Sous-Vide Cooking #1 - The set-up & 48 hour beef ribs

I don't know if anyone out there reading this cooks using the sous-vide method. Someone must. The problem with living somewhere small like Tauranga is that it's hard to find people into the things you are.

I actually know not a single person doing this, certainly not any of my friends. Consequently, I've been discovering what to do by myself with only the internet for company... and I'm happy to share what I've learned. I have grown to be a big fan of this method - I would highly recommend you give it a crack! 

      

Sous-vide cooking is where you put your food inside a vacuum-sealed bag and then cook it submerged in water. Sorta boil-in-a-bag but with added subtlety.No actual boiling for a start. The whole point of this method is that the water will cook whatever is in it only up to the temperature of the water.

So if you want a steak with an internal temperature of 55/131 degrees (which is what it should be for a medium rare steak) you cook it in water at 55/131 degrees until it has time to cook through to that temperature. An hour or two depending on thickness. The steak can't overcook because it never gets any hotter than the desired end temperature. You can then hold the steak, put it in the fridge, or even freeze it till you need it. All you have to do at the last minute is sear it briefly and, voila, perfectly cooked steaks every time!

The added advantage of this method is that after a certain length of time whatever you're cooking starts to break down. Just as meat slow-cooked in a casserole gets more tender, so meat cooked sous-vide does the same. It just takes longer because of the low temperature.

My approach to exploring sous-vide cooking was to find the cheapest way I could do it at home since most restaurant set-ups, with “water baths" and all sorts of flash devices for mass production, were a bit out of my budget. And I just wanted to try it – I wasn't about to fork out hundreds for something I might decide I didn't like after all...

What I bought was a Living & Co sous vide “wand”, which looks a bit like a stick blender. I think it was $69 on special from The Warehouse. (I believe they have since been discontinued - I'm in the process of buying a new brand on TradeMe for $100 - I will report back!) 

It has a small element halfway down the stick which can be set to your desired temperature and a fan right at the bottom  that keeps the water circulating for a constant temperature.

Then I borrowed a cheap vacuum-sealer from a friend (who later gave it to me – thanks Deb!). I've since bought more vacuum bags for it, which were pretty cheap. And I've got a big preserving pot I use for making marmalade to use as the "bath".

And I have to report – it works brilliantly!

I've cooked all sorts of things in it, from pork chops to steaks, eggs and more. Most things like that need cooking for around an hour and a half (less for eggs).

But last week I went for broke and cooked some beef short ribs for 48 hours. 48 hours! This may be old news to y'all but it was a new experience for me. Short ribs, being a tougher cut, require much longer cooking to break down and become tender. Jan thought I was crazy and I was a bit worried the water might evaporate overnight but it was actually no problem. 

The reason for the extravagant timing was that I was lucky enough to buy some Wagyu short ribs (from First Light via Pak N Save Tauriko) and they were the most beautiful-looking marbled beef, so I thought they merited some extra time and love.

I seasoned them, vacuum-sealed them in a bag and then just put them in the water with no other flavourings, at 55 degrees. For 50 hours. Then I opened the bag, patted them dry, and fried them at very high heat for a minute each side to give them a char and a crust.

And I have to report that they were pretty much the best short ribs I've ever had – still medium rare, but also tender and incredibly richly-flavoured, like a fantastic steak but more unctuous. They were flat out sensational! 

YUM!

The timer hits "24 hours to go"!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, this was just a brief intro and mention of sous-vide cooking. There will be more, and more with more precise details.

(BTW, I served the short ribs with some homemade loquat BBQ sauce, potatoes braised in white wine with garlic and pepitos, and a fennel, cos, coriander, pecan and pineapple salad. I know, the pineapple sounds weird but it goes really well with the fruity BBQ sauce. And Jan likes it...)

NOTE: The sous vide "wand", which seemed a bit unhappy, did indeed die last week after cooking this. And, yes, they have been discontinued. I have bought a new one from Warkworth via Trade Me. It looks particularly groovy. Next up - pork chops, which are brilliant cooked sous vide!