Best Budget Sous Vide Meals?

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  brendanm on 17/07/2023 - 16:10

  Cage eggs.

  • 

    AustriaBargain on 17/07/2023 - 16:13

    +1

    Yeah that's a good idea. If cage chickens could talk they would want me to sous vide their eggs.

    • 

      brendanm on 17/07/2023 - 16:15

      I'd say so, they wouldn't want them cooked using a sub par method.

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  Jimothy Wongingtons on 17/07/2023 - 16:17

  +3

  I'm not a big steak person anyway.

  Maybe u will be, after trying it sous vide w/ a reverse sear :)

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  Duckie2hh on 17/07/2023 - 16:19

  How were the chicken breasts? Any difference in sous vide vs standard grill?

  • 

    AustriaBargain on 17/07/2023 - 17:12

    +1

    Yes, juicer and the salt/pepper/garlic powder soaked all through the meat.

    • 

      BewareOfThe Dog on 18/07/2023 - 10:36

      Suggestion - Maybe also try with Celery Salt or Onion Powder?

      • 

        AustriaBargain on 18/07/2023 - 11:31

        I do have onion powder too. Tbh to garlic salt made the chicken breast very sweet. It was tasty, but kinda weird to have chicken taste so sweet.

        • 

          BewareOfThe Dog on 19/07/2023 - 20:40

          @AustriaBargain: Just experiment. Most important rule with herbs and spices, don't buy from Colesworth. Buy from an Asian grocer or grow your own.

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  Gunnar on 17/07/2023 - 16:37

  +1

  I'm not big on sousvide steak because you can't get the bits to crisp up

  Sous vide pork belly is great (it is a 10 hours effort). Don't bother trying to get it to crisp up because the skin is too wet.

  One way of cheating with sous vide chicken is to get your meat, sauces, and herbs for a stir fry in a bag, sous vide it and then freeze it. Come time to serve, defrost and add your veggies. Personally though when I do it this way I will just serve it up straight and not freeze.

  I really got into sousvide some years ago. Now days I will just use an oven or a pan to do what I want. Sous vide is great but the problem is you can't go from the sousvide to high heat to brown without a a lot of d..king around because everything is very wet. It's doable but the effort to reward ration isn't worth it. Big chunks of red meats I will slow cook in an oven (to slow cook) or use a pan (for high heat). Pork belly I will slow roast in the oven and then finish on high heat.

  At the moment chicken is what I will use the sousvide for. Great if you have a base curry and then want to add chicken to it. The other thing I enjoy making in a sous vide is Hainanese chicken (which is about all I use mine for these days). It's a bastardised version of it where you shove your chicken (I use thigh fillets because I hate chicken with bones) and associated spices (that normally poach the chicken with) in a bag and sous vide instead of poaching.

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  Gdsamp on 17/07/2023 - 17:09

  Sous vide cooking is not just limited to expensive cuts of meat or fancy desserts. There are plenty of budget-friendly meals you can prepare using your Anova Precision Cooker (a popular sous vide immersion circulator used for precise temperature control during cooking. It is a compact and easy-to-use device that attaches to the side of a pot or container filled with water). Here are a few ideas:

  • Chicken thighs: Chicken thighs are inexpensive and turn out incredibly juicy and flavorful when cooked sous vide. You can season them with your choice of spices, herbs, or marinades before sealing them in a vacuum bag. Cook them at 66°C for 1.5 to 2 hours, and then sear them briefly for a crispy skin.

  • Pulled pork: Pork shoulder or pork butt are economical cuts that are perfect for slow cooking. Season the meat with a dry rub or marinade, vacuum seal it, and cook it at 74°C for 12 to 24 hours. The result will be tender, flavorful pulled pork that you can use for sandwiches, tacos, or salads.

  • Vegetables: Sous vide is not limited to meat! You can also cook vegetables using this method. Vacuum seal vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, beets, or corn with some butter, herbs, and spices. Cook them at the appropriate temperature and time for each vegetable. This method helps retain the nutrients and flavors of the vegetables.

  • Omelettes: Sous vide omelettes are incredibly convenient and can be customized with your favorite ingredients. Beat eggs, add your desired fillings like cheese, vegetables, or cooked meats, and seal them in a bag. Cook them at 75°C for 45 minutes to 1 hour for a perfectly cooked omelette.

  • Cheap cuts of beef: While steak might not be budget-friendly, you can still enjoy beef with cheaper cuts like chuck roast, brisket, or flank steak. These cuts benefit from long, slow cooking. Season them, vacuum seal them, and cook them at the appropriate temperature and time for each cut. The result will be tender, flavorful beef that can be used in various dishes like tacos, stir-fries, or sandwiches.

  Remember, with sous vide cooking, you can batch cook and freeze portions for later use. This allows you to take advantage of sales or buy larger quantities of ingredients at a lower price.

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  Guerilla89 on 17/07/2023 - 19:38

  +1

  The prawns recipe looks pretty good. I can just imagine perfect prawns with butter and herbs cooked to the perfect doneness would be awesome: https://recipes.anovaculinary.com/recipe/sous-vide-shrimp

  • 

    AustriaBargain on 17/07/2023 - 20:12

    Oh that’s a really good idea. I should buy a bag of frozen prawns.

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  Misslego on 18/07/2023 - 11:30

  It’s great for infusing and fat-washing alcohols.

  Also excellent for scallops. Sous vide then sear👍