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Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
"Meat guy" made one of my comments -- I think I read that the NYC health department was very concerned to find some of the cooking temperatures being used...
Also, how many home cooks will want to cook for as long as these recipes require? first there's the prep of the food, then the cooking, then the post production... I just don't see mass adoption of this device.
How E. Coli Travels from Beef Processing Plant to Burger
years ago, after a few hours of driving by an enormous feedlot in nebraska, my husband stopped eating commercial beef. Shortly thereafter, having read a New Yorker piece on mad cow disease, I stopped too. Since then, we'ver rarely had any beef -- and only if we are assured by the local natural foods store that it comes from a no antibiotics, grass fed, local butchering etc. situation.
As long as most americans are happy to go to mcdonalds and the like and to eat hamburgers over and over again, there won't be any changes, even though there are probably lots of people who are injured.
I know that ecoli has also been found in organic grown spinach (which I'm still buying), and to a certain extent there will always be some danger in the food supply, it probably can't be completely eliminated. But ground beef has been such a frequent problem that I am surprised that people can't seem to break the habit.
Mixed Review: VitaMuffin Deep Chocolate Muffin Mix
I took a look at the ingredients and I'm not impressed -- malitol is ingredient #3, and it can be a slightly nasty sugar substitute. Similarly, although there is whole wheat flour as a source of fiber, there's also inulin, and there's some question whether that is the same as "real" fiber.
I think I'll continue to make my own muffins, and if I want to use a mix, I go for the Hodgson Mills, where the ingredients are the same as I'd use in my own kitchen.
elisabeth
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Critic-Turned-Cook Finds Critical Eating Habit Hard to Break
here's another vote for going back if the service was bad, but not giving another chance to a bad meal. "Front of the house" is really hard work, and anyone can have a bad day. But if a whole meal was bad, not one dish that worked (and if that's true across the table, not just my own choices) then I figure there's something really wrong in the kitchen, and won't go back unless everyone I talk to says "but it was great when I was there..." or as is more likely, the management changes.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
"Meat guy" made one of my comments -- I think I read that the NYC health department was very concerned to find some of the cooking temperatures being used...
Also, how many home cooks will want to cook for as long as these recipes require? first there's the prep of the food, then the cooking, then the post production... I just don't see mass adoption of this device.
How E. Coli Travels from Beef Processing Plant to Burger
years ago, after a few hours of driving by an enormous feedlot in nebraska, my husband stopped eating commercial beef. Shortly thereafter, having read a New Yorker piece on mad cow disease, I stopped too. Since then, we'ver rarely had any beef -- and only if we are assured by the local natural foods store that it comes from a no antibiotics, grass fed, local butchering etc. situation.
As long as most americans are happy to go to mcdonalds and the like and to eat hamburgers over and over again, there won't be any changes, even though there are probably lots of people who are injured.
I know that ecoli has also been found in organic grown spinach (which I'm still buying), and to a certain extent there will always be some danger in the food supply, it probably can't be completely eliminated. But ground beef has been such a frequent problem that I am surprised that people can't seem to break the habit.
Mixed Review: VitaMuffin Deep Chocolate Muffin Mix
I took a look at the ingredients and I'm not impressed -- malitol is ingredient #3, and it can be a slightly nasty sugar substitute. Similarly, although there is whole wheat flour as a source of fiber, there's also inulin, and there's some question whether that is the same as "real" fiber.
I think I'll continue to make my own muffins, and if I want to use a mix, I go for the Hodgson Mills, where the ingredients are the same as I'd use in my own kitchen.
elisabeth
Wig & Pen Offers an Iowa City Twist to Stuffed Pizza
there's also pizza on dubuque, if you are looking for something slightly healthy -- the crust is made with whole wheat flour, the toppings include a number of organic options including a sausage made at the New Pioneer Coop... and the music is often the grateful dead.
Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 59: How Much Should I Weigh?
I go by what my doctor is comfortable with for me -- and I've always chosen doctors who themselves aren't super skinny! seriously, if you are healthy that's more important than a specific poundage target.
Where Americans Are Cutting Corners: Food
I think that the majority of US citizens won't see their diets improve even if they do start spending less at the supermarket. Peanut butter with added fats and sugars is usually cheaper than an organic, no additive peanut butter; hamburger meat is cheaper when more fat is added, the cheapest pasta is the stuff that is all carbohydrate, not the whole grain kind, and so on.
Critic-Turned-Cook Finds Critical Eating Habit Hard to Break
okay, this particular chef has put TWO other restaurants out of business. he has no idea what the hell he is doing, and i will never eat at another one of his restaurants again. they suck!
Critic-Turned-Cook Finds Critical Eating Habit Hard to Break
If it's a more expensive place, we have too many other places we rarely get to try, so even meh food or service means we don't go back. More casual/midprice places will get a second chance if the service is mediocre or some of the food isn't good. But if both are way off, we won't go back for a second try.
