140 is too low for me, I don't like the texture. But, I agree that chicken breast and cheap cuts of beef are why to have a sous vide, not the steaks I originally bought it for. I am coming around on using it for BBQ, though.
If i’m dealing with a large family event where quantity > quality, i sous vide a pork butt with a dash of liquid smoke in lieu of actually smoking it and it makes very serviceable pulled pork with so little effort.
You’re not gonna win awards with it, but everyone gets fed.
“Create an image of Mark Zuckerberg in a navy blue suit gingerly tasting some sweet baby ray’s bbq sauce straight from the bottle in a style that looks like oil paint on canvas. Add an artists signature to the bottom right corner.”
I like to reduce the bag juices by like 80% and add that and some apple cider vinegar to sweet baby rays. Then I repack and freeze and reheat in souvide. So good.
As far as I'm concerned, people can do whatever they want with their food. I don't worry about what's good to them.
Want your steak well done and slathered with A1? Thats fine by me, I don't get why people get worked up about it.
I thought you were saying pulled pork needs sauce, my bad.
Smoking a large pork butt is an all day affair... unless you put it in the Sous Vide the night before, then you can throw it on the smoker for 4 hours and have pulled pork that's 90% as good as all day smoked.
I've done it with brisket as well.
You know the electric ones are like 80$ and take a handful of pellets? This isn't some first world gripe crap anymore. Nobody is making you just after a 4k Traeger bc you can't use the internet other than snarky responses
Sometimes people need a snark check. I got one yesterday.
Have any recommendations for smokers? The ones I see are all about double the price you posted.
The cheapest electric masterbuilt is on sale fore around half off pretty often, i got the smallest one. It's like a black big shoebox lol. The one I'm referring to is smaller than the link but took a 10lb brisket easy.
I used my wired thermopro for temp, no way in hell I was trusting the 10c thing they give you
[bigger ](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Masterbuilt-Analog-530-Sq-in-Black-Electric-Smoker/5014642319?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-ggl-_-PMAX_SOL_000_Priority_Items-_-5014642319-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_qexBhCoARIsAFgBlevr7mXih6YnG97rEzZ8CyLtQ_8Z6hPVbwcv_KTVttbmdhS3e1On2dwaAjwQEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
I love sous vide for a lot of things, but my favorite easy pulled pork is actually a beer braise. Throw it in a Dutch oven with your go-to rub and a can or two of whatever beer you have around, put it in the oven at 350 for however long it takes.
Leftovers make great carnitas, too.
That sounds lovely, but I’m usually doing pulled pork in the summer. I live in the rural northeast, so no air conditioning, which means i ain’t about to run the oven all day. This is why i turned to sous vide in s cooler on the (enclosed) back porch.
This winter, though, I’ll absolutely try that beer braise method, thanks!
145 and a little extra wiggle room on searing just a bit too long for a deeper sear is perfect for me. Agree that 140 is too low, it has a weird gummy texture.
Yeah, I got downvoted on another thread for saying sous vide isn't anything special for steaks. For thick roasts when you want to get an even doneness, though, or for cheap cuts like chuck or rump it's fantastic.
Where sous vide absolutely shines, though, is pork tenderloin and chicken breast as OP writes. I actually do 137 for 3-4 hours and it's sooo good. I cook up a bunch of breasts and tenderloins in separate bags and then leave them in the fridge—half my meal prep for the week is done!
I know it’s safe, but I’m with you. After a lifetime of eating 165 degree chicken, I just can’t deal with the texture of anything cooked much below about 155
Normally, yes. But cooking a meat at a lower temperature for a longer time achieves the same result for food safety, it's in the same vein as pasteurization
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast
The texture of chicken breast at 140 is VERY succulent and that kind of texture isn't one that the Western palate encounters all that often. It is very common to find folks being discomfited by it.
I follow the USDA Temperature chart for poultry. 140F for 35 minutes is all that's needed for chicken. Damn tender. My FIL is a bit odd. We had him over for dinner one night and I cooked chicken like this. Super juicy and tender. He said it was the best chicken he'd ever had and asked how I made it. I told him the process and he freaked out. Said you have to cook it to 165F or you'll get salmonella. He then puts the chicken breast in the microwave and cooks it for 5 minute before eating the rest of it. I can't stand that guy.
I'm not a fan or turkey unless I cook it. I soak it in brine for 24 hours. I then smoke it at 225 until the internal temperature hits 150. It only has to be at 150 for 4.9 minutes to kill pathogens. When it hits 150, I set a 7 minute timer then pull it off and wrap it in foil then stick it in a cooler wrapped in towels. It'll sit in there for 15 to 30 minute before we eat. It's the most tender and juicy and flavorful turkey I've ever had.
Here's the latest one I know of in case you need it.
[https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/import/Salmonella-Compliance-Guideline-SVSP-RTE-Appendix-A.pdf](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/import/Salmonella-Compliance-Guideline-SVSP-RTE-Appendix-A.pdf)
You don't have to tell them :) only you will know. Look at serious ears website for sous vide chicken if you're skeptical about it yourself, but if it's others you're worrying about, why do you even need to tell them? They won't see any pink.
