Mwahahaha!
[twirls mustache!] I shall conquer all...dishes!
Okay, some of the first things I want to try:
1) Chuck Steak or Brisket- Both of these are very flavorful meats but tough. Normally they require long cooking which can leave them dry. But cooking for 48 hours at about 135 degrees F should break down the collegen and tenderize them while leaving them medium rare. Imagine chuck steak as tender as a filet.
2) Scallops- While they're not the trickiest things in the world they do require a lot of care. Ideally scallops should be cooked to the point where the very center is just a little bit rare, but too rare and they're unpalatable to most. And when overcooked they get very rubbery. I plan to try them for about 40 minutes at 147 degrees, then sear them very briefly in a screaming hot pan with a bit of olive oil just to create some fond.
3) Pork Loin- I think about 1 hour (approx. depending on size) at 135 should be about ideal. This will reach the point where it's Trichinosis-free yet still very juicy.
4) Chicken Legs and Thighs- I'd say an hour or so at 145 should be about right, followed by a rapid chill. Then I will dredge and fry them til they're golden brown without having to worry about undercooked spots. Keller does this at
Ad Hoc, btw.
5) Ribs- Another one where long cooking is required but overcooking results in dryness. I plan to vac them with a rub and a bit of liquid smoke, then cook for 48-72 hours at perhaps 140 degrees F, followed by a basting with BBQ sauce and a quick broil.
6) Eggs- There's no other way I know of to get that custard-like texture besides sous vide. Check out
the first vid at the top...well, actually check them all out! Very interesting.
7) Lobster- I think sous vide should be perfect for lobster. Overcooking makes them tough and undercooking makes them unappealing. I think that creating a compound butter (a touch of lemon zest, a few capers and roasted garlic whipped into unsalted butter) and a touch of Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc would be superb. I would probably try 145 for about 40 minutes depending on the size of the tail. BTW, I think shrimp would be very good the same way.
8) A Hamburger- This should be a good way to prepare a burger, keeping a nice medium temp edge to edge, followed by a quick sear.
9) Chicken Breast- About 40 minutes at 145 or so should give me a very juicy breast of chicken. The result would be perfect for my Chicken Wellington dish; by sous vide cooking the chicken first I need only roast it til the puff pastry is browned.
10) Filet, New York Strip, Ribeye or Sirloin- I'm super eager to prepare a nice, extra thick steak sous vide! The huge draw of this technique will be in creating perfect edge-to-edge medium rare all the way thru with no overcooked spots. I plan on cooking at about 131 degrees for maybe an hour, then finishing for a minute or two on a very hot grill or screaming cast iron pan (depending on the weather).
Of course there are plenty of other things I want to try down the road. Coq au Vin is one very exciting idea. I'm also eager to try different veggies sous vide (brussel sprouts would be interesting, as would garlic). Cutting up a turkey and SV'ing the parts would be cool. And sous vide is said to be great for fish. But I think the ten listed above will be a good starting point.
