My Excellent Choices

We bought this complete Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator Kit, and it changed the way we think about food preparation. (Be sure to check out the demonstration video when you click the link.)

Whether it is steak, chicken or fish, cooking is a delicate tradeoff between time and temperature. While it may be true that doubling the temperature cuts the time, the results are not always that great! Why not try something different?

Sous Vide is low temperature cooking – compared to baking, grilling or stove-top cooking. That means it takes a bit more time than other methods, but the results are worth it. Low and slow means no “watched pots” or pans that might boil over or burn a steak when you are not watching. Sous Vide just quietly works and only needs attention when prepped and then when you are ready to eat.

We just prepared two two-pound roasts in our Sous Vide. At 140-145 degrees Fahrenheit they came out a perfect medium to medium well. Steaks, Chicken, roasts and even small turkey breasts sit in vacuum-sealed bags in a water bath until done. Done for roasts means fork tender, with all the flavorful juices and seasonings contained in the cooking bag. (See how to bag and seal here.)

Need to wait 30 minutes while the side dishes finish? Sous Vide cooking is very forgiving – and steaks can remain at a perfect temperature for serving until everyone is ready to eat.

Check back, and I will post our recipe for seasoning a sous vide roast. All the ingredients go in with the roast and flavors the meat during the entire cooking time.

From the cooking bag, I captured about a quart of Au Jus from this completely cooked roast. It did not need to be prepared separately, and the flavorful liquid is a wonderful combination of the natural beef flavors, and the Barbeque sauce added at the start of cooking. This flavorful liquid can be served on each portion of roast when it is finished cooking

UPDATE: Here is the recipe for the homemade BBQ sauce we add to seasoning a sous vide roast. Prepare in advance, and when you are ready to cook that roast, add some of this delicious sauce into the vacuum seal bag along with the roast. You can even take the roast right out of the freezer, no need to thaw in advance. Just seal it up and place it in the sous vide at 140-145 degrees for 72 hours. (Yep. Three days. Just set and forget. Trust the process. Top off with a little water if evaporation should occur. The results are tender, not overdone and delicious!)

From the cooking bag, I captured almost a quart of Au Jus from this completely cooked roast. It did not need to be prepared separately, and the flavorful liquid is a wonderful combination of the natural beef flavors and the Barbeque sauce added at the start of cooking. This flavorful liquid can be served on each portion of roast when it is finished cooking.

If we freeze 4 to 6 ounce portions for a quick reheated meal, we add some of this liquid in each vacuum-sealed bag. Check out our vacuum sealer and supplies here.