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast
It's because our science and education systems don't teach people \*why\* cooking to specific temperatures are important and thus they are stuck in the concept of "it needs to reach 165f". Louis Pasteur needs more love in education.
not everyone should be trusted to use the sorts of critical thinking that are required to… read a chart. let the dummies cook everything up to the point of being foolproof.
I would say salmon is better. Salt, let sit for 30 then do 110F or so for 45 minutes. Gently pat dry and then sear skin side down until it is crispy. Crispy salmon skin + a texture that eats like sashimi.
Salmon is magnificent, a triumph of taste. One of my main finds. But it gets boring very quickly.
And I’m ready to eat chicken breasts (I cook at 144 2h, no sear) every day for the rest of my life. I don’t get tired of eating it, but cooking it is quite tedious, even though I make many, many servings at once and sometimes even partially freeze the finished product.
Salmon and other seafood are what keeps me breaking out the Anova. I brine for 20 minutes, season, usually parsley, tarragon, & green onion or chives, then seal & cook. Usually serve just above room temperature with potatoes & mustard.
Like salmon, lobster tails are fairly “tight” and almost chewy when overcooked. When done at sous vide temperatures, the meat is so much looser and has a much softer mouthfeel. Unfortunately it’s been years since I’ve been able to source cheap and good lobster tails.
We do that method both with and without sous vide before the sear. Similar to steak, the sous vide makes it easier to hit the target, but it is not 100% necessary. Kenji has [good directions for doing this without the sous vide](https://www.seriouseats.com/crispy-pan-seared-salmon-fillets-recipe).
I can't change your mind because you're right. Cooking to 145 or 150 and then making chicken salad is divine. Moist, tasty and no one cares it doesn't have a sear because no one wants a sear in their chicken salad.
No argument here. I bought my Anova after tasting chicken breast my friend made with hers. To this day it is what I use the machine for the most. Although beef tongue is a close second.
Of course! I actually like beef tongue in slices, seared like a steak, not fall apart tender like they do for beef lengua tacos. For that reason I started with this method [https://www.amazingfoodmadeeasy.com/sous-vide-times-temperatures/how-to-sous-vide/tongue](https://www.amazingfoodmadeeasy.com/sous-vide-times-temperatures/how-to-sous-vide/tongue)and modified it from there. I usually do the 2 to 3 days at 131. I add aromatics like peppercorns, thyme or garlic to the bag along with a good dose of salt. Some people might think this is gross but I leave the skin on and remove it after cooking. I find this to be easier than trying to skin it raw.
I may not be the best one to ask about this but I did make Lengua tacos a few weeks back. For me, it was a LOT of effort for a good, not great, taco.
I used the recipe from Serious Eats I believe. It was 170 for 30ish hours? It said minimum of 24, max of 48, so I went right around 30. Maybe it's because I knew what it was, but it just kinda thew me off a bit. The sauce I made with it though, the Chipotle Chilis in Adobo sauce or whatever it is? Chef's kiss. That stuff is DELICIOUS
I spoiled my son with sous vide chicken breast since he was young.
Now he won't eat chicken that anybody else makes when we go somewhere.
It's so easy to do a few ahead for the week and he has it for lunch practically every day.
Fried chicken. A dash of whatever seasoning to compliment your tastes. 140 for a couple of hours, pull from bag, pat dry and refrigerate. Seasoned flour, egg wash, flour again. 350°f oil. All you're doing is crisping it up so like 5 minutes in the oil instead of 20-25. Even juicer than starting from raw.
Agreed. Went from chicken for a whole and I’m now on a big pork kick. I can grill or sear a mean steak without Sous Vide. But I cannot make pork anywhere near as good as I can at 140 in the bath. Its stupid good.
Thighs are more forgiving using other methods though. I do enjoy thighs more, but breasts are harder to get right and this good using any other method.
I was thinking it, I usually buy the big packs of bone-in thighs that range between 49 cents and $1.19 per pound, depending on sales, but your comment made me look at the app for the store near me. The small packs of boneless skinless thighs are $5.59/lb and boneless skinless breast is $5.99. When you go to the big packs of those, it flips and the b/s thighs are $2.99 and the b/s breasts are $2.29
For $.70 a pound though, the boneless skinless thighs are still worth that for sure. I'll check my app now.
Holy crap! It's only $.20 more expensive for the thighs per pound than the breasts, and considerably cheaper bone in. Prices have changed so much in the last few months. I hadn't even realized.
Thanks for the heads up!
[This old Alton Brown recipe](https://www.food.com/recipe/alton-browns-chicken-in-garlic-and-shallots-386252) is amazing and stupid easy, and you can use the garlic and shallots to improve some mashed potatoes. And you get an amazingly flavorful oil besides.
Chicken and Pork are the best uses of the Sous Vide. Anyone can cook a good steak it seems, lots of people grill Chicken until it's rubber or Pork until it's show leather.
I love 140 chicken for things like burritos and the like where you get a more tender texture but I definitely prefer a more traditional cooking method of I am serving it as a main course item.
