Sous Vide

[knk]

I have an anova circulator, which is great. I use the displacement method for sealing food in bags to cook but I wonder; can one put food like steaks which comes in a vac pack (usually sealed on a tray) straight into the sous vide?

[piecost76]

Good SV thread here:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[knk]

Thanks. Read that. Question not answered.

[21TonyK]

If its something factory packed then yes as the plastics should be able to withstand the temperature steak would be cooked at and it will be properly vacuumed. If it was done by a local butcher on a sealing machine I wouldn't trust it SV.

[Type R Tom]

I've done it before but you have to check it doesn't have one of those paper sponge things included for soaking up blood as I wouldn't want to cook that, although there may not be anything wrong. Obviously you can't season it either.

[knk]

21TonyK said:

If its something factory packed then yes as the plastics should be able to withstand the temperature steak would be cooked at and it will be properly vacuumed. If it was done by a local butcher on a sealing machine I wouldn't trust it SV.

Interesting. I would have less reservations on a butcher vac sealed steak than a factory tray and vac sealed one.

[21TonyK]

My only concern is the quality of the seal on some machines and poor vacuum. You don't want an exploding bag or one that leaks water in.

Tom makes a good point as well.

[Burgmeister]

This is an interesting proposition...one I hadn't thought of and it's now occurred to me that when I fire up the sous vide all I'm doing is repackaging meat that is essentially sous vide ready from the supermarket.

Downsides are lack of seasoning and whatever other gibbons you want to bung in and I find sous vide cooking takes flavour on rather well.

As others have mentioned you would be cooking the blood soaker thing but does that really matter?

Can the OP give it a go and report back?

[knk]

Burgmeister said:

This is an interesting proposition...one I hadn't thought of and it's now occurred to me that when I fire up the sous vide all I'm doing is repackaging meat that is essentially sous vide ready from the supermarket.

Downsides are lack of seasoning and whatever other gibbons you want to bung in and I find sous vide cooking takes flavour on rather well.

As others have mentioned you would be cooking the blood soaker thing but does that really matter?

Can the OP give it a go and report back?

Will do, tomorrow. Home alone so steak for brunch!

[C70R]

Lack of seasoning would be my only objection, unless you're buying pre-marinaded steak. Unseasoned sous-vide cooked beef just tastes bland to me.

[knk]

Yum! Worked well.

[Type R Tom]

That's a rather random order of photos! Nice sandwich though.

[bomb]

Steak, sous vide for 1h 30 mins at 54 degrees C. Finished in a hot pan.

Served with Asparagus, Mushroom, chips and Rocket/pea shoot salad.