SousVide reverse sear ??

[CaptJack]

....

[LostArrow]

I've used both a cast iron skillet & a charcoal fire with grates only 1 in from coals.
Try the broiler with something cheap
I've measured the temps in multiple locations in my crock pot & the temps are close enough for Government work!

[muebe]

have any of you used your oven broiler?
or your oven on 500°?
to put a finish on a SousVide cook?

I just ordered a Dorkfood controller to use with my electric roaster.

muebe- I understand that you added you aquarium bubbler to help circulate the water
and your reasoning is that there are hot spots from the heating element...
but most Crockpots and electric roasters have an inner liner of either ceramic or a metal pan (in a roaster)
they both seem to have pretty uniform heating in the cooker?
do you notice a difference in your cooks using the bubbler?

I have never used the oven or broiler. I figure the heated ambient air may ruin the perfectly cooked product. A finished Sous Vide protein is getting a finish sear for flavor and so it looks more appealing. The meat is usually not that great looking coming out of the bag. But the taste is just fantastic!

There is a natural circulation that is created in the water by the hotter and cooler water. I use the aquarium bubbler to help stimulate this process. When cooking large items the circulation can be inhibited by the item so something to stimulate the movement of the water helps. An aquarium bubbler stone and pump is a really cheap investment IMHO.

[teesquare]

have any of you used your oven broiler?
or your oven on 500°?
to put a finish on a SousVide cook?

Jack - I thought about it on a 4" thick ribeye roast ( prime rib...) but my concern was that in an oven - you are heating the environment - not the food item directly. So I was thinking that might over cook something that I was already near or at the target IT for that food.
So - I went with a screaming hot cast urn skillet, and a fast sear, and flip 1 minute or less per side. Worked great. Edge to edge even color on the inside of the meat Not grey fading toward pink in the middle.

I just ordered a Dorkfood controller to use with my electric roaster.

muebe- I understand that you added you aquarium bubbler to help circulate the water
and your reasoning is that there are hot spots from the heating element...
but most Crockpots and electric roasters have an inner liner of either ceramic or a metal pan (in a roaster)
they both seem to have pretty uniform heating in the cooker?
do you notice a difference in your cooks using the bubbler?

I measured a variation in temps in the Aqua Chef Sous Vide cooker that i used. It was a difference of 5-6 degrees F. in top to bottom temps. I think the idea for the bubbler or a tiny pump is to encourage even temps top to bottom, and end to end. It couldn't hurt...( like chicken soup )

[muebe]

Jack is right about the crockpot having very even temps Tee. The testing I did without the bubbler showed even temps everywhere. The glazed ceramic interior creates a nice even heat distribution and the element almost completely encircles the bottom.

The housing of your Sous Vide cooker probably is not like a crock pot and requires circulation for even temps.

[muebe]

I use my broiler quite a bit, but always with the oven door open
it really isn't holding that much heat
just the infrared effect of the electric broiling element
when I get my Dork I'll do the experiment with the broiler element

Door open makes sense. Then your getting infrared energy only. But how far into the meat does the infrared energy penetrate?

I guess you will find out once you start testing for yourself.

[LostArrow]

my Crockpot is digital so it won't work with the Dorkfood controller
so this is going to be my SousVide cooker
I picked it at the grocery store last Thanksgiving for $20 with a coupon
since they come with a wire rack that stands proud of the bottom it should have great circulation
and I should be able to do a whole packer in it, no problem

Jack I'm thinking about buying a roaster this fall for mass producing cooks.
We use a roaster @ hunting camp for cooking for a group & fondly call it a "Cat Coffin"

[muebe]

Jack the Dorkfood DSV has a max output load of 15 amps so the cooker you have at 1450W should not be an issue. So the max resistive load should come out to 1800W.

Looks like 17 quarts should be plenty for anything you want to cook Sous Vide!

My crockpot is a 8 quart model and pulls in a hefty 300W

And as far as my brisket I agree with doing the cold smoke instead. Also agree with the moisture being pulled back into the meat at it cools. I think I would have been better off just placing it in the fridge still bagged and then searing/slicing the following day.

The sliced stuff I am eating that is left over is very moist, flavorful, and tender. A majority of the juices I put in the ziplock bag with the sliced brisket have been re-absorbed back into the meat. This proves that method works.

The next time I make a brisket flat I will cold smoke it. Then season, bag, and sous vide. Remove the bag from the bath then immediately put in the ice bath/refrigerate overnight. Sear the following day, slice and serve. I think that might be the ticket to get that perfect brisket using the sous vide method.

I don't have room for a whole packer but I imagine a whole packer would come out amazing using Sous Vide!

[spuds]

My chuck is 19 hours in and seems like a lot of juice,I will weigh in the end to see.

We have a turkey roaster too,seems that would be ideal with the 151F called for in the sausage threads.

We dug out an old slow cooker with heavy ceramic,temps very even too.

[LostArrow]

My chuck is 19 hours in and seems like a lot of juice,I will weigh in the end to see.

We have a turkey roaster too,seems that would be ideal with the 151F called for in the sausage threads.

We dug out an old slow cooker with heavy ceramic,temps very even too.

The juice is a great base for gravy!

[Las Vegan Cajun]

My chuck is 19 hours in and seems like a lot of juice,I will weigh in the end to see.

We have a turkey roaster too,seems that would be ideal with the 151F called for in the sausage threads.

We dug out an old slow cooker with heavy ceramic,temps very even too.

The juice is a great base for gravy!

^^^^^Agree, it makes a great gravy. 

[spuds]

My chuck is 19 hours in and seems like a lot of juice,I will weigh in the end to see.

We have a turkey roaster too,seems that would be ideal with the 151F called for in the sausage threads.

We dug out an old slow cooker with heavy ceramic,temps very even too.

The juice is a great base for gravy!

I'll bet it does indeed!

^^^^^Agree, it makes a great gravy. 

[teesquare]

LA: "Jack I'm thinking about buying a roaster this fall for mass producing cooks.
We use a roaster @ hunting camp for cooking for a group & fondly call it a "Cat Coffin""

Errr...let's tell the truth...we are talking' 'bout Mississippi...I think you meant to say 'Possum Coffin"....

[cookiecdcmk]

Capt Jack:  I finally ordered the Dork controller.  I also have on order an 18 quart oven roaster like you have.  Are there any tips you can give me on using this set up correctly?  Such things as temperature probe positioning, use of water circulation devices, temperature setting of the roaster, etc.?  I would appreciate any information as you obviously have put this system through it paces.

[spuds]

Havent used the roaster yet,but my crockpot keeps remarkably even temps,very impressed how well it works.

Go get em cookie,just read the temp/time threads and its pretty hard to mess up