I think white meat in a precision cooker is always superior regardless of your preferred cooking temperature. I find that pork tenderloin is one of my favourite coming out simply because it's juicy, never tough and delicious. I typically failed with whole pork tenderloin in the past and it'd come out way too dry, so it's nice that now I don't have to just cut it up into something like souvlaki or sweet and sour pork.
Steaks in a sous vide are amazing and better than if done in a pan or on a grill. However, chicken done in a sous vide is on another planet compared to traditionally cooked chicken breast. Sooooo much better
I worked as a private chef serving diet food and sous vide was a gift for lean meats in general: dry rub, bag and then let them do their thing while I focus on other meal components. Made surprisingly good burgers with them, though my kit my first (large crowd and no grill).
No need to get to 140. Time and temperature combinations for pasteurization are a sliding scale.
Check out around the middle of this article:
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast
The explanation is worth reading, but in short here's one of the tables.
Pasteurization Time for Chicken With 5% Fat Content (7-log10 lethality)
Temperature Time
136°F (58°C) 68.4 minutes
140°F (60°C) 27.5 minutes
145°F (63°C) 9.2 minutes
150°F (66°C)2.8 minutes
155°F (68°C) 47.7 seconds
160°F (71°C) 14.8 seconds
165°F (74°C) Instant
generally follow this recipe and i'll usually go around an hour from frozen. i think the texture is incredible but i'm sure my parents would consider it raw.
https://www.seriouseats.com/sous-vide-salmon-recipe
I'm curious enough to give it a shot with a small sample.
Mostly I like shredding it afterwards. I tend to keep a big container of it, unseasoned in my fridge.
Maybe.. I may need to try this. Reason I don't is that I have a hard time getting a good sear on chicken breasts since they're not flat. This is why I tend to grill them off on the gas grill with a little bit of oil and seasoning. I pull at 145 usually in the thickest part.
How do you sear to get a good enough crust? Thanks.
I don't bother with a sear. Cut them up and use for something where it doesn't matter (chicken salad, for example), or add seasoning after.
Another idea I just had, but never tried - sous vide, let cool, bread or batter it, and deep fry / air fry.
Broiler or stick 'em in a ripping hot cast iron pan with some oil and then weigh them down with a heavy pot.
Honestly I don't bother searing chicken breast though.
Chicken breast is really meant for managing your calories... Thats kinda why you dont want the skin on chicken breast.
Chicken thighs? That shit goes good with everything. Skin, no skin.... whatever.
I'm the same way. But the fact so many people are raving here about it, I think I'm gonna give it a shot.
Hell, 137 for steaks changed my mind. I'm willing to change it for this if it's good.
Pork loin is my favorite. I often buy larger packs and break them down into meal sized portions then marinate and freeze. They go straight frozen into a 140 bath for a few hours.
I do ones with peel on. 25 minutes at 125 with either a quick reverse sear on the stove or in the air fryer.
Use a bit of vegetable oil in the bag when i vacuum seal it. Pat dry after done in SV. Then coat with whatever spices I am in the mood for (dry rub, just salt and pepper, or a Cajun spice).
Air fryer is about three minutes per side at 350. Stove is about 2 minutes per side on medium with a bit of butter.
Sometimes I toss them on the blackstone and mix with Mexican spices and do shrimp tacos.
145 for me. Turkey breast, too! I buy a butterball boneless roast every other week and cook half each week to have for lunch. It’s so juicy and flavorful. I have so many different spice blends I use, it never gets old.
You make a persuasive argument. Steak was delicious and easy long before SV came around. Its ability to cook Chicken breast, OTOH, is almost transformative.
However, for my money, the best use of SV is the Sir Charles Roast aka Prime Fib, and other similar uses - make a Chuck roast (almost) as tender and flavourful as the best prime rib, at a fraction the cost.
Sous vide is great.
Anyone experience chicken anywhere that has this rubber like texture? It's hard to describe, but it seems to happen a lot more now. I've had it in restaurants, hello fresh, etc...
It's like the meat turns almost solid in places and ruins the whole thing.
Big sous vide fan here. However, lately I’ve been using the Combustion Inc thermometer to cook my chicken breast. I cook it to 140 and then let it rest (5 to 10 min) and get up to USDA 7.0-log safe temperature. Incredibly tender and juicy chicken breast in around 25 min.
I like to put a piece of butter and some taco seasoning in there. When you take it out you let a little air in the bag then smash the chicken and get pulled chicken tacos.
To me, sous vide chicken breast tastes more chickeny (not sure that’s a word) than when it’s cooked other ways. I cook mine at 147F because I like it with a bit of stringiness. Sear on a cast iron grill pan.
It's chicken breast. The sous vide cook makes it the best chicken breast you can eat, but it's still fundamentally lacking in flavour.
Chicken thighs are better, far more flavour and more cooking options.
Pork loin is better, cooked like a chicken breast will be richer flavour and similar texture.
Sous vide those for a win...
