I’ve deleted a lot of food pictures from my devices but here are a couple more SV meals
Salmon mi cuit
Flap meat
Ok, I am drooling. That salmon looks awesome. Have you learned by trial and error or are there some good reference books out?
You made reference that the Bluetooth model is worthless, but there is now a wifi option. Can you tell me what you use the wifi for? Just to check the temperature?
I have a Sansaire that I’m happy with, but it seems like the Anova is more popular. The Sansaire doesn’t offer wifi or bluetooth or any of those bells and whistles, so if given the choice now I would probably go for the Anova, since you get the bells for the same price as the Sansaire.
As for sous vide cooking in general, there is a lot of good information available online, but I do a fair amount of experimenting and learning for myself what works and what doesn’t.
Read a lot on the net. Learned times/temps from more seasoned eGullet members
I’ll often google something I haven’t tried, review all the different methods and look for commonality and then learn from experience
There are some good websites and apps
Chef steps is a good website and app
Sous vide dash is an excellent app and highly recommended
I use Cambro polycarbonate or polypropylene containers with lids. A cut out in the lid for the device and sheet foam to cover and gaps around the device. You want to retain heat and reduce evaporation. Always start with water close to your target temp if you can. Hot tap works well. I use a UPS back up power supply just in case of a brief power interruption to be on the save side. Never want to come home and see the unit on stand by. Eek!!!
Also protect your contertop from prolonged heat. I use a wood cutting board under my containers.
If I got the new wifi anova I would use the wifi to check on the device and make changes in temp while away. The Bluetooth lets me do that from my couch. Worthless
Thanks, this is helpful. I appreciate all of the information.
The new Wifi Anova was ordered yesterday and to my surprise arrived today before 9! Guess I need to do some research on what to cook first. I have a couple of Cambro containers but need to figure out how to cut the top like you mention.
A 3 1/2 inch hole saw makes fast and clean work of it
Cool! Thank you.
I just measured the hole. I think I bought a 3" first and it was just a tad too small. The 3 1/2" is a tab bigger than the Anova but those were my only options at Home Depot. Maybe metric would come closer to a snug fit but a piece of thin foam packing sheet covers any gaps
I have a PolyScience unit but the newer ones seem to be cheaper and more high-tech. This device has done more to change the way I cook and eat than anything else I own (with the Vitamix being a close second).
Two other devices which I think are essential to go with the circulator are:
- a food sealer (I have a FoodSaver but if I had the space I would use a chamber sealer because it can seal with liquids
- a blow torch. (There’s also a device called a Searzall which people like but I haven’t tried yet: http://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO)
The cookbook I use most for sous vide is Modernist Cooking at Home by Nathan Myhrvold. It’s my reference to say how to cook all kinds of foods to the right temperature and how to hold to prepare safely.
The consummer PolySci devices are more expensive and are not as good as the Anova. I can’t imagine they sell many. The pro PolySci units were a game changer
At the end of the day the devices don’t do anything more than heat water and keep it at a constant temperature. Any of these devices will do the job.
If you’re doing a very temperature-sensitive biology experiment, the PolyScience pro devices would be useful for that use case.
The main reason the Anova has done much better for home use is that they brought down the price point dramatically. The UI is a bit more user friendly too. But the all work about the same for what’s needed in the kitchen.
I was commenting on the home unit PS put out about the time the first Anova came out. It was bright yellow and several people had heaters go out and wiring not hold up. They were also priced at about 2 X the Anova. William Sonoma was selling them at the time. Bad timing with a not that great product relative to the competition. I never hear of their home IC anymore but it’s still on their website. Your right it has a simple job to do but you want those two jobs to be pretty darn accurate
By game changer I mean the PS pro units were lab equipment but they changed how chefs started cooking when they adapted them to the kitchen arsenal of tools
Do you have a Searzall to go with?
You bet
I have now tried burgers to a perfect medium rare, seared off in a screaming cast iron skillet, French style scrambled eggs, poached eggs, and chicken breast. I have some short ribs waiting for their turn but my Cambro is on order to be delivered on Tuesday so for now I am using my enameled Dutch oven and sticking to items that need only a few hours in the bath. Thanks for the information. I am really looking forward to many more fun trials!
Edited to add the Searzall is now added to my Christmas list.
I don’t use the searzal as much as I thought I would. There is much disscussion of torch taste, where it really comes from and how to elimeninate it
I use a Benzomatic blow torch from Home Depot using MAPP gas. It blows very hot. People have said that, theoretically, MAPP could impart a taste to food, but I have never noticed anything close to an off taste, and I love the searing hot flame.
I actually do have a Searzall but realized I’d need to get a new blow torch to fit it, so have never bothered. I haven’t had much of a problem of diffusing the flame.