Would you buy something that cooked perfect steaks?

[imoldernu]

So I thought the steak cooker was an unnecessary splurge, but as I browsed some of the links, I found this... And am thinking to use my credit card bonus to get it from amazon.
Shhh... don't tell my DW, as she sometimes reads this, and I want it to be a surprise. Finally... a way to cook our Ramen Pride Soup, without burning!

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR To answer the OP, nope, wouldn't buy one... Only slightly off topic, I experimented last weekend with sous vide, using a slow cooker, my bbq thermometer, and a generic, NY strip from the local grocer (on sale!). I filled the crock with hot tap water, which was 131F, then set the cooker to WARM. I then checked the temps at 30 minute intervals. ...

Looks good. A step up from manually regulating that slow cooker would be to add one of those STC-1000 temperature probe/controllers I linked to earlier.

You need to wire a plug to the STC-1000, and an outlet to the HEAT relay contacts (plenty of wiring diagrams on-line) to switch power on/off to the cooker. You need the old-school simple physical switch type cooker like in your photos - cutting power to the fancy digital (non-LBYM style!) cookers will usually cause them to reset, rather than hold the WARM/LOW/HIGH setting.

-ERD50

[NW-Bound]

Darn, HFWR beats me to it! Steak looking good. When I do mine, for the post sous vide searing step, I will be sure to get my cast iron skillet to at least 500F as measured with an infrared thermometer.

About imoldernu using the Nomiku stick for ramen, I wonder if it would heat water to a high enough temperature for ramen noodle. And being designed to go into a deep pot, it may require you to make a couple of gallons of ramen noodle. That's a lot of carb!

PS. For steak, I like rib eye with more fat. Lean cuts like filet mignon can be boring.

PPS. I also have a skillet with raised ribs. I have not used it for a while, but it would be perfect to give the sous vide steak the grill mark. And flavor too, without cooking the meat too much more.

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 Looks good. A step up from manually regulating that slow cooker would be to add one of those STC-1000 temperature probe/controllers I linked to earlier. You need to wire a plug to the STC-1000, and an outlet to the HEAT relay contacts (plenty of wiring diagrams on-line) to switch power on/off to the cooker. You need the old-school simple physical switch type cooker like in your photos - cutting power to the fancy digital (non-LBYM style!) cookers will usually cause them to reset, rather than hold the WARM/LOW/HIGH setting. -ERD50

If I decided to use this method regularly, I would likely re-engineer the slow cooker. Not sure I will. In defense of my poor man set-up, the temperature was pretty stable, and required only minor adjustments, so one could be drinking beer doing other things between checking every 15 minutes or so...


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[mickeyd]

I already have a gizmo that is parked out on my patio that cooks steaks (and other items) to perfection. That is, if I am the chef.

[Dreamer]

No, I would not buy it either. Too high in price and would not want to store it. I use the cast iron skillet and finish in the oven method also.

[clifp]

A couple of months ago I might have paid a $200, for such a device, but not $500.

I was actually looking for a good steak cooking solution for Xmas, and was a bit disappointed with two good cooks (sisters) and never ending complaints that you are hard to shop for, they'd didn't get me anything.

I ended up getting cast iron grill pan, and found that for me broiling in the oven works the best other than a BBQ. Still I have troubles with consistency, perhaps a good thermometer is what I need.

[Texas Proud]

I decided to take a look at some of the cast iron pans since the one that I have sat outside and is in real bad shape (rusted badly)...

Saw this one... only cost $20... but hey, if you buy the combo that has two pans it only cost $80

Amazon.com: Lodge L8sgp3 Pre-seasoned Cast-iron Square Grill Pan, 10.5-inch (Black, 2): Kitchen & Dining

[NW-Bound]

That looks like the same size as my ribbed iron skillet that I am going to use to sear the future sous vide steak.

Its description reads "the cast iron grill pan looks good in most kitchens and it doubles up as an excellent source of nutritional iron..."

Really? I did not know that iron comes off the pan and gets into your food in any significant amount. Wow!

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud I decided to take a look at some of the cast iron pans since the one that I have sat outside and is in real bad shape (rusted badly)... Saw this one... only cost $20... but hey, if you buy the combo that has two pans it only cost $80 Amazon.com: Lodge L8sgp3 Pre-seasoned Cast-iron Square Grill Pan, 10.5-inch (Black, 2): Kitchen & Dining

Why buy new when you can pick one up off of someone else for less.
We've got 3 sizes of cast iron skillets - 1 was my husband's grandmothers. 2 I picked up used - one at an Amvets store, the other at a garage sale.

I have bought all of my le creuset pans used (enameled over cast iron)- mostly from ebay. MUCH cheaper than retail.

I'm too cheap to pay for new - but I love good cookware.

[harley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TuffNuts just use the pinch method.....lightly touch your left index finger tip to your left thumb tip. Now feel the inside, meaty part of your left hand with your right index finger. This is how a medium rare steak should feel. Now move to your left middle finger tip....medium. Ring finger....well done. Never fails

I can name a guaranteed fail. I'm a bass player.

[Notmuchlonger]

Hell no. Ruin the best part of beer and the deck. Damn I take pride of doing my thing on the grill half or three fourths in the bag , making perfect steaks. Whole topic got me grumpy..grunt



Get off my lawn..just in case

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR After about 2.5 hours at 133-135, controlled by "hand" by toggling between OFF and WARM,

This is the real value of the sous vide machine. It holds the temperature within a degree, and you can go away and forget about it for as long as you like. The convenience factor counts for a lot with someone as easily as distracted as I am!

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister This is the real value of the sous vide machine. It holds the temperature within a degree, and you can go away and forget about it for as long as you like. The convenience factor counts for a lot with someone as easily as distracted as I am!

Granted, auto mode is better, but the least expensive option is an attachable heater for $199, and the water ovens are $300 and up. Don't really need another small appliance, especially one that costs that much, and that I would use infrequently (cough, cough, breadmaker, cough).

Though I am contemplating a stand mixer...

It was sheer luck and coincidence that the WARM setting on my cooker was right about medium-rare territory, and the temp was pretty stable (lot of mass in a crock full of water). For different temps more intervention would be required.


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[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR It was sheer luck and coincidence that the WARM setting on my cooker was right about medium-rare territory, and the temp was pretty stable (lot of mass in a crock full of water). For different temps more intervention would be required.

In your case, true. But for me, steaks, and beef in general, are best at about 125°F so I've been extremely happy with my sous vide in the nearly four years since I bought it.

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister In your case, true. But for me, steaks, and beef in general, are best at about 125°F so I've been extremely happy with my sous vide in the nearly four years since I bought it.

Aren't you supposed to kill that steer first?


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[NW-Bound]

Heck, for something that rare, I could just leave it outside in the summer, here in the SW.

If you do that, make sure to cover it from the direct sun, as that would give you medium cooked steak. Leave it in the back patio, or the front porch.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR Aren't you supposed to kill that steer first?

No, as long as it has been properly branded, that should be enough.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister No, as long as it has been properly branded, that should be enough.

+1

Cooking beef is largely so no one thinks I'm a cannibal. Nice grill marks but done Blue. Best described as a steak so rare a vet might be able to bring it back to life.

[NW-Bound]

There is already a dish for raw meat, called Steak Tartare. Why even pretend to cook it?

Well, perhaps you can warm it up a bit by keeping it under your armpit?