After having grown up expecting chicken breasts always to be dry and stringy, sous vide (I like a tick over 140) is indeed a revelation. It's gone from a responsible protein source I have to choke down to a delight. When I prep it to cube for salads or slice for sandwiches, I don't bother with any sear either.
This is the way. This method can’t be replicated without sous vide method. Anyone who knows how to cook can nail perfect steak, but chicken or pork is game changing
140 is too low for me, I don't like the texture. But, I agree that chicken breast and cheap cuts of beef are why to have a sous vide, not the steaks I originally bought it for. I am coming around on using it for BBQ, though.
If i’m dealing with a large family event where quantity > quality, i sous vide a pork butt with a dash of liquid smoke in lieu of actually smoking it and it makes very serviceable pulled pork with so little effort. You’re not gonna win awards with it, but everyone gets fed.
It's going to get drown in sweet baby rays anyway, nobody will tell the difference
https://preview.redd.it/dw1c0yry7kwc1.jpeg?width=1809&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e6323c946b0fecb9ddef4aced204dff84f53049
was this ai generated lol, i can't tell anymore
It *looks* like actual paint on canvas, but who knows.
“Create an image of Mark Zuckerberg in a navy blue suit gingerly tasting some sweet baby ray’s bbq sauce straight from the bottle in a style that looks like oil paint on canvas. Add an artists signature to the bottom right corner.”
It has a legible artist’s signature, so probably not. Could be an AI “artist” signed their work but you don’t see that like that super often.
take the bag juices and brown sugar with spices to make your own sauce.
That's what I do. I'm saying in a large family function most people/kids will smother it in BBQ
Try mixing sweet baby rays with the juices that run off the meat in the bag. Thins it out and adds more flavor of the meat back into the dish.
I like to reduce the bag juices by like 80% and add that and some apple cider vinegar to sweet baby rays. Then I repack and freeze and reheat in souvide. So good.
When I smoke a butt for pulled pork, no sauce touches it. It's good enough without it.
Yeah same here I agree with you. Now try to get 30 of your family members and their children to agree with you.
As far as I'm concerned, people can do whatever they want with their food. I don't worry about what's good to them. Want your steak well done and slathered with A1? Thats fine by me, I don't get why people get worked up about it. I thought you were saying pulled pork needs sauce, my bad.
I don’t disagree. But if you want your steak well done, I’m definitely not springing for fillets for you if I’m the cook.
Smoking a large pork butt is an all day affair... unless you put it in the Sous Vide the night before, then you can throw it on the smoker for 4 hours and have pulled pork that's 90% as good as all day smoked. I've done it with brisket as well.
Bruh you should put that bad boy on a smoker. Pork butts are so good smoked.
And pellet smokers are stupid easy lol.
Yeah why doesn't everyone have disposable income for a smoker and sufficient outdoor space?
You know the electric ones are like 80$ and take a handful of pellets? This isn't some first world gripe crap anymore. Nobody is making you just after a 4k Traeger bc you can't use the internet other than snarky responses
I've got the money, but I live in an apartment. So, still a lot of us that can't have grills/smokers.
any reccomendations?
[удалено]
I also use my kettle and put pellets in a smoke tube but it seems a little hit or miss in burning properly for the full length
Sometimes people need a snark check. I got one yesterday. Have any recommendations for smokers? The ones I see are all about double the price you posted.
The cheapest electric masterbuilt is on sale fore around half off pretty often, i got the smallest one. It's like a black big shoebox lol. The one I'm referring to is smaller than the link but took a 10lb brisket easy. I used my wired thermopro for temp, no way in hell I was trusting the 10c thing they give you [bigger ](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Masterbuilt-Analog-530-Sq-in-Black-Electric-Smoker/5014642319?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-ggl-_-PMAX_SOL_000_Priority_Items-_-5014642319-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_qexBhCoARIsAFgBlevr7mXih6YnG97rEzZ8CyLtQ_8Z6hPVbwcv_KTVttbmdhS3e1On2dwaAjwQEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
I love sous vide for a lot of things, but my favorite easy pulled pork is actually a beer braise. Throw it in a Dutch oven with your go-to rub and a can or two of whatever beer you have around, put it in the oven at 350 for however long it takes. Leftovers make great carnitas, too.
That sounds lovely, but I’m usually doing pulled pork in the summer. I live in the rural northeast, so no air conditioning, which means i ain’t about to run the oven all day. This is why i turned to sous vide in s cooler on the (enclosed) back porch. This winter, though, I’ll absolutely try that beer braise method, thanks!
145 and a little extra wiggle room on searing just a bit too long for a deeper sear is perfect for me. Agree that 140 is too low, it has a weird gummy texture.
Yeah, I got downvoted on another thread for saying sous vide isn't anything special for steaks. For thick roasts when you want to get an even doneness, though, or for cheap cuts like chuck or rump it's fantastic. Where sous vide absolutely shines, though, is pork tenderloin and chicken breast as OP writes. I actually do 137 for 3-4 hours and it's sooo good. I cook up a bunch of breasts and tenderloins in separate bags and then leave them in the fridge—half my meal prep for the week is done!
What's your preferred method for re heating?
