« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)  (Read 2291 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline drholly

  • Member No Longer With Us
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10158
  • Brooklyn Park, MN
Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #-1 on: June 15, 2015, 05:30:15 PM »
Yeah, it's a unicorn cook (I try not to do too many of these.) Camera battery died...  ??? ::)

Emma (oldest daughter) and her BF wanted salmon. Lucky me, it was on sale at Lund's - fresh caught Alaskan. Not cheap, but it was a BOGO sale - what the heck.

Brined for 30 minutes in a simple salt / water brine.

I started the Anova and got the spa up to 135. I wanted to bathe the salmon in lemon, dill and olive oil. Believe it or not - no regular lemons at my grocery store. Ok, they had Meyer Lemons and Organic lemons all way out of my price league. So I bought some limes and dill.

Found a nice salmon filet - about 1.5#. Portioned into 6 sections (more folks showed up than expected...  :D ) Added three portions per bag with EVOO, sea salt, pepper, dill, lime zest and juice with a couple lime slices.

Tossed the bags into the spa for about 30 minutes. Also put some asparagus, carrots, and sliced green onions on a sheet pan with EVOO, salt & pepper in the oven @450 for 40 minutes (tossed a couple times while cooking.) Finally made some Basmati rice.

While Karen (my wife) wasn't excited (she only likes breaded fish) the girls and their BF's loved it. I think it went either a bit too long in the brine or the spa as it tended to break up as I took it out of the bag. I had wanted to sear the skin side, but it broke up so much I decided to just use my tongs to remove the skin.

It WAS actually very nice - more silky than flaky, but the flavor and texture were excellent.

There was a VERY LITTLE left this morning - added some capers and a chopped up hard boiled egg with a bagel - very nice!

Next up Rocky wants cod - promise to include pictures!
Logged
You can't catch a fish if you don't get a line wet...
Pit Barrel Cooker, Char Broil Electric Smoker, Charbroil Prototype Kettleman, Char Broil 500X, Blackstone Flat Top, Char-Broil SRG, Weber Performer, ANOVA sous vide device, Lodge Hibachi, Discada, Chimenea, fire pit, hunk of pink salt...
Member #

Offline Pappymn

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12342
Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« on: June 15, 2015, 06:34:58 PM »
Sounds like a great meal. I have a strong bias against seafood, I can't cook it, and then there is the smell. I get annoyed when the wife opens a can of tuna.  :(
I do enjoy fish and chips though.
Logged
Pappy

Proud Owner of Mak 2 Star General #1,000
Weber Performer
Blackstone SS Griddle
Member #109

Offline ACW3

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8397
  • Morganton, NC
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2015, 06:55:31 PM »
Doc,
It does sound good.  I can only imagine what it must have looked like.  I do have a mental image of the results since I love salmon.

Art
Logged
MAK 2 STAR (#171) Since RETIRED!
MAK 2 STAR (#4408)
Weber Kettle W/ Rotisserie
Uuni 2 Pizza Oven
Member #11

Offline drholly

  • Member No Longer With Us
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10158
  • Brooklyn Park, MN
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2015, 10:17:47 PM »
Pappy, sorry to hear about the seafood bias. I have to admit I would choose seafood over almost anything else. One of the best things about sous vide is the lack of smell - the house never smells like cooked / fried fish. Try some salmon or other fish sous vide, just might cure your bias...  ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D

Art, I love salmon as well and I have to say, as much as I like grilled or planked salmon, sous vide really is the way to go. With a big enough filet, I like to fry it skin down for just a minute to crisp up the skin - oh my goodness! I do have to say, I still prefer tuna steaks cooked just for a minute on each side over a screaming hot fire - I like Alton Brown's idea of using a charcoal chimney.

Rocky (my youngest) HATES fish - except she loves sous vide salmon and now wants to try cod... Emma (oldest) hated the idea of fish until I made her a rainbow trout stuffed with lemon and dill on an alder plank... now she loves trout, salmon, steelhead... but NOT breaded fish... go figure.

I am looking forward to trying some sous vide cod - never done it before, but Rocky wants some cod. Karen will be on her annual trip to Lake of the Woods, so we get to experiment this weekend...  ;D ;D ;D ;D
« Last Edit: June 15, 2015, 10:23:20 PM by drholly »
Logged
You can't catch a fish if you don't get a line wet...
Pit Barrel Cooker, Char Broil Electric Smoker, Charbroil Prototype Kettleman, Char Broil 500X, Blackstone Flat Top, Char-Broil SRG, Weber Performer, ANOVA sous vide device, Lodge Hibachi, Discada, Chimenea, fire pit, hunk of pink salt...
Member #

Offline muebe

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14918
  • Santa Clarita,Ca
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2015, 10:37:10 PM »
Sounds really good Doc!
Logged
Member #22
2 TBEs(1 natural gas & 1 LP gas)
OBS(Auberins dual probe PID, 900w finned element & convection fan mods)
2011 Memphis Select Pellet Smoker
Traeger PTG with PID
PBC
BBQ Grillware vertical smoker(oven thermostat installed & converted to natural gas)
Uuni 2 Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Offline 1Bigg_ER

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1973
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2015, 11:31:47 PM »
I have found that 135 for salmon is a bit high. I do mine at 125 for 40 minutes
Plus you added that lime juice, the acid breaks down fish quick. You'll get better flavor squeezing it after plating.
Did you vacuum seal? Fish hates that.
Either lightly vacuum without smashing the fish or use ziploc bag, seal using the water displacement.

