Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

[andyt]

I ordered mine on 24 Dec 2013, on Jan3, 2014, I got a email with tracking number.  It arrived yesterday in West Haven CT an hour before I did.  Brought it back home today.  Can't wait.

andyt

[Serpentelli]

Chicken breasts will never be cooked another way. It is like going to the finest chicken restaurant in all the world and having your chicken breast cooked by the best chicken breast chef in the whole universe. But better.

140 for 8 hours.

Grilled until it looked like something from Food + Wine (even though I was nervous that leaving it on long enough to get good grill marks would defeat the sous vide-ness --- it didn't) and then served with a Kenji SDT vinaigrette. Outstanding.

Also, my wife (the eternal skeptic) is a convert and already an expert sous vider. She initially translated "sous vide" as French for "twice the work + twice the mess". Now she wants to sous vide everything.

John K

[Mmmph]

Chicken breasts will never be cooked another way.

140 for 8 hours.

Also, my wife (the eternal skeptic) is a convert and already an expert sous vider.

Chicken breast...Truly amazing, yes.

Ahem, John...I distinctly recall your wife declaring, "No more gadgets!" when I was talking about the Anova on Christmas eve.
Heh....

I have so many containers of leftovers after using the Anova day after day. I have to stop cooking for a week.

[Chicago Bob]

Can you do chicken breasts bone in with skin and they turn out good to go for the grill?
Still waiting for mine to arrive. Ordered Dec. 26th....they told me unexpected holiday orders causing delay.

[andyt]

Costco will put the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System on sale here, Jan 27.  I have heard mixed reviews on this product, one friend returned the original after 5 mths because it was vacuuming unevenly.  Less than a year later the replacement is giving her problems.  Customer reviews online are also mixed.  Anyone have an opinion or recommend a better product.

Some sites recommend using Ziploc bags, is this OK for lower temperatures, or at all?

Thanks
andyt

[Serpentelli]

Can you do chicken breasts bone in with skin and they turn out good to go for the grill?
Still waiting for mine to arrive. Ordered Dec. 26th....they told me unexpected holiday orders causing delay.

Bobby,

Absolutely. The cooking is so slow and even, and performed over such a long period that the entire piece of "whatever" you are cooking becomes one temperature. mmmph pointed out how well his porchetta skin crisped up when he fried it. I would say the same about the skin on the wings I grilled. Delectably crispy and not burnt. I wish it was 5 hours ago. I want sous vide chicken NOW.

John K

PS Prior to finishing each of the meats that I've cooked in the Anova so far I have noticed how absolutely ghastly they look coming out of the sous vide bags.

[Chicago Bob]

Bobby,

Absolutely. The cooking is so slow and even, and performed over such a long period that the entire piece of "whatever" you are cooking becomes one temperature. mmmph pointed out how well his porchetta skin crisped up when he fried it. I would say the same about the skin on the wings I grilled. Delectably crispy and not burnt. I wish it was 5 hours ago. I want sous vide chicken NOW.

John K

PS Prior to finishing each of the meats that I've cooked in the Anova so far I have noticed how absolutely ghastly they look coming out of the sous vide bags.

Thanks John....I forgot about Mmmph's porky.
Just didn't know if the skin would make the chicken meat mushy .

Bob

[FeCheF]

Costco will put the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System on sale here, Jan 27.  I have heard mixed reviews on this product, one friend returned the original after 5 mths because it was vacuuming unevenly.  Less than a year later the replacement is giving her problems.  Customer reviews online are also mixed.  Anyone have an opinion or recommend a better product.

Some sites recommend using Ziploc bags, is this OK for lower temperatures, or at all?

Thanks
andyt

For sous vide I use dollar store "freezer" ziplock bags. There cheap, you get like 12 quart size for a buck, or 8 gallon size for a buck. They are 10x better then glad or ziplock brand (seriously) i have never had a leak from the dollar store freezer ones.

But back to foodsaver, I have had mine for over 5 YEARS and use it every month when i buy all my meats in bulk because 1, save money, and 2 i drive 50+ miles to buy meats because it saves me even more money.

My food saver actually doesnt like food saver brand bags under 11 inches wide. I buy Cabella's bulk 11 inch 6 pack rolls. They cost $40 and you get 18 feet per roll vs food saver 16 feet.

For some reason i can cut Cabella 11 inch in half and make little pouches with no problem getting a very good air tight seal.

[Chicago Bob]

For sous vide I use dollar store "freezer" ziplock bags. There cheap, you get like 12 quart size for a buck, or 8 gallon size for a buck. They are 10x better then glad or ziplock brand (seriously) i have never had a leak from the dollar store freezer ones.

But back to foodsaver, I have had mine for over 5 YEARS and use it every month when i buy all my meats in bulk because 1, save money, and 2 i drive 50+ miles to buy meats because it saves me even more money.

My food saver actually doesnt like food saver brand bags under 11 inches wide. I buy Cabella's bulk 11 inch 6 pack rolls. They cost $40 and you get 18 feet per roll vs food saver 16 feet.