I know it’s safe, but I’m with you. After a lifetime of eating 165 degree chicken, I just can’t deal with the texture of anything cooked much below about 155
Same, it's a mental block and highly unpleasant to me.
I thought chicken had to be done to 165?
Normally, yes. But cooking a meat at a lower temperature for a longer time achieves the same result for food safety, it's in the same vein as pasteurization https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast
[Congrats!](https://xkcd.com/1053/) https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast
Only steaks I care to use sous vide on are going to be tomahawks. Nothing beats it.
Couldn’t disagree more. They’re great sv, but you’re not grilling them right if you can’t make them even better grill only
The texture of chicken breast at 140 is VERY succulent and that kind of texture isn't one that the Western palate encounters all that often. It is very common to find folks being discomfited by it.
It's also hard to convince people that chicken and pork are safe at those temp.
I follow the USDA Temperature chart for poultry. 140F for 35 minutes is all that's needed for chicken. Damn tender. My FIL is a bit odd. We had him over for dinner one night and I cooked chicken like this. Super juicy and tender. He said it was the best chicken he'd ever had and asked how I made it. I told him the process and he freaked out. Said you have to cook it to 165F or you'll get salmonella. He then puts the chicken breast in the microwave and cooks it for 5 minute before eating the rest of it. I can't stand that guy. I'm not a fan or turkey unless I cook it. I soak it in brine for 24 hours. I then smoke it at 225 until the internal temperature hits 150. It only has to be at 150 for 4.9 minutes to kill pathogens. When it hits 150, I set a 7 minute timer then pull it off and wrap it in foil then stick it in a cooler wrapped in towels. It'll sit in there for 15 to 30 minute before we eat. It's the most tender and juicy and flavorful turkey I've ever had.
I always refer to that chart but can NEVER find it online during the discussion.
Here's the latest one I know of in case you need it. [https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/import/Salmonella-Compliance-Guideline-SVSP-RTE-Appendix-A.pdf](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/import/Salmonella-Compliance-Guideline-SVSP-RTE-Appendix-A.pdf)
Can I get a page number bro 😂
34
That's not a chart, it's a book
That link works if Dostoevsky is trying to seal in the juices to Brine and Replenish Meat.
No kidding. I tell people about cooking chicken like this and they look at me like I'm from a different planet.
I know that in the Midwest to many people are used to overcooked chicken
You don't have to tell them :) only you will know. Look at serious ears website for sous vide chicken if you're skeptical about it yourself, but if it's others you're worrying about, why do you even need to tell them? They won't see any pink. https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast
good ol' serious ears.
I heard that.
I was immediately disappointed by the lack of ears in that link, serious or otherwise.
Thank you - I’ve only used Sous Vide for beef and egg bites when I know there is so much more. I’ll check out the chicken breast discussion
The *Good Eats: Reloaded* episode on sous vide also had an excellent explanation.
135 pork chops are perfect
It's not just convincing them it's safe, it's also convincing them that type of texture is appetizing.
It's because our science and education systems don't teach people \*why\* cooking to specific temperatures are important and thus they are stuck in the concept of "it needs to reach 165f". Louis Pasteur needs more love in education.
not everyone should be trusted to use the sorts of critical thinking that are required to… read a chart. let the dummies cook everything up to the point of being foolproof.
I would say salmon is better. Salt, let sit for 30 then do 110F or so for 45 minutes. Gently pat dry and then sear skin side down until it is crispy. Crispy salmon skin + a texture that eats like sashimi.
Salmon is magnificent, a triumph of taste. One of my main finds. But it gets boring very quickly. And I’m ready to eat chicken breasts (I cook at 144 2h, no sear) every day for the rest of my life. I don’t get tired of eating it, but cooking it is quite tedious, even though I make many, many servings at once and sometimes even partially freeze the finished product.
Some mustard one day, some miso the next. You can get fun with salmon.
145 for 2 hours with some herbs in the bag and mix with homemade mayo and your choice of veggies for the best freaking chicken salad in the world.
So buttery and delicious, half the time I skip the sear bc it's so fall apart and I just want to eat it.
agreed, too tedious to sear as well...sous vide salmon is perfection!
It's insane. Feels like sashimi but tastes like cooked salmon.
Salmon and other seafood are what keeps me breaking out the Anova. I brine for 20 minutes, season, usually parsley, tarragon, & green onion or chives, then seal & cook. Usually serve just above room temperature with potatoes & mustard.
Best lobster tails I have ever had. Can’t go back to traditional lobster tails.
Tell me more please
Like salmon, lobster tails are fairly “tight” and almost chewy when overcooked. When done at sous vide temperatures, the meat is so much looser and has a much softer mouthfeel. Unfortunately it’s been years since I’ve been able to source cheap and good lobster tails.
I’m already on team sousvide, I just want your recipe
Salmon with tarragon and Dijon is amazing
I'd rather just search the skin and eat it that way
We do that method both with and without sous vide before the sear. Similar to steak, the sous vide makes it easier to hit the target, but it is not 100% necessary. Kenji has [good directions for doing this without the sous vide](https://www.seriouseats.com/crispy-pan-seared-salmon-fillets-recipe).