You'll love SV cod, skip the vacuum seal and use a ziploc bag.
Logged
KARUBECUE!!
Weber WSM 14.5
Weber Performer Platinum
Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5 AKA Big Worm
PBC AKA The chicken whisperer

Offline drholly

  • Member No Longer With Us
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10158
  • Brooklyn Park, MN
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2015, 11:53:11 PM »
Bigg

Thank you for the comments and suggestions. Yeah, I thought about the lime (after the fact - I do make ceviche!) I bet you are right - nice slap upside the head!  ;D ;D

No, did not vacuum pack - used the zip lock / water displacement method seems to work the best with fish and moist ingredients - truth be told, I use almost all the time.

Looking forward to the cod tomorrow night after softball. Do you do that at 125 as well?

Thanks, again!

David
Logged
You can't catch a fish if you don't get a line wet...
Pit Barrel Cooker, Char Broil Electric Smoker, Charbroil Prototype Kettleman, Char Broil 500X, Blackstone Flat Top, Char-Broil SRG, Weber Performer, ANOVA sous vide device, Lodge Hibachi, Discada, Chimenea, fire pit, hunk of pink salt...
Member #

Offline 1Bigg_ER

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1973
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2015, 12:14:49 AM »
Quote from: drholly on June 17, 2015, 11:53:11 PM
Bigg

Thank you for the comments and suggestions. Yeah, I thought about the lime (after the fact - I do make ceviche!) I bet you are right - nice slap upside the head!  ;D ;D

No, did not vacuum pack - used the zip lock / water displacement method seems to work the best with fish and moist ingredients - truth be told, I use almost all the time.

Looking forward to the cod tomorrow night after softball. Do you do that at 125 as well?

Thanks, again!

David

I do cod at 132 for 30 minutes, i prefer brining first. http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=13425.0
Logged
KARUBECUE!!
Weber WSM 14.5
Weber Performer Platinum
Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5 AKA Big Worm
PBC AKA The chicken whisperer

Offline drholly

  • Member No Longer With Us
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10158
  • Brooklyn Park, MN
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2015, 02:34:01 AM »
Quote from: 1Bigg_ER on June 18, 2015, 12:14:49 AM
I do cod at 132 for 30 minutes, i prefer brining first. http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=13425.0

Thank you for the reminder link. I had looked at that earlier - I have not been able to find the kaffir lime leaf - what do you think about some ghee infused with lime zest and garlic?
Logged
You can't catch a fish if you don't get a line wet...
Pit Barrel Cooker, Char Broil Electric Smoker, Charbroil Prototype Kettleman, Char Broil 500X, Blackstone Flat Top, Char-Broil SRG, Weber Performer, ANOVA sous vide device, Lodge Hibachi, Discada, Chimenea, fire pit, hunk of pink salt...
Member #

Offline 1Bigg_ER

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1973
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2015, 10:13:33 AM »
Quote from: drholly on June 18, 2015, 02:34:01 AM
Quote from: 1Bigg_ER on June 18, 2015, 12:14:49 AM
I do cod at 132 for 30 minutes, i prefer brining first. http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=13425.0

Thank you for the reminder link. I had looked at that earlier - I have not been able to find the kaffir lime leaf - what do you think about some ghee infused with lime zest and garlic?
That's perfect!!
Logged
KARUBECUE!!
Weber WSM 14.5
Weber Performer Platinum
Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5 AKA Big Worm
PBC AKA The chicken whisperer

Offline thunndarr

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 24
Re: Salmon Sous Vide (Caution - Unicorn Cook)
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2015, 12:33:25 PM »
So...I know nothing about fish. I did a salmon fillet for the wife last night after we got the kids back from the county fair. I suggested salmon because I knew they didn't have to cook in the SV very long. So, I did mine at 122 for approx. 45 minutes, then finished with a cast iron pan sear. (I'd read to do anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, so I went a little on the cautious side.)Seasoned with salt/pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

The skin was crispy, but I don't really know how to judge the texture. To me, it seemed a little too tender. Taste was...Well, it's pretty hard to screw up. I'm not a seafood guy, but the wife loved it. I think I'll start revising the time downward incrementally until I get it where I want.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »