Best Sous Vide to get started with?

[orangebiker]

I have the insta-pot version. I think I went with it because of price and reviews. I like it, I use it a lot, and it's never failed me.

 

[Ostrichsak]

As someone who has been touting the sous vide bandwagon for many years now I've got some things to add based on my experience.

I've tried several offerings and the current Anova offering is my favorite for what you get versus what you pay. You mentioned buy one cry once and I would say that you will want to get the WiFi version. You may not use it right away but if you don't get a device that has it you'll likely wish you had at some point.

I use the WiFi on my quite frequently. One cool way I use this is frozen steaks, chops, whatever in conjunction with a garage sale cooler I bought. I used a bandsaw to saw the lid in half and then a hole saw the size of the precision cooker and the end result is a container that not only doesn't let heat out when cooking but also keeps things cold which opens up options. More details later.

I buy in bulk when on sale and then vacuum seal them individually for freezing. If I know that we're going to want steaks for instance for dinner I will take them out of the freezer, place them in my modified cooler (I have one smaller one for a couple of steaks and then one larger that can fit a brisket, crab legs, etc.) and fill it with ice tot he top. I then top off with water and let it sit on the counter all day. About 2 hours before the time we will be eating I can open the Anova app on my phone and with a couple of quick taps set the temp to 130deg. It will thaw the ice first and then bring the water up to temp cooking the steak. When I get home all I have to do is heat up a skillet or whatever method I want to use for searing it before sitting down to eat. This use case alone is priceless and there's really no other way to do this and have the perfect results it offers along with the flexibility for a busy lifestyle.

You'll want a decent vacuum sealer if you don't yet have one. You can get by with simply lowering a Ziploc bag into water with the meat in it and zipping it up once the air has escaped but a vacuum sealer is ideal. I've got an ancient Food Saver that I think I paid $50ish for that has fit the bill fine. I'm tempted to upgrade but, if it ain't broke....

I will add more later but there's SO many uses for these things. Done properly, something even as simple as a hard boiled egg done properly can completely change the experience. It can be as useful as you want it to be. Like most tools in the toolbox, it's nice to have options when you need them but knowing how to use them properly for each case is important to a positive experience.

 

[Jim6820]

As someone who has been touting the sous vide bandwagon for many years now I've got some things to add based on my experience.

I've tried several offerings and the current Anova offering is my favorite for what you get versus what you pay. You mentioned buy one cry once and I would say that you will want to get the WiFi version. You may not use it right away but if you don't get a device that has it you'll likely wish you had at some point.

I use the WiFi on my quite frequently. One cool way I use this is frozen steaks, chops, whatever in conjunction with a garage sale cooler I bought. I used a bandsaw to saw the lid in half and then a hole saw the size of the precision cooker and the end result is a container that not only doesn't let heat out when cooking but also keeps things cold which opens up options. More details later.

I buy in bulk when on sale and then vacuum seal them individually for freezing. If I know that we're going to want steaks for instance for dinner I will take them out of the freezer, place them in my modified cooler (I have one smaller one for a couple of steaks and then one larger that can fit a brisket, crab legs, etc.) and fill it with ice tot he top. I then top off with water and let it sit on the counter all day. About 2 hours before the time we will be eating I can open the Anova app on my phone and with a couple of quick taps set the temp to 130deg. It will thaw the ice first and then bring the water up to temp cooking the steak. When I get home all I have to do is heat up a skillet or whatever method I want to use for searing it before sitting down to eat. This use case alone is priceless and there's really no other way to do this and have the perfect results it offers along with the flexibility for a busy lifestyle.

You'll want a decent vacuum sealer if you don't yet have one. You can get by with simply lowering a Ziploc bag into water with the meat in it and zipping it up once the air has escaped but a vacuum sealer is ideal. I've got an ancient Food Saver that I think I paid $50ish for that has fit the bill fine. I'm tempted to upgrade but, if it ain't broke....

I will add more later but there's SO many uses for these things. Done properly, something even as simple as a hard boiled egg done properly can completely change the experience. It can be as useful as you want it to be. Like most tools in the toolbox, it's nice to have options when you need them but knowing how to use them properly for each case is important to a positive experience.

Thanks for that information; very helpful. We do have a vacuum sealer (older FoodSaver like yours) and do buy meat in bulk at Costco, etc. With the two of us, I have been packaging it in twos for the most part, but could easily go to doing singles.

The modified cooler idea is interesting and I might just go there as well. Good thinking.

My son has a Breville Joule Sous Vide machine that he recommends highly, but they are pretty pricey for just reheating things. That said, it would offer the option of doing more kinds of cooking if we decided to.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Pops]

@Jim6820 I have an Anova, and have for over a year but have not used! I am this weekend. I also bought the 12L tank and you will need a silicon matte, or similar to set it on to keep your counter from cracking, dont forget that.
I will let you know, I do agree that you need a good vacuum sealer.

 

[Jim6820]

I've been using this method for quite a while and love it. The immersion circulators all work well and can be used with lots of different container types, including a cooler. I have one from KitchenFun and a SousVide Supreme coutertop version.
For big group cooks, I use a 145 yeti with a

1. bucket heater https://smile.amazon.com/Immersion-...locphy=9012015&hvtargid=pla-556055671365&th=1
2. inkbird temp controller https://smile.amazon.com/Inkbird-Max-1200W-Temperature-Controller-Greenhouse/dp/B01HXM5UAC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=inkbird+temperature+controller&qid=1649866095&s=hi&sprefix=inkbird+temp,tools,132&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A1RUFFFCQ74BCW&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFBOEg4WTNKOU8yMEUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA3NjA0MTExR0ozVkhWSUlPR0NPJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwOTk0MzRIV0VWRFJENU1LVjMmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

With this setup, I've done 10 packer briskets, up to 20 racks of baby backs, or up to 15 pork butts at once. All of it gets finished on a grill or oven for service. It's like cheating. Short video attached.

Since getting the RecTeq, I've done a brisket, dino ribs, and pork ribs, all finished on the Bull. It comes out awesome.

Let me know if you want some tips and ideas. I've cooked everything I can think of in the Sous Vide and had plenty of failures to go with some outstanding results.

Very interesting approach. It certainly provides food for thought. Thanks.

 

[Ostrichsak]

Thanks for that information; very helpful. We do have a vacuum sealer (older FoodSaver like yours) and do buy meat in bulk at Costco, etc. With the two of us, I have been packaging it in twos for the most part, but could easily go to doing singles.

The modified cooler idea is interesting and I might just go there as well. Good thinking.

My son has a Breville Joule Sous Vide machine that he recommends highly, but they are pretty pricey for just reheating things. That said, it would offer the option of doing more kinds of cooking if we decided to.

Thanks for the input.

Here's a few pics I took of my smaller cooler that I modified for this use since we just used it again. Super handy. I don't have pictures handy of the larger one but from these photos you can see how easy it is to apply this simple modification to any size that fits your needs.

 

[cf110814]

i have the inkbird. did 1 prime rib on xmas in the sous vide, the other in the rt700. finished both on the wyldside. both came out great. I've done steaks in it as well, no issues with textures like the others mentioned. only tip i would say is fill your pot with hot water to start. will save you about 15 minutes

 

[Ostrichsak]

Don't make the same mistake I made when I first started and grab a big stock pot to use. Seems the best choice of things laying around but metal is a great conductor or heat which is why it's used for pots and pans. That's the last thing you want for a precision cooker. Plastic is the way to go. I bought one of those food grade square plastic bins & lids that most people on forums talk about and after using it a couple of times it just sits in a cupboard now. I use these coolers exclusively even if I'm not doing the frozen method I talked about. Far better heat retention than the single walled plastic containers so really no reason to even buy one of those for like $30+ if you can find a cooler at a garage sale for a buck that actually works better for the reasons you'd want plastic. More money to spend on the food to put in them!

