i'd love to get a machine--pricy little bugger (600) and takes up loads of counter space.
but the benefits seem so obvious to me and all the cooking shows i've watched over the years. just seals in flavor so nicely and you don't overcook at all.
And another thing ... uncooked meat should NEVER be frozen. The exception is when there is no choice to freeze meat - e.g. tuna or prawns - and even then the meat should be frozen in a commercial freezer. Home freezers damage meat during the freezing process.
I know, I know..... *holds head down* I was thinking that by using this technique and recipes put together by me, sealed and ready to go.....perhaps my wife would be able to put the prepackaged meals in at breakfast or lunchtime and be ready for both her and my son on those nights I'm not here.
I bought the SideKIC about a week ago. Wasn't crazy about the broccoli but It was my first time so user error was the likely problem.
Made Chicken Cordon Bleu that came out great.
One other thing that chefs do to even out the cooking is take the meat out for a period of time before cooking so as to allow the center of the meat to come up to the same temp as the outside.
One other thing that chefs do to even out the cooking is take the meat out for a period of time before cooking so as to allow the center of the meat to come up to the same temp as the outside.
One other thing that chefs do to even out the cooking is take the meat out for a period of time before cooking so as to allow the center of the meat to come up to the same temp as the outside.
One doesn't need to be a chef to come to that conclusion, although it surprises me still how many people slap a cold piece of beef on a hot grill. Then they wonder why that perfectly timed med-rare steak isn't actually med-rare.
One other thing that chefs do to even out the cooking is take the meat out for a period of time before cooking so as to allow the center of the meat to come up to the same temp as the outside.
Myles,
By that method the meat can only come to room temperature and it's going to take it's sweet old time getting there. That leaves quite a ways to go to reach even "rare." If you don't want to go SV, an alternate method recommended by Cook's Illustrated is to put the meat in a 250-degree oven until its internal temperature is 95 degrees. Then finish with a hot sear as suggested in this thread.
New York Times published a recipe for Ashkinaze Rub a couple weeks ago. Quite delicious.
Myles,
By that method the meat can only come to room temperature and it's going to take it's sweet old time getting there. That leaves quite a ways to go to reach even "rare." If you don't want to go SV, an alternate method recommended by Cook's Illustrated is to put the meat in a 250-degree oven until its internal temperature is 95 degrees. Then finish with a hot sear as suggested in this thread.
New York Times published a recipe for Ashkinaze Rub a couple weeks ago. Quite delicious.
Are you referring to Allen Bros. and this method ? I have never tried the slow & low cook then sear method. I have two Allen's 22 oz. dry-aged Porterhouses ready to try with this new method.
Hard to say. But ... in the interest of objectivism I picked up a ribeye on the way home this evening (my lovely wife had a business dinner, leaving me alone to conduct science).
From the butcher's cooler and sporting olive oil and the NYT Ashkinaze rub, the steak went into a 250-degree oven at a brick-like internal temperature of 49 degrees. In less than 15 minutes, it came out at a supple 95 degrees, then transferred quickly (STAT!) to a blazing infrared grill for a 2-minute/side sear. Results? Meat perfectly rare, the brown sugar in the rub beautifully carmelized.
This will vary according to the thickness of the steak, the ambient room temperature, and the nature of the surface the steak is resting on.
In any case, cooking steak from room temperature ONLY matters when you are cooking it via a single stage high heat method. This is because the delta-T between the interior of the steak and the surface is higher - it will take longer to bring it up to temperature. If it is a thick cut of steak, chances are the surface will be burnt and more of the steak will be overcooked before the interior is cooked. With a two stage cooking method (as I described in my first post) - you do not need to worry about starting cooking from the fridge. Yes it prolongs cooking time, but that's not really an issue. Chances are, the meat won't be overcooked because of the low delta-T.
Just FYI, this is what a steak cooked over high heat looks like. Note the thick rim of overcooked steak giving way to medium rare in the center. Also note the decorative stripes on the steak. IMO these stripes are a waste, because the potential for the Maillard reaction has not been maximized. I want the WHOLE surface of the steak to be caramelized, not just the bits that have touched the pan.
This is what a steak cooked over low heat looks like. Note that the meat is evenly set from surface to surface. Medium rare throughout, with only a very thin rim of overcooked meat just under the surface. THIS is what you achieve with the method I described in the first post.
