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Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

nytimes.com

31–40 of 62 posts

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#31
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is somewhat fascinating how much the tech community seems to strive to try to solve non-problems. In this case, poaching or hard boiling an egg is so utterly simple, done in mere minutes, that it is simply impossible that this device could make it easier. And the grotesque proposed waste of energy borders on the absurd. And then, after you've had your perfectly cooked eggs that you presumably had to hop out of bed…

"In this case, poaching or hard boiling an egg is so utterly simple, done in mere minutes, that it is simply impossible that this device could make it easier. And the grotesque proposed waste of energy borders on the absurd." said like someone who has never used the sous vide cooking method. this is about precise cooking, which yeilds very specific results; it's very different than your 'toss a bunch of eggs into boi…

this is about precise cooking, which yields very specific results

This is exactly what I'm talking about when I mention people intentionally making simple things difficult. Do you think someone, somewhere was sitting eating a hard (or soft, or variations thereof. Apologies if there was confusion on this) boiled egg and thought "Boy, this really is terrible. I sure wish it was..."? Do you think that was what yielded the invention of sous vide cooking? Are hard boiled eggs a current culinary problem?

No, they aren't. The argument borders on comical. Adding a "Duh!" to denigrate the notion that this is ridiculous easy doesn't prove your point. Further the steaks look absolutely vile (they look like texture monotony, which generally isn't a good result).

Sous vide came about in high volume kitchens. It wasn't because it yielded better results, but because it allowed for in-advance preparation, allowing the kitchen to toss little salmon meal baggies in hot water on spikes in orders, versus preparing it from scratch. It was a "traffic smoothing" technique, not an exercise for better results. In the classic "copy the chef" exercise, people emulated something for all the wrong reasons.

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#32
post #22

My perfect Sous Vide machine would be a Mellow[0] with an API. I want to throw some eggs (or other breakfast items) in the Mellow at night, it flips to a refrigerate option, and then hooks up with my alarm (physical or on phone) to make sure the eggs start cooking a few minutes before I wake up, so they're perfect when I roll out of bed. Then I'll empty the machine, throw dinner in, and it'll automatically be ready b…

It is somewhat fascinating how much the tech community seems to strive to try to solve non-problems. In this case, poaching or hard boiling an egg is so utterly simple, done in mere minutes, that it is simply impossible that this device could make it easier. And the grotesque proposed waste of energy borders on the absurd. And then, after you've had your perfectly cooked eggs that you presumably had to hop out of bed…

Hard-boiling an egg is trivial. Soft-boiling an egg, or making a perfect poached egg, is non-trivial; it's a finesse task. And doing it once or twice is one thing, but plating 10-20 for a bunch is another.

Also: your definition of "a perfect steak" is different from mine. You either like a little overcooked steak or a little undercooked steak (or maybe a lot of either), because you can't get uniform doneness in a cast-iron skillet and an oven.

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#33
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"In this case, poaching or hard boiling an egg is so utterly simple, done in mere minutes, that it is simply impossible that this device could make it easier. And the grotesque proposed waste of energy borders on the absurd." said like someone who has never used the sous vide cooking method. this is about precise cooking, which yeilds very specific results; it's very different than your 'toss a bunch of eggs into boi…

this is about precise cooking, which yields very specific results This is exactly what I'm talking about when I mention people intentionally making simple things difficult. Do you think someone, somewhere was sitting eating a hard (or soft, or variations thereof. Apologies if there was confusion on this) boiled egg and thought "Boy, this really is terrible. I sure wish it was..."? Do you think that was what yielded t…

Yes, I do think that. Hard-boiled eggs are gross. Set egg yolks are gross. An egg white that is even slightly undercooked is also disgusting. There's a relatively narrow band of doneness in which eggs are good. You sound less like an advocate of simplicity and more like, as Dave Arnold would put it, "an enemy of quality". :)

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i guess you didnt understand my point. you do not obtain the same result in a pan as you do via sous vide. one does not replace the other. have you ever used a sous vide machine? if you had, you'd probably better understand the point im making.

Yup, I have a sous vide setup. I don't use it. It's neat to do the eggs once or twice. I don't find it to be practical.

You're the first person who (a) evidently cooks a lot and (b) has a water bath setup that I've ever seen call it "impractical". It is vastly more practical than a smart frying pan; among other things, it cooks unattended, the same way a crock pot does.

