I have made many comments regarding several restaurants in the area and dishes, from time to time, that we like when we eat out. I have been so enthusiastic about it at times that some have questioned do I ever eat at home. Also on some people's minds, given my exuberance in the way I talk about eating out, some have questioned as to how much I might weigh.
Well on that last part I am about average weight for someone with my height, 6'4", I have gained more than I would like but currently weigh 220-230lbs which is the most I have weighed in a while. That said, and out of the way, I thought I would ask if anyone else on the food forum/board has tried or chooses Sous Vide way of cooking?
I'm (wife & I) basically new to Sous Vide cooking and the wife is still not sold on it and actually we are still in our infancy having just acquired a circulating wand and have only tried it once with a frozen steak. I have to say though that it lived up to the hype and presented us with a perfectly cooked ribeye even from hard frozen. I chose the Anova Precision cooker as my chosen Sous Vide device.
For those that might not know Sous Vide cooking is also called cooking from a water oven or simply is cooking in water as the medium rather than say an oven where the air around the item being cooked is the medium. Sous Vide cooking usually involves putting what you are cooking in a sealed plastic bag such as a Foodsaver bag and them vacuum sealed. Then you submerge the vacuum packed bag, with the food in it, into the water oven, water bath, or container filled with water which is kept at a precise temperature by the Sous Vide instrument you choose to keep the water at the chosen temp.
Say if you want to cook Chicken you might choose a temp of 165 degrees and some sites you might check out to find out more is:
http://lifehacker.com/5868685/...at-youve-ever-tasted
another site is
http://www.seriouseats.com/201...sous-vide-steak.html
other still are:
http://www.sousvidesupreme.com...hat-is-sous-vide.htm
http://modernistcuisine.com/20.../why-cook-sous-vide/
https://anovaculinary.com/what-is-sous-vide/
http://www.seriouseats.com/201...sential-recipes.html
http://lifehacker.com/5868685/...at-youve-ever-tasted
I'm a gadget type person and usually have to have the most recent gadget of the month/year device in the kitchen to try out. Naturally though it depends on the cost and practicality of the device but I usually like to try them all if given a chance. I'd love to take a chief's/cooking course but don't know that I ever will fulfill that thought/desire but I also do like to fiddle around in the kitchen from time to time. Please, also, don't take that as any comment on my wife's cooking as I view my wife an extraordinary and great cook, at least on the dishes and things that make me happy. I'm no gourmet and don't get into many fancy dishes but what I like, I like, and so generally when we do eat at home it's from a small list and we don't get too fancy or impractical.
For those that might wonder the things I have purchased that I find most helpful and desired, in the kitchen and feel they work great and as advertised is the following:
NuWave Oven - a great tool/appliance I wouldn't be without - https://www.amazon.com/NuWave-...&keywords=nuwave
Tfal indoor precision grill this thing does a great job on cooking steaks, paninis and other things even from frozen. It does a great, accurate, job at calculating the time needed for cooking to a certain specified doneness or level and cleanup is not that bad as the plates are removable for washing - https://www.amazon.com/GC712D5...;keywords=tfal+grill as a backup or alternate the Cuisinart Griddler 4N s a great choice - https://www.amazon.com/Cuisina...eywords=indoor+grill
T-Fal Induction Cooktop - there are others but this one works well, just make sure your cookware isn't aluminum or glass or porcelain as those don't work - https://www.amazon.com/NuWave-...&keywords=nuwave
Borner V-Slicer - best slicer I've used and have had it for 20+ years now so it's durable even though I also kept a spare in case the original breaks there are many brands and people that make these but I believe this Swiss/German company provides the best - https://www.amazon.com/Swissma...mp;keywords=v-slicer
T-Fal filtration Deep Fryer, this is the best and easiest clean up and changing out of grease/oil. Ease of cleanup and oil handling alone warrants this deep fryer as a must buy - https://www.amazon.com/T-fal-F...;keywords=deep+fryer
Power Air Fryer XL, Yes this thing really works great and is healthy and provides great tasting food - https://www.amazon.com/Power-A...ords=power+air+fryer
Telebrands Orgreenic 10" frying pan, really good at non-stick performance but I only hate it's not compatible with Induction cooktops/elements To be compatable with the induction cooktop I ordered the Tristar products 10" pan https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Zyliss hand can opener I like that it holds the lid after opening it and opens with very smooth edges- https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Pressure Cooker - Electric and non-electric great for fast tender cooking There are plenty good ones we liked the T-Fal - https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and for value the NuWave - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0170LT3VS?psc=1 and for electric consider Instant Pot or similar model - https://www.amazon.com/Instant...rds=pressure+cooking Pressure Cooking food means it's cooked faster and under pressure and comes out very tender for many meats and foods that are usually tougher but be very careful not to use oil in a pressure cooker because unless it's specifically designed for pressure frying putting oil in a Pressure cooker can be dangerous or fatal to the user.
Last but not least a good slow cooker and Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker makes a great model Slow cooker - https://www.amazon.com/Hamilto...low+cooker&psc=1
Laser Temp probe measurer great for checking liquid in a pan/pot or other foods without touching but no substitute for a temperature probe - https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Also you need a Digital folding temperature probe like this one - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TKWWUCU?psc=1 as the laser model is great and handy but the probe is essential also at times for a cook.
Hamilton Beach Iced Tea maker, There are plenty of tea makers it's just that our luck with this one has been the best so I mention it here - https://www.amazon.com/Hamilto...maker+hamilton+beach
Another item a complete kitchen needs is a good set of mixing bowls. I don't have these but have a similar product - https://www.amazon.com/Rated-B...eywords=mixing+bowls
An Immersion hand blender is also handy , though no substitute for a regular blender or hand mixer even - https://www.amazon.com/Epica-4...eywords=hand+blender
Our greatest problem is at times coming up with counter space or storage space to store all the gadgets. I/we don't always buy at Amazon.com but only occasionally when the price is best but in most cases I've bought at Kitchen Collection in an outlet mall or at Sam's Club or Bed Bath & Beyond when I could use a 20% discount coupon. Also Target and WalMart has come good prices on some items, for instance the Sous Vide cooker, Target had a really good sale price on it the week before Christmas (this last week, $60.00 less than WalMart and $20.00 less than Amazon.com).
I hope I haven't wasted your time reading this and hope some of you have found this interesting and in fact hope that some of you , if not all, will contribute by offering suggestions of what gadgets or tools you find most useful in your kitchen, with your cooking. It's better than arguing and debating politics and religion at least, okay an opinion there but at least it's mine.