carrot chunks and small red potatoes and reduced to a simmer, last a quartered small green cabbage about 25 minutes before serving.

I steamed the sliced meat in a basket over the vege for the last 15 minutes before serving, which noticeably reduced the saltiness of the beef.

Just before serving, I put a grind of black pepper and a touch of white balsamic vinegar + lemon juice & melted butter on the cabbage.

The salt level of all constituents, in the end was just about right for my taste, and she-who-must-be-obeyed granted me leave to MAKE THAT AGAIN!!!


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## ACHiPo (Mar 17, 2019)

I was pretty happy with my meal. The brisket was a little firm--think I'll try 150F next time--but it was tender enough and the flavor was amazing. The veggies were great, but ended up a tad mushy because we were having too much fun with appetizers and drinks so dinner was delayed by a couple hours. All in all a success!


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## Bert2368 (Mar 17, 2019)

Im'a gonna defrost a venison neck roast and see if this new toy can make it tender yet succulent-

My initial SWAG is to try a sous vide profile of 150 F. for around 40 hours. I'm thinking about dry rubbing on some of the constituents of a traditional German "sauerbratten" for spices, but no acidic or alcohol based ingredients (vinegar, beer & etc.)

Anyone got experience here?

And a natural stone was waiting in the mailbox too. Will post elsewhere about this. Oh, happy day...


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## ACHiPo (Mar 17, 2019)

Let us know how it turns out. Very little experience with game, but Google suggests lower temps (135-140). I'm guessing a neck roast is kinda tough, so you may not want a rare or medium rare temp.
https://themeateater.com/hunt/general/sous-vide-venison-roast-recipe


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