All that said, the amount of energy lost even if you use a metal pot is next to nothing. I wouldn't worry about thermal energy loss in something like this because it's insignificant no matter how you go about it. Even if doing some of the super long overnight cooks I've seen for brisket and what not the difference in energy used is going to be minimal due to how efficient these are overall. You may be extracting single digit percentages worth of "savings" so it's not really work stressing over. Just using this versus using a typical electric range will be significant savings since 70% of that energy that's just put into the air in the way of heat waste.

BTW, if you want another fun rabbit hole to go down... check out the Anova Prevision Oven that just came out the last year or two. I keep trying to convince myself to buy one but with all of the other cooking devices I own I can't quite justify it. I think if we ate more bread I'd be all over it because that's a really good use for it. The idea of cooking fresh meat sous vide w/o the need to vacuum seal first just isn't enough of a selling point for us. I really like the idea too of reheating food with moisture so it turns out more like the way it was when it was fresh cooked. Watch some videos though because the thing is pretty amazing and you may see enough use cases to justify the price tag.

 

[Ostrichsak]

i have the inkbird. did 1 prime rib on xmas in the sous vide, the other in the rt700. finished both on the wyldside. both came out great. I've done steaks in it as well, no issues with textures like the others mentioned. only tip i would say is fill your pot with hot water to start. will save you about 15 minutes

This is exactly what I do. First thing I do is open the hot faucet so it gets up to temp as I get out my small cooler & Anova and place it next to the sink. I then fill it and fire up the precision cooker to whatever temp I need to cook at. Often it's 130deg (medium rare) so it takes only minutes to get the water from 120 to 130. It takes quite a bit longer to get from 50 to 130 as you can imagine. I think the newer units have more BTUs so maybe it can do it quicker but, again, I can't justify the investment when we're talking a few minutes savings at best. Seems the ROI is pretty low for someone like me who already has one of these. The newer ones that you'll likely be buying I think have more power anyway so this is even less of an issue.

 

[BadgerFan]

I have a Joule and love it. What I like about, it is smaller than most if not all of the other ones so it takes up less space in whatever you're cooking in, which can be important.

 

[Gotcha]

I have owned the Anova for over 3 years and it works great.
It is also the best way to re-heat brisket!
Best Greg

 

[GaryH]

After reading a number of posts regarding using Sous Vide in conjunction with pellet grill cooking, I’m thinking about taking the plunge, but don’t want to get into hot water. Any advice on what Sous Vide machine would be good to start with? I’m generally one who prefers to “buy once and cry once,” so would prefer to look at units that would last a while and would be flexible enough to try a number of different uses.

I see that Inkbird makes a couple of different units and they are currently offering a discount coupon on them. Anyone using one ot their units? I would also appreciate any input on the kinds of peripheral items I might need; e.g. water container with lid, etc. I have plenty of cooking stuff, just not very familiar with Sous Vide beyond what I’ve read.

What say, anyone?

Frankly they are more alike than different. Nothing more than a heater a thermostat and a water pump for circulation. You can use any container glass a pan anything. You put your food in a baggy and let her go. I have some weights and clips to anchor the food bags down. Don’t even know what brand mine is

Good luck. Nothing easier

 

[SquireJim]

I have a Joule and an Anova...For starters, there are only a few minor differences in SV cookers...Wattage generally equates to how fast they can heat water to temp (I start with HOT water, so generally not too big of an issue). Some have BT and/or WiFi, which is cool, but not really a game changer for these devices. And ability to regulate the temp with reasonable accuracy. I've not seen any issues with either my Anova OR my Joule, and I've used both with fair regularity for 3+ years. As to strange texture of foods? I have no experience with that...I'd love to hear what meats, and times/temps were for those of you who've had issues. I've had nothing but HUGE success with these devices....

That said, the Anova bundle at Costco is a great deal...Comes with the Anova SV, a BPA-free container and lid (to cut evaporation on longer cooks), and an insulating cover for the container.