Critic-Turned-Cook Finds Critical Eating Habit Hard to Break
Like many others, I rarely go back to places where I've had bad food or bad service. And, I never go back if I get both. I work too hard for my meager dining out allowance to chance wasting it again on a bad experience.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
''A health report last month concluded that oysters tainted with sewage and poor staff hygiene led to guests falling ill after eating at the restaurant in Bray, Berks.
However, environmental health officials have now decided not to prosecute the 43-year-old chef over alleged breaches of food safety legislation at the eatery, which is one of only three in Britain to hold three Michelin stars. ''
If Heston Blumenthal can make people sick by not having adequate sanitation, then what is he trying to do getting home cooks to breed bacteria in a bag?
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
I want one! Regarding the hygiene concerns, compared to the danger of deep-frying turkeys by amateurs, this seems tame. True, it may not be for everyone, but neither is a mandoline. Anyone who grills can see the control this would give them. Looking forward to more reports.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
I was at this demo, and I have to agree, every bite was amazing.
Regarding the discontinued reynold's bags, their vacuum machine works just fine with the vacuum bags sold by ziploc; I've found they do a better job sucking out the air when there's a lot of liquid in the bag than the hand pump device ziploc provides.
One thing not really emphasized during the sous-vide demo is how great a combination this kind of tool is with a really good grill, like , say, a big green egg. You can sous-vide your pork chops, your steaks, your chicken, toss them on the grill to finish them off to absolute perfection. And if you like grass-fed steaks, but dont like how tough they usually are, sous-viding completely solves the problem.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
Another issue to consider is the quality of the bags you use. commercial vacuum bags are multilayer laminate films, which contain an oxygen barrier. This allows you to pull a tight vacuum , if you have a multi thousand dollar cry o vac. Home machines generally leave levels of residual oxygen in the bag, and the simple cheap bags may not have an oxygen barrier. What does this mean? the long slow cook times, along the presence of salt and air can cause the product to develop warmed over flavor, which means they are beginning to go rancid. If the bag has no oxygen barrier, it means oxygen may be forced through the film after sealing by atmospheric pressure, you may not see a leaking bag, but oxidation can occur.
I have worked with sous vide for years, it really is not a practice you want out in uneducated hands, or in the hands of people who think they can control food safety processes by buying organic and local.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
I don't know...call me a Luddite, but.there is something about the smell of food simmering, sizzling, and roasting that makes my mouth water and my stomach growl. A kitchen without these delicious aromas wafting through the air seems rather unappetizing. Or maybe, ala elBulli, we can spritz the air with the scent of roasted pork while we gum the sous-vide version.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
I may be biased having been born in Chile and travelled extensively throughout Argentina but give me a steak cooked on a parrilla by Francis Mallman over a sous vide steak any day of the week. And yes, I have tried the latter. There are certain applications at which sous vide excels. But come on..... No home cook is going to start supper 72 hours in advance.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
@Hannekin: 140°F is potentially safe for cooking chicken, based on the science behind the growth of microorganisms. When dealing with food safety, one must also consider the time held at a certain temperature. While salmonella does not die instantly at 140°F, it will die if held long enough at that temperature. (More precisely, enough will die to no longer be considered a health hazard). The USDA temperature recommendations are total bs. It's more to cover their own ass.
But yes, proper cooking is a huge issue when dealing with low temperature cooking. I hope this equipment comes with the proper food safety documentation detailing temperatures and times. If you're interested in low temp cooking, you really should read Douglas Baldwin's highly informative (and science-based) sous-vide site: http://amath.colorado.edu/~baldwind/sous-vide.html
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I have a homemade sous-vide setup that was constructed for under $100 using an ebayed Auber Instruments temperature controller, a hot plate and a stock pot. It's just a precise water bath, and is one of the most versatile cooking equipments that I have. If Ron Popeil were selling this, it would go something like this: But wait! It's not just a Sous-Vide Supreme, it's also a yogurt maker, dough proofer, slow-cooker crockpot, grain masher, red wine fermenter, perfect creme-brulee cooker, egg hatcher....
Unfortunately, the Sous-Vide Supreme does not allow you to cook exactly like they do in Michelin-starred restaurants. You still need a $5000 chamber vacuum sealer to be able to do make some of the things that require compression or liquids that shouldn't be frozen beforehand.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
Chicken cooked to 140F just isn't safe. The "quality and freshness" of your ingredients don't matter; chickens are biological organisms and they frequently contain salmonella no matter how fresh they are, how free their range or whose backyard they were raised in. Your handling of the ingredients doesn't matter if they're already contaminated. Long holds (I am loathe to call it cooking) at low temperatures in anaerobic conditions is a recipe for disaster. The USDA didn't pick the numbers to be mean or to limit our options, they picked them in an attempt to help people avoid foodbourne illness.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
Chef Blumenthal is helping to bring this form of cooking to the current public palate, but I remember writing about similar methods back in the 70s...It is already being used on such long distance railroad lines as Amtrak.
