I tried sous-vide with my thermie tonight!

[Buttercups]

After reading a few threads and being curious, I tried sous-vide preparing eye fillet tonight.  Oh my! 

I got Pierre (my thermie) up to 70 degrees. I was a bit worried about 60 degrees being too low. 

I then put in 2 pieces of vacuum-sealed eye fillet and waited till temperature came back to 70 degrees, and then set the timer for 60 minutes (i saw on recipe community (I think, I couldn't find it again) that someone had tried it on 60 degrees for 60 minutes on speed 2.  I wasn't too comfortable with 60 degrees though.   After 60 minutes took it out, seared all sides to caramelise the outsides and rested for 10 minutes while I made the sauce in Pierre.  I served with roast veg and fresh brocollini and a green peppercorn\brandy\cream sauce - Amazing.  The insides looked like beautiful medium-rare steak and it was so tender.

I used a meat thermometer and when I put it on the plates after resting it was still 68 degrees and I was comfortable with that.

We were able to cut with a butter knife, It was moist, flavoursome and wonderful.  I didn't take pics this time as I wanted to taste and see if it was a win or a fail and can definitely report it is a win that I'll be repeating   Next time I'll take pictures to share.

I can't wait to try this on salmon, fish and chicken.   

I love finding a new use for my thermie!

[Aussie Brenda]

I did a similar thing with a piece of marinated pork it was so delicious and I have steamed a piece of beef, so juicy.

[cookie1]

You clever things. It is something I still have to get brave enough to try.

[Buttercups]

Hi Brenda, It is a great way to have tender steak isn't it?  I hadn't even thought of pork - you've given me something new to think about!

Cookie, I was worried about the temperature thing for a long time, I was just as worried when I first got a slow cooker. My mum is a chef and we were always taught very strict hygiene rules, because of a kidney issue I've a compromised immune system so extra careful.

When my mum did her last OH&S class I went through the material and learnt about cleaning, temps, etc so I knew 60 degrees to souse-vide at should be safe but wanted to see how 70 degrees went first and I was pretty happy.  If thermie could do 65 degrees I'd probably settle on that. 

Now that I know just how tasty it was, I can't wait to try seafood next, it's coming up to summer so a lemon-grass infused salmon with a fresh salad sounds perfect!

[obbie]

Glad it went it well.

[Yvette]

That's great Buttercups, did you put any liquid in with the steaks? and how much water did you use? I have vac sealed and used the varoma for cooking steak, this sounds interesting too. Speed 2 did you say?

[Halex]

Well done, too scared here too.

Is the taste that much better than using a scanpan tray?

H

[Yvette]

It is usually tenderer is that a word?

[judydawn]

    More tender Yvette but we make up words as we go here

[Yvette]

Yes that sounds better Judy because I am at work I have to think and type fast sometimes in between calls so the brain doesn't always work as quick as I would like it 

[obbie]

Yvette, that sounds like me, here between phone calls...

[Yvette]

Yes Robyn so we both have an excuse if we stuff up

[Buttercups]

The meat was amazingly tender, no toughness to it at all, even more though it was so flavoursome.  I seared quickly because I prefer the look and taste of the outside to be caramelised. 

I didn't vacuum seal the meat with any other liquid because I knew I was making the green peppercorn sauce and couldn't decide what a nice marinade might be with it.  As this was my first time I also wanted to make it a fair test by just trying it plain, if it gave the meat a weird taste I wanted to be able to pick up on it. Turns out my fears were for nought - there aren't words to describe just how good it was.

I put the vacuum-sealed meat into the basket and then filled the jug up with water. Took the basket out, brought the temp to 70 degrees, put the basket in, waited for temp to come back to 70 degrees, set the timer for 60 minutes. Took it out, seared the meat, then let it rest while I made the sauce - so very tasty and good!

I actually had the leftover meat in sauce for breakfast this morning, and even cold it was still so tender and tasty, I barely needed to chew  !  I'm so happy that it was such a success!!! 

I'm thinking for a chicken salad that I'd marinate the chicken breast with a citrus sauce, yummy! You could probably do a lemon\dill mix for salmon as well.  I'm going to try everything that i can fit in the basket   Next time I'll definitely take pics to share.

[Yvette]

Thanks Buttercups might try over the next few weeks.

[judydawn]

Your experimenting will get us all thinking Buttercups, thanks for you input here and l look forward to reviews of the chicken and salmon in due course.  If someone gets it right, we all tend to follow their instructions and yours are certainly clear and precise.