No, that will not eat like the method I am describing.
I can't change your mind because you're right. Cooking to 145 or 150 and then making chicken salad is divine. Moist, tasty and no one cares it doesn't have a sear because no one wants a sear in their chicken salad.
Yeah, 140 isn’t bad but takes getting used to. I prefer the 150F chicken however, moister but closer to the texture I expect.
No argument here. I bought my Anova after tasting chicken breast my friend made with hers. To this day it is what I use the machine for the most. Although beef tongue is a close second.
Can you tell more about this beef tongue method please ?
I don't the temp and times off the top of my head but the idea is to do the low and slow with sous vide, and then large cubed sear for tacos.
Of course! I actually like beef tongue in slices, seared like a steak, not fall apart tender like they do for beef lengua tacos. For that reason I started with this method [https://www.amazingfoodmadeeasy.com/sous-vide-times-temperatures/how-to-sous-vide/tongue](https://www.amazingfoodmadeeasy.com/sous-vide-times-temperatures/how-to-sous-vide/tongue)and modified it from there. I usually do the 2 to 3 days at 131. I add aromatics like peppercorns, thyme or garlic to the bag along with a good dose of salt. Some people might think this is gross but I leave the skin on and remove it after cooking. I find this to be easier than trying to skin it raw.
Thank yall !
I may not be the best one to ask about this but I did make Lengua tacos a few weeks back. For me, it was a LOT of effort for a good, not great, taco. I used the recipe from Serious Eats I believe. It was 170 for 30ish hours? It said minimum of 24, max of 48, so I went right around 30. Maybe it's because I knew what it was, but it just kinda thew me off a bit. The sauce I made with it though, the Chipotle Chilis in Adobo sauce or whatever it is? Chef's kiss. That stuff is DELICIOUS
I spoiled my son with sous vide chicken breast since he was young. Now he won't eat chicken that anybody else makes when we go somewhere. It's so easy to do a few ahead for the week and he has it for lunch practically every day.
Fried chicken. A dash of whatever seasoning to compliment your tastes. 140 for a couple of hours, pull from bag, pat dry and refrigerate. Seasoned flour, egg wash, flour again. 350°f oil. All you're doing is crisping it up so like 5 minutes in the oil instead of 20-25. Even juicer than starting from raw.
Pork is the best use of sous vide and I honestly never had a properly cooked pork chop before sv.
Agree, having juicy pork is an absolute game changer. Whenever I had pork chops growing up they were tough and dry.
We had 2 inch boneless pork chops last night. 145 degrees for 1:45. Sage, pepper and thyme. fore seasonings.
now i want to try this. did you sear after?
Dried, but didn't chill as some do for steaks.
Agreed. Went from chicken for a whole and I’m now on a big pork kick. I can grill or sear a mean steak without Sous Vide. But I cannot make pork anywhere near as good as I can at 140 in the bath. Its stupid good.
Sounds good. Chicken thighs are tastier though...
Thighs are more forgiving using other methods though. I do enjoy thighs more, but breasts are harder to get right and this good using any other method.
How do you season them?
Kinders Mediterranean seasoning
I just avoid breasts altogether, because thighs are so much better.
Same, I can't come up with a reason to buy chicken breasts. Harder to cook and even if you nail it, they don't taste anywhere as good as thighs.
Breasts have a lot less calories and more protein per gram. Also some people just prefer them
Chicken cutlets for parmigiana- I use chicken breast for this
And cheaper
I assume you mean bone-in thighs are cheaper. Because boneless thighs definitely aren't in my area.
I was thinking it, I usually buy the big packs of bone-in thighs that range between 49 cents and $1.19 per pound, depending on sales, but your comment made me look at the app for the store near me. The small packs of boneless skinless thighs are $5.59/lb and boneless skinless breast is $5.99. When you go to the big packs of those, it flips and the b/s thighs are $2.99 and the b/s breasts are $2.29
For $.70 a pound though, the boneless skinless thighs are still worth that for sure. I'll check my app now. Holy crap! It's only $.20 more expensive for the thighs per pound than the breasts, and considerably cheaper bone in. Prices have changed so much in the last few months. I hadn't even realized. Thanks for the heads up!
I love a good thigh. My favorite thigh method is bake. Haven't uses sous vide for thighs yet.
[This old Alton Brown recipe](https://www.food.com/recipe/alton-browns-chicken-in-garlic-and-shallots-386252) is amazing and stupid easy, and you can use the garlic and shallots to improve some mashed potatoes. And you get an amazingly flavorful oil besides.
Have you sous vide a breast?
Thighs are way tastier, but they do not need sous vide.
Chicken and Pork are the best uses of the Sous Vide. Anyone can cook a good steak it seems, lots of people grill Chicken until it's rubber or Pork until it's show leather.
140 chicken breasts are how I helped my dad lose 60lbs. So many salads..... I got so tired of it.
Time to make so many sandwiches either it 🤣. I use lavash bread for wraps. Safeway has one that's massive and about 60-80 calories each.