For some reason i can cut Cabella 11 inch in half and make little pouches with no problem getting a very good air tight seal.

On the el cheapo bags; which do you prefer Chefy, the submersion trick or the straw sucker technique to remove the air the best?

Bob

[FeCheF]

On the el cheapo bags; which do you prefer Chefy, the submersion trick or the straw sucker technique to remove the air the best?

Bob

Depends on the item being submerged. Stuff thats heavy, or with liquids inside i submerge. Stuff that has alot of air inside i suck with a straw because its a pain in the arse to try and submerge and get the air to the surface.

[Chicago Bob]

Depends on the item being submerged. Stuff thats heavy, or with liquids inside i submerge. Stuff that has alot of air inside i suck with a straw because its a pain in the arse to try and submerge and get the air to the surface.

Thanks...makes good sense. 

[andyt]

FeChef

Thanks for the help, I will buy a FoodSaver when they go on sale late Jan.

Ziploc now have the Ziploc brand Vacuum Freezer System with a manual pump to remove air, the bags seem heavier than the regular freezer bags.  At least online.

You won't believe this, I can't find Cabella's using GOOGLE because there is a Canadian hunting company called Cabela, that is where I get routed to.

andyt

[Chicago Bob]

FeChef

Thanks for the help, I will buy a FoodSaver when they go on sale late Jan.

Ziploc now have the Ziploc brand Vacuum Freezer System with a manual pump to remove air, the bags seem heavier than the regular freezer bags.  At least online.

You won't believe this, I can't find Cabella's using GOOGLE because there is a Canadian hunting company called Cabela, that is where I get routed to.

andyt

A lot of complaints about Food Saver but like Chefy, I've never had any problems. He's definitly right about the bags....you need different ones.
Can't recall the brand right now but at Walmart there is a lower cost bag rolls right next to FS bags. Those work good.
FS bags will seal and then come undone in small areas after a couple of days in the freezer.

Bob

[FeCheF]

FeChef

Thanks for the help, I will buy a FoodSaver when they go on sale late Jan.

Ziploc now have the Ziploc brand Vacuum Freezer System with a manual pump to remove air, the bags seem heavier than the regular freezer bags.  At least online.

You won't believe this, I can't find Cabella's using GOOGLE because there is a Canadian hunting company called Cabela, that is where I get routed to.

andyt

Heres a link.

 http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Bulk-Freezer-Bag-Rolls/1605403.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch%2F%3FN%3D10000048%26Ne%3D10000048%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dvacuum%26Ntx%3Dmode%252Bmatchallpartial%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26WTz_st%3DSearchRefinements%26form_state%3DsearchForm%26search%3Dvacuum%26searchTypeByFilter%3DAllProducts%26x%3D13%26y%3D10&Ntt=vacuum&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

I usually buy them in store but online it seems you have to select the bulk amount/size. You want the [email protected] 11.5x20' $49.99  I usually get them when they go on sale anywhere from $35 to $40, but thats at a local store.

[andyt]

Bob & FeChef

Thanks again, I will buy the FoodSaver and when I am in the US in Feb I will buy the bags from WalMart or another store.

andyt

[deb415611]

Bob & FeChef

Thanks again, I will buy the FoodSaver and when I am in the US in Feb I will buy the bags from WalMart or another store.

andyt

I like the weston bags which I buy at amazon.  They work better than the food saver brand.  The cabela's roll might be made by them, I think weston makes a few of the cabela's vacuum sealers.   I recently bought the Cabela's 12" professional sealer.  I caught a really good deal and it is so much better than the food saver  (I have gone through three in about 10 years)

[Jackitup]

I recently bought the Ary Vacmaster VP112 Chamber style vacuum sealer. http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary-vacmaster-vp112-chamber-vacuum-sealer/120VMASVP112.html  In a fairly short time it will pay for itself in the savings on bags, REALLY! http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary-vacmaster-30725-10-x-13-chamber-vacuum-packaging-pouches-bags-3-mil-1000-case/120VPM30725.html

jon

[Chicago Bob]

I recently bought the Ary Vacmaster VP112 Chamber style vacuum sealer. http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary-vacmaster-vp112-chamber-vacuum-sealer/120VMASVP112.html  In a fairly short time it will pay for itself in the savings on bags, REALLY! http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary-vacmaster-30725-10-x-13-chamber-vacuum-packaging-pouches-bags-3-mil-1000-case/120VPM30725.html

jon

You need that in addition to that score you made on the pro chamber dealio you have Jon?

[Jackitup]

You need that in addition to that score you made on the pro chamber dealio you have Jon?

If you're speaking of the 'vacuum tumbler' I have, that's really a different critter altogether.

jon

[Chicago Bob]

If you're speaking of the 'vacuum tumbler' I have, that's really a different critter altogether.

jon

Oh, I'm sorry...thought you had one of these.   http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/vacuum_packaging_machine_ary_vacmaster_food_vac_system.aspx?gclid=CKudg9rA97sCFSLxOgodUnsAQw