Temperature experiment
Discussion
MrsSHPUB - Thank you so much. I will print this out and go shopping!
Last night on the lamb front:
Well. It was a qualified success. A half shoulder of lamb marinated overnight in red wine and a chopped red onion, cooked for 5 and half hours at 80C then 35 mins at 200C.
When I pulled it out of the first cooking it looked a bit unappetising to be honest and felt firmer under the fork than I expected. Perhaps my oven was at slightly too low a temp? So I poured off the, still alcoholic smelling!, red wine and onions and reserved some for a gravy. Then I put the joint in for it's final roast along with another dish of roast potatoes.
In that last half hour everything changed about the meat - the outside browned and it became meltingly soft. The texture of the lamb was absolutely wonderful against the crunchy roast potatoes and some steamed veg.
But I found the lamb flavour to be a bit lacking. Now I'm not sure what to blame for that. Could be I bought some tasteless lamb (it's happened before). Could be the overnight marinating in wine leached flavour instead of adding it - but the gravy I made was good! Maybe too good! Could be the long, slow cook at 80C leached flavour into the wine/gravy too.
So. Next time I am going to go with just a tiny cupful of water in the bottom instead of half a bottle of wine and see where things stand. I'm also thinking that this idea requires a really tasty bit of meat to really work. Perhaps hogget instead of lamb or even mutton!
Last night on the lamb front:
Well. It was a qualified success. A half shoulder of lamb marinated overnight in red wine and a chopped red onion, cooked for 5 and half hours at 80C then 35 mins at 200C.
When I pulled it out of the first cooking it looked a bit unappetising to be honest and felt firmer under the fork than I expected. Perhaps my oven was at slightly too low a temp? So I poured off the, still alcoholic smelling!, red wine and onions and reserved some for a gravy. Then I put the joint in for it's final roast along with another dish of roast potatoes.
In that last half hour everything changed about the meat - the outside browned and it became meltingly soft. The texture of the lamb was absolutely wonderful against the crunchy roast potatoes and some steamed veg.
But I found the lamb flavour to be a bit lacking. Now I'm not sure what to blame for that. Could be I bought some tasteless lamb (it's happened before). Could be the overnight marinating in wine leached flavour instead of adding it - but the gravy I made was good! Maybe too good! Could be the long, slow cook at 80C leached flavour into the wine/gravy too.
So. Next time I am going to go with just a tiny cupful of water in the bottom instead of half a bottle of wine and see where things stand. I'm also thinking that this idea requires a really tasty bit of meat to really work. Perhaps hogget instead of lamb or even mutton!
Nefarious said:
Verdict - successful proof of concept, but needs work.
The meat was a smidgen overcooked,which I put down to two factors:
1) I couldn't get the oven to sustain a temp lower than about 70-75C with the lower oven on for the wedges/mushrooms/toms.
2) The texture of the meat after roasting was very soft and it tricked me into giving it about a minute each side in the skillet - mistake.
Second time round, I think I'll pre-heat the top oven, but then let the rediual heat from the bottom oven do the work (I reckon 60-65C is the ideal temp). The steaks really only then need literally showing the hot pan - in....out...rest...serve.
This could be really *really* good with a bit of practice...
agreed this could be amazing after a few practice attempts. The meat was a smidgen overcooked,which I put down to two factors:
1) I couldn't get the oven to sustain a temp lower than about 70-75C with the lower oven on for the wedges/mushrooms/toms.
2) The texture of the meat after roasting was very soft and it tricked me into giving it about a minute each side in the skillet - mistake.
Second time round, I think I'll pre-heat the top oven, but then let the rediual heat from the bottom oven do the work (I reckon 60-65C is the ideal temp). The steaks really only then need literally showing the hot pan - in....out...rest...serve.
This could be really *really* good with a bit of practice...
i had a fillet steak last night, oiled/seasoned and wrapped in foil and bunged in the oven for 3hrs at 65degC, then given 20secs a side in a skillet.
was really good but not as good as i'd hoped. the fat hadn't broken down and the meat was not that much better than the fillet i had last week that had been cooked only on the skillet.
i think i need an external thermometer and a decent butcher before going any further.
Sorry guys I should of taken pictures but I did the slow cooked Fillet beef last Saturday after watching it on Sat Kitchen. After browning off in a pan, left to cool, wrapped in cling film (which didn't feel right as I was doing it) it went in a low 70c oven for just over an hour then a quick flash fry back in the pan and it was perfect.
There was even a bit left over which was had cold the next day and it was so soft it felt like it was dissolving on your tongue.....man I'm hungry now
There was even a bit left over which was had cold the next day and it was so soft it felt like it was dissolving on your tongue.....man I'm hungry now
Don, I think you're right. I also don't know if foil is the best thing for use as a wrap, but can't see the advantage of vac packing it ala HB.
I think my next lamb will be at 80deg for 8-10hrs, and might try a joint of sirloin cooked long & low then sliced to size prior to the skillet. Problem with this is I can't eat a full joint to myself.
I think my next lamb will be at 80deg for 8-10hrs, and might try a joint of sirloin cooked long & low then sliced to size prior to the skillet. Problem with this is I can't eat a full joint to myself.