Apparently it must be done under highly controlled conditions so that it does not cause health issues, hence the expensive equipment.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
I think a revolution has to happen in peoples' idea of food in general before sous vide machines become a common sight in households. This machine is great for those who want to try ferran adria or blumenthal style cooking at home but most people already have a preconceived idea of their 'ideal steak' or 'ideal burger' - one which is inherently tied to traditional cooking techniques.
If this machine is supposed to spearhead a revolution in food - it's got it's work cut out. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great tool but I doubt it will hold as much mass appeal as Heston Blumenthal would like.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
@J. Kenji - I have always wondered why I have never come across a burger cooked sous-vide and then quickly seared for the crust. I'm looking forward to reading about your results.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
@RossS
Don't think I haven't thought about it! I'll definitey be trying it next week. My concern would be that the patty would get compressed under the pressure of the bag, but we'll see. I've had burgers cooked in a C-vap then finished on a plancha before (That's how Tony Maws does it at Craigie STreet Bistrot), which is a similar concept (C-vap is a fancy steam oven that gives you results somewhat similar to sous-vide style cooking).
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
@J.Kenji Dude, if they can do steaks in these, imagine how good a burger might be?
Slow cook it for a little while, then take it out and brown it up...or it could be a huge fail. Probably hugely dependant on the blend(s) of meat in the burger patty.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
The ban in NYC was lifted in 2007 but restaurants that wish to use sv in their kitchens must complete and submit a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan, which can be prohibitively expensive for all but the most high end restaurants.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
Most restaurants using sous vide techniques are most likely violating county health codes. As stated before, C. botulinum growth will be stimulated under modified atmospheric pressure. Variences are needed, and they are not easy to obtain. A chef a Johnson & Wales University received his varience in sous vide cooking and he showed what was a textbook of information required to be learned, reguarding health deparment regulationss and operating every aspect of the machine. Anyone know if this is still banned in NYC?
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
@rajin - this is a lot more expensive than using a PID with a rice cooker/slow cooker/electric hotplate.
The Reynolds HandiVac sucks and is not up to the task. The foodsaver is a good investment regardless, and is the bare minimum necessary to do it right without dropping some serious money on a chamber vac.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
The SousVide website offers an option to buy a Reynolds Handi-Vac, however, they should also note that the Handi-Vac has been discontinued by Reynolds.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
I just ordered one. I'd been looking at putting together an immersion circulator contraption for a while now, but this looks like a much better, easier, and cheaper solution.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
I guess tasting is probably believing, but I think this would just take out all the fun of cooking. I mean, the challenge of getting something 'perfect' is what keeps me going, even if it's not attainable.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
Very simply, I need one of these.
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
I was just asking my husband yesterday when he thought a home version of sv would hit the stores. It's interesting...I wish I could just rent one for a couple of weeks to try it out.
@simon - I hear you about the proliferation of fermenting/pickling/curing regulations, but keep in mind...10,000 years ago there were fewer lawyers, too!! :-)
Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal
@J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
I attended the Chicago demonstration of the machine, and I went through the exact same menu. Everything I had was extraordinary. I mean, I'd never had a pear that was so beautifully cooked! Just think about it, even the best poached pears have outsides that are mushier than the insides. But this one was the same texture throughout. It's astouding.
Honestly, though, it's the eggs that I keep thinking about. They were flawless. To think that a home cook, or the local diner, could consistently turn out eggs like this is enough to blow my mind. No more overcooked eggs! It really will change everything.
I understand the comments on how the chicken looks. When chicken is cooked like this, the meat doesn't become stringy, so it doesn't look "normal". Like Kenji explained, "you can't even see the muscle fibers". It's initially a strange texture. What it honesty tastes like is eating chicken with gravy built in with every bite. All the juices are still inside the chicken. So every bite is perfect.
In Chicago, Blumenthal presented two versions of the dish. One straight out of the bag, and one that was removed from the bag and then sauteed in a skillet to crisp up the skin. The sauteed version was still unbelievably juicy, but it also had some of those roasted notes that make a solid roast chicken so comforting. I think I preferred the latter.
My mind is boggled with the possiblities of this machine. This instrument doesn't replace other cooking methods like roasting and sauteeing. It's just another tool that can be used in wonderful ways.
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here's another vote for going back if the service was bad, but not giving another chance to a bad meal. "Front of the house" is really hard work, and anyone can have a bad day. But if a whole meal was bad, not one dish that worked (and if that's true across the table, not just my own choices) then I figure there's something really wrong in the kitchen, and won't go back unless everyone I talk to says "but it was great when I was there..." or as is more likely, the management changes.