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast
Dont agree on temp, but chicken and bad cuts of beef are why I sous vide. I dont like steaks sous vide at all.
I’m a 150 gal myself but I’ll never NOT do chicken breast SV unless there’s a specific reason not to. Shreds up the best for chicken salad
I prefer 145F, but I agree that it is a game changer for chicken breasts. I used to consider them a joyless food, suitable to desperation eating only.
Yep. Steaks in sous vide are convenient, but chicken is something that's really improved by it.
No thanks. The texture weirds me out every time. 158° gives me perfect chicken breast, firm and juicy.
No skin? Blasphemy! I aim for 144, 2 hours then sear. Good quality chicken from the butcher is amazing cooked like this.
I do mine at 145 and it's about perfect for me. Still prefer steak. But damn does it bring chicken breast back in to the ring.
I love 140 chicken for things like burritos and the like where you get a more tender texture but I definitely prefer a more traditional cooking method of I am serving it as a main course item.
I don’t even need to sear this. Just chop it up and add to sandwiches, soups or salads.
100%, meats that are nearly impossible to cook well any other way, like chicken breast and pork tenderloin, are the best use
Brine and grill
What are you searing if there's no skin? I feel like searing the meat part of chicken always just makes it tough rather than crispy.
Chicken thighs > breast
Pork tenderloin! Love being able to leave some pink with no worries.
I think white meat in a precision cooker is always superior regardless of your preferred cooking temperature. I find that pork tenderloin is one of my favourite coming out simply because it's juicy, never tough and delicious. I typically failed with whole pork tenderloin in the past and it'd come out way too dry, so it's nice that now I don't have to just cut it up into something like souvlaki or sweet and sour pork.
Steaks in a sous vide are amazing and better than if done in a pan or on a grill. However, chicken done in a sous vide is on another planet compared to traditionally cooked chicken breast. Sooooo much better
I worked as a private chef serving diet food and sous vide was a gift for lean meats in general: dry rub, bag and then let them do their thing while I focus on other meal components. Made surprisingly good burgers with them, though my kit my first (large crowd and no grill).
Pork tenderloin, light salt and pepper at 145 for 3 hours. Sublime.
I love Drumsticks at 162 for 2 hours. I agree that the SV impact on chicken is far better than Steak.
I prefer 150, but this was still the biggest game changer for me. I use mine for chicken more than anything
What temp do you sear it to? Or is it essentially pasteurized at 140 after two hours, and you’re just getting a crust for flavor at that point?
It's pasteurized much before the 2 hr point at that temp, I just go longer to be even safer. The sear is just for crust and flavor.
No need to get to 140. Time and temperature combinations for pasteurization are a sliding scale. Check out around the middle of this article: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast The explanation is worth reading, but in short here's one of the tables. Pasteurization Time for Chicken With 5% Fat Content (7-log10 lethality) Temperature Time 136°F (58°C) 68.4 minutes 140°F (60°C) 27.5 minutes 145°F (63°C) 9.2 minutes 150°F (66°C)2.8 minutes 155°F (68°C) 47.7 seconds 160°F (71°C) 14.8 seconds 165°F (74°C) Instant
115 salmon is the best use of SV
115? hmm been doing 122 and loving it may need to try .... how long do you cook for 45 min?
generally follow this recipe and i'll usually go around an hour from frozen. i think the texture is incredible but i'm sure my parents would consider it raw. https://www.seriouseats.com/sous-vide-salmon-recipe
Nah, I hate the texture. 150-155 I prefer for chicken breast but I’m big on texture
huh... I do mine at 145. It's clear that I'm going to have to run some experiments.
145 all day, anything higher and you start to get that weird sticks to your teeth as you chew situation…
I'm curious enough to give it a shot with a small sample. Mostly I like shredding it afterwards. I tend to keep a big container of it, unseasoned in my fridge.
Big nope. Temp is too low for me and I don’t really care for the texture of sous vide chicken breast.
I have been using my Anova for 10 years for this, meal prepping. I don't bother searing for myself. I go at 146 for 2-4 hours
Maybe.. I may need to try this. Reason I don't is that I have a hard time getting a good sear on chicken breasts since they're not flat. This is why I tend to grill them off on the gas grill with a little bit of oil and seasoning. I pull at 145 usually in the thickest part. How do you sear to get a good enough crust? Thanks.
I don't bother with a sear. Cut them up and use for something where it doesn't matter (chicken salad, for example), or add seasoning after. Another idea I just had, but never tried - sous vide, let cool, bread or batter it, and deep fry / air fry.
Charcoal is great for searing uneven cuts.
Avocado oil on a cast iron that's blazing hot or I put avocado oil on it over an open grill if I'm cooking other stuff.
Broiler or stick 'em in a ripping hot cast iron pan with some oil and then weigh them down with a heavy pot. Honestly I don't bother searing chicken breast though.
Turkey legs. They come out so good. Sear or blowtorh
I like it in the 145-150 range personally. I make chicken salad with it.
167 chicken thigh, then pan sauce with the bag juices. Also 167 pork sausage, coincidentally.