 

[TomatoBob]

Anova was the first immersion circulator for sous vide on the market, and it’s still one of the best, especially if you don’t want to have to use an app. If you don’t mind using an app, the Breville Joule is America’s Test Kitchen’s top pick, and it’s slightly more accurate. If you’re interested in the Anova, you can often get a good deal on one with a container through either Sam’s Club or Costco.

Edit: I think the Joule also has a model that doesn’t require an app.

I have the Anova. It works great and is reasonably priced. As for the app, I find it to be a waste of time. All it really does is show the current temp and timer.

Sous Vide is a great way to cook meat so it is tender and moist. It is also great for cooking larger quantities of meat portions and holding them at temp for extended periods of time without losing quality. Many restaurants and banquet kitchens use Sous Vide this way. As others have said, meat cooked using the Sous Vide method has an unappetizing, almost slimy texture. A short sear fixes this issue.

I only use Sous Vide for beef or pork. Experiments with chicken, fish and eggs have been disappointing. I have not used mine in tandem with the smoker and would be interested to learn how others have used them together.

 

[IPlayWithMeat]

I have the Anova. It works great and is reasonably priced. As for the app, I find it to be a waste of time. All it really does is show the current temp and timer.

I don’t know about the Joule, but one thing that Anova did was release the open source code for their devices. So if you don’t like the Anova app, you can find other apps that still communicate with your device to control it, send recipes to it, etc. I have a few of them.

There’s the possibility that you’ll find an app you like better, if that’s something that interests you.

 

[Chief_USN_Ret]

Been using a SV system now for about 6+ years (went down the rabbit hole myself), also have a SearzAll, vac sealer, 12Q and 26Q container with pre-cut lids for the SV, heat pad for the bottom, Racks to hold vac sealed Steaks all in one grab, etc. (even did a Briskette and it came out amazing).

I have to nod my head at the Anova. I have tried 3 others, and nothing was as good as the Anova, pure work horse, simple to use and even simpler to clean.

Searzall + Benzo 8000

Container + Lid + Rack

 

[DenStinett]

Momma just uses an appropriate sized Roasting Pot on the Stove
Water to a "simmer" (not boiling)
Meat pre-thawed, in for15 - 30 mins, depending on the thickness of the Meat

 

[Maule Guy]

After reading a number of posts regarding using Sous Vide in conjunction with pellet grill cooking, I’m thinking about taking the plunge, but don’t want to get into hot water. Any advice on what Sous Vide machine would be good to start with? I’m generally one who prefers to “buy once and cry once,” so would prefer to look at units that would last a while and would be flexible enough to try a number of different uses.

I see that Inkbird makes a couple of different units and they are currently offering a discount coupon on them. Anyone using one ot their units? I would also appreciate any input on the kinds of peripheral items I might need; e.g. water container with lid, etc. I have plenty of cooking stuff, just not very familiar with Sous Vide beyond what I’ve read.

What say, anyone?

I have had a Kitchen Gizmo Sous Vide Immersion Cooker available on Amazon for a couple of years and several friends also have them. It is simple to use. No gewgaws just functional. "The number of problems rise geometrically with the number of moving parts."

I use a large pot and clip the sous vide stick onto the side. Just remember to cover the top pot w/ stretch wrap to limit evaporation during long cooks.

Not too sure what Bluetooth and apps buys with sous vide cooking.

 

[DonD]

Anova Precision Oven owner here. I use that to SV steaks and other meats for reverse searing and also for sourdough bread. A lot easier for reverse searing since you get SV results without having to bag the meat and excellent for bread. For doing a longer SV-to-Recteq cook like the pork butt I posted earlier and the more recent smoked chuck I did, I didn't want to tie up the APC for 24+hour cook and since I already bought into the Anova brand I went with Anova for the immersion cooker. I bought the combo at Costco plus a 12 liter Anova water container from Amazon and have been very happy.

 

[danlecl]

I gave mine away. A lot of fuss and bother for marginal texture. Probably just me.