Healey73 said:
Sorry guys I should of taken pictures but I did the slow cooked Fillet beef last Saturday after watching it on Sat Kitchen. After browning off in a pan, left to cool, wrapped in cling film (which didn't feel right as I was doing it) it went in a low 70c oven for just over an hour then a quick flash fry back in the pan and it was perfect.
There was even a bit left over which was had cold the next day and it was so soft it felt like it was dissolving on your tongue.....man I'm hungry now
I'm going to attempt this today but I'm concerned about the cling film. The one I have in kitchen at the moment specifically says not to use in a conventional oven. Is there another type of cling film to use or is it that the oven temperature will be so low that it won't melt?There was even a bit left over which was had cold the next day and it was so soft it felt like it was dissolving on your tongue.....man I'm hungry now
The Dude said:
Actually, I've just set up an experiment with a balled-up piece of bread wrapped in cling film. Just put it in the oven @ 60-70 degrees. Better to melt cling film (if it's going to happen) onto a piece of stale bread than a £50 piece of beef!
Good plan, I checked a few boxes of film in the supermarket and they all said the same but my mum said she had some catering stuff that could be used at lower oven temps, it worked but she couldnt remember where she got it from. Good luck with the experimentOh man, it was ace! 
Had to do some fiddling with the oven temperature control though. Put the filet in for 45 minutes on what should be 60 degrees but when I tested with the meat thermometer it was only 45 degrees. So I turned up the oven a notch and put it back in for another 10 minutes. This time it was 52. So back in again at a slightly higher temperature. Third time lucky, it was 59 degrees.
When I do it again I'll double-wrap with cling film as there was a lot of juices released during cooking and the twisted ends of the cling film were buckling under the pressure.
Meat was unbelievably tender and, considering there was no seasoning, unbelievably tasty too - really beefy taste, it's odd
Something I'll definitely repeat, especially as I've got the right oven setting now.
Had to do some fiddling with the oven temperature control though. Put the filet in for 45 minutes on what should be 60 degrees but when I tested with the meat thermometer it was only 45 degrees. So I turned up the oven a notch and put it back in for another 10 minutes. This time it was 52. So back in again at a slightly higher temperature. Third time lucky, it was 59 degrees.
When I do it again I'll double-wrap with cling film as there was a lot of juices released during cooking and the twisted ends of the cling film were buckling under the pressure.
Meat was unbelievably tender and, considering there was no seasoning, unbelievably tasty too - really beefy taste, it's odd
Something I'll definitely repeat, especially as I've got the right oven setting now.
Pferdestarke said:
The Dude said:
Oh man, it was ace!
Meat was unbelievably tender and, considering there was no seasoning, unbelievably tasty too - really beefy taste, it's odd
Sounds good and I will be trying it tonight. Why did you not season it though?Meat was unbelievably tender and, considering there was no seasoning, unbelievably tasty too - really beefy taste, it's odd
Next time I would add a little seasoning before frying the meat for the second time.
The Dude said:
Pferdestarke said:
The Dude said:
Oh man, it was ace!
Meat was unbelievably tender and, considering there was no seasoning, unbelievably tasty too - really beefy taste, it's odd
Sounds good and I will be trying it tonight. Why did you not season it though?Meat was unbelievably tender and, considering there was no seasoning, unbelievably tasty too - really beefy taste, it's odd
Next time I would add a little seasoning before frying the meat for the second time.
Chim Girl said:
The Dude said:
Pferdestarke said:
The Dude said:
Oh man, it was ace!
Meat was unbelievably tender and, considering there was no seasoning, unbelievably tasty too - really beefy taste, it's odd
Sounds good and I will be trying it tonight. Why did you not season it though?Meat was unbelievably tender and, considering there was no seasoning, unbelievably tasty too - really beefy taste, it's odd
Next time I would add a little seasoning before frying the meat for the second time.
Yeah, that coincides with what I'd read about the technique, hence I didn't season it at all just to get a gauge.
I've just had one of the most enjoyable steaks ever! Cling film, salt, pepper, 60c for one hour, seared on a griddle for 45 seconds each side. No resting as there's no need. Green beans with butter and some caremelised onion chutney.
Even pinkness all the way through, meltingly tender. Most impressed.
I do hope I haven't just contracted botulism!
Sous Vide is the way forward. I might take the kettle to bits and install the element in the bath to cook whole animals!
Even pinkness all the way through, meltingly tender. Most impressed.
I do hope I haven't just contracted botulism!
Sous Vide is the way forward. I might take the kettle to bits and install the element in the bath to cook whole animals!
Pferdestarke said:
Sous Vide is the way forward. I might take the kettle to bits and install the element in the bath to cook whole animals!
I'm already down that route, I never thought about electrifying the bath, great idea..! Instead I enlisted the help of a clever engineer to make the controller/temp sensor that works with my rice cooker. The results have been outstanding, although there have been a few mistakes made along the way; over seasoning, herbs leeching a green tint to the meat. However, no botulism - thankfully!Chim Girl said:
Pferdestarke said:
Sous Vide is the way forward. I might take the kettle to bits and install the element in the bath to cook whole animals!
I'm already down that route, I never thought about electrifying the bath, great idea..! Instead I enlisted the help of a clever engineer to make the controller/temp sensor that works with my rice cooker. The results have been outstanding, although there have been a few mistakes made along the way; over seasoning, herbs leeching a green tint to the meat. However, no botulism - thankfully!
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