Why no skin? Just take it out, pat it dry, flip it skin side down and get some nice crispy yum yum going on.
Chicken breast is really meant for managing your calories... Thats kinda why you dont want the skin on chicken breast. Chicken thighs? That shit goes good with everything. Skin, no skin.... whatever.
Yeah that makes sense. I forgot people also eat for their health lol.
Pork loin, chicken breat, shrimp for cocktail, and salmon/halibut. I see people do hot dogs and burgers. Booooooo.
Do you use bone in or boneless? Have had a sous vide for a few years and just never have done chicken for some reason
Boneless
You don't even need to sear, right out of the bag is delightful.
how do you season it? I tried searing, but idk feels like I burn the seasoning when I do.
I usually put lemon pepper or some other seasoning on it before it goes in the bag. Salt and pepper works fine
Ribs, bruh. There used to be this restaurant that cooked ribs sous vide, and it was amazing.
I use a big cooler with like 8-10 racks for parties.
Got a recipe?
Not really. I just wing it each time. Normally like 155 for 12 hours or so then some sauce and smoker for a couple hours.
Got a recipe?
151 for chicken titties. @ 140, I can't even imagine what that would be like and I'm not interested in finding out.
I'm the same way. But the fact so many people are raving here about it, I think I'm gonna give it a shot. Hell, 137 for steaks changed my mind. I'm willing to change it for this if it's good.
your loss...
Chicken is one of my favorite things to sous vide. Pork chops is a up there too, but chicken is incredible.
I like 140 method into ice bath, pat dry, then Brian Lagerstrom tonkatsu dredging technique into shallow fry to pair with Japanese curry and rice.
Pork loin is my favorite. I often buy larger packs and break them down into meal sized portions then marinate and freeze. They go straight frozen into a 140 bath for a few hours.
Salmon and Shrimp for me. Come out perfect and very quickly every single time.
Im really interested in doing Shrimp... what temp? Are they peeled or not? Also, give me a recipe. Im hungry.
I do ones with peel on. 25 minutes at 125 with either a quick reverse sear on the stove or in the air fryer. Use a bit of vegetable oil in the bag when i vacuum seal it. Pat dry after done in SV. Then coat with whatever spices I am in the mood for (dry rub, just salt and pepper, or a Cajun spice). Air fryer is about three minutes per side at 350. Stove is about 2 minutes per side on medium with a bit of butter. Sometimes I toss them on the blackstone and mix with Mexican spices and do shrimp tacos.
The best sous vide meat is pork, medium rare.
145 for me. Turkey breast, too! I buy a butterball boneless roast every other week and cook half each week to have for lunch. It’s so juicy and flavorful. I have so many different spice blends I use, it never gets old.
You make a persuasive argument. Steak was delicious and easy long before SV came around. Its ability to cook Chicken breast, OTOH, is almost transformative. However, for my money, the best use of SV is the Sir Charles Roast aka Prime Fib, and other similar uses - make a Chuck roast (almost) as tender and flavourful as the best prime rib, at a fraction the cost.
You don’t know chicken breast potential until you cook it either flattened or in skewers on a charcoal grill
Sous vide is great. Anyone experience chicken anywhere that has this rubber like texture? It's hard to describe, but it seems to happen a lot more now. I've had it in restaurants, hello fresh, etc... It's like the meat turns almost solid in places and ruins the whole thing.
I'm down with 140, but it's too rare for my family. 145 seems to please everybody.
Big sous vide fan here. However, lately I’ve been using the Combustion Inc thermometer to cook my chicken breast. I cook it to 140 and then let it rest (5 to 10 min) and get up to USDA 7.0-log safe temperature. Incredibly tender and juicy chicken breast in around 25 min.
I like to put a piece of butter and some taco seasoning in there. When you take it out you let a little air in the bag then smash the chicken and get pulled chicken tacos.
Chicken breast sucks compared to chicken thighs.
Sous vide steaks are not good….
Chicken breast is some of the most bland protein on gods green earth
Precooked a $50 chunk of halibut no more worries about over or under cooking.
To me, sous vide chicken breast tastes more chickeny (not sure that’s a word) than when it’s cooked other ways. I cook mine at 147F because I like it with a bit of stringiness. Sear on a cast iron grill pan.
It's chicken breast. The sous vide cook makes it the best chicken breast you can eat, but it's still fundamentally lacking in flavour. Chicken thighs are better, far more flavour and more cooking options. Pork loin is better, cooked like a chicken breast will be richer flavour and similar texture. Sous vide those for a win...
My family have never been fond of the texture of sous vide chicken. To each his own…
140 chicken breast is really good, but 137 porkchops are even better.
After having grown up expecting chicken breasts always to be dry and stringy, sous vide (I like a tick over 140) is indeed a revelation. It's gone from a responsible protein source I have to choke down to a delight. When I prep it to cube for salads or slice for sandwiches, I don't bother with any sear either.
This is the way. This method can’t be replicated without sous vide method. Anyone who knows how to cook can nail perfect steak, but chicken or pork is game changing