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#35
post #22

My perfect Sous Vide machine would be a Mellow[0] with an API. I want to throw some eggs (or other breakfast items) in the Mellow at night, it flips to a refrigerate option, and then hooks up with my alarm (physical or on phone) to make sure the eggs start cooking a few minutes before I wake up, so they're perfect when I roll out of bed. Then I'll empty the machine, throw dinner in, and it'll automatically be ready b…

It is somewhat fascinating how much the tech community seems to strive to try to solve non-problems. In this case, poaching or hard boiling an egg is so utterly simple, done in mere minutes, that it is simply impossible that this device could make it easier. And the grotesque proposed waste of energy borders on the absurd. And then, after you've had your perfectly cooked eggs that you presumably had to hop out of bed…

There are some secondary advantages to sous-vide prep, like being able to hold the finished steak at temperature until you're ready to serve.

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#36
post #22

My perfect Sous Vide machine would be a Mellow[0] with an API. I want to throw some eggs (or other breakfast items) in the Mellow at night, it flips to a refrigerate option, and then hooks up with my alarm (physical or on phone) to make sure the eggs start cooking a few minutes before I wake up, so they're perfect when I roll out of bed. Then I'll empty the machine, throw dinner in, and it'll automatically be ready b…

It is somewhat fascinating how much the tech community seems to strive to try to solve non-problems. In this case, poaching or hard boiling an egg is so utterly simple, done in mere minutes, that it is simply impossible that this device could make it easier. And the grotesque proposed waste of energy borders on the absurd. And then, after you've had your perfectly cooked eggs that you presumably had to hop out of bed…

I want to put that phone-connected 'intelligent pan' in a 500 degree oven for 500 hours.

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#37
post #36
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is somewhat fascinating how much the tech community seems to strive to try to solve non-problems. In this case, poaching or hard boiling an egg is so utterly simple, done in mere minutes, that it is simply impossible that this device could make it easier. And the grotesque proposed waste of energy borders on the absurd. And then, after you've had your perfectly cooked eggs that you presumably had to hop out of bed…

I want to put that phone-connected 'intelligent pan' in a 500 degree oven for 500 hours.

Pantelligent is not oven safe. (Modern semiconductor electronics do not operate at such temperatures.)

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#38
post #32
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is somewhat fascinating how much the tech community seems to strive to try to solve non-problems. In this case, poaching or hard boiling an egg is so utterly simple, done in mere minutes, that it is simply impossible that this device could make it easier. And the grotesque proposed waste of energy borders on the absurd. And then, after you've had your perfectly cooked eggs that you presumably had to hop out of bed…

Hard-boiling an egg is trivial. Soft-boiling an egg, or making a perfect poached egg, is non-trivial; it's a finesse task. And doing it once or twice is one thing, but plating 10-20 for a bunch is another. Also: your definition of "a perfect steak" is different from mine. You either like a little overcooked steak or a little undercooked steak (or maybe a lot of either), because you can't get uniform doneness in a cas…

As I addressed in the other comment, yes, indeed, this is a technique built for traffic spikes. It is not a technique made for cooking breakfast.

As to steak, just to be clear (since there seems to be a lot of misinformation in here), the best New York City steakhouses grill steaks in a 1800 degree broiler. This is a heat that is difficult to obtain at home, so the sear+oven actually yields a wonderful, very uniform doneness. I suspect you've never tried it, have zero experience with it, but nonetheless pass judgment on it? Why is that?

As someone who has eaten the most expensive steaks, at the most expensive steak houses in the world, I think it's quite fantastic. I guess I defer to your judgment though?

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#39
post #33
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this is about precise cooking, which yields very specific results This is exactly what I'm talking about when I mention people intentionally making simple things difficult. Do you think someone, somewhere was sitting eating a hard (or soft, or variations thereof. Apologies if there was confusion on this) boiled egg and thought "Boy, this really is terrible. I sure wish it was..."? Do you think that was what yielded t…

Yes, I do think that. Hard-boiled eggs are gross. Set egg yolks are gross. An egg white that is even slightly undercooked is also disgusting. There's a relatively narrow band of doneness in which eggs are good. You sound less like an advocate of simplicity and more like, as Dave Arnold would put it, "an enemy of quality". :)

A "six minute egg" has been a benchmark for literally centuries. Apologies if there is confusion, but when I say "hard boiled", I mean all doneness levels of boiled eggs.

Re: Bringing Sous Vide to the Home Cook

#40
If you have a rice cooker, you can make some incredible fall off the bone slow-cooked ribs.

Recipe:

1) toss in ingredients

2) hit the cook switch

3) leave it till the next evening and enjoy

It's basically a slow cooker, but you might already have it if you cook lots of rice at home

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