Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Soues vide....

First time using it tonight. Venison backstrap, cast iron sear at the end

Haha! Love that last picture!

Right Big Jim, he nailed it.

Looked great to me.

That looks like it didn't suck !



How long in the water bath ?

I left it in for three hours. No idea what's required, but not like it will overcook it anyway.

So did it taste as good as it looks?

Got an Anova for Christmas and like it way more than expected. Actually, our family got one for my grown grandson and I to share while we decide if I'm going to get one on my own. I am.

Grandson is good with the thing and I'm getting there. We've done elk steaks spiced three different ways, to test flavors. Whole whitetail tenderloin, two boneless pork roasts, potatoes twice, and salmon twice (extra good in sous vide because we get it perfectly done instead of raw spots mixed with overdone). A kitchen torch helps but I have also finished stuff in the oven broiler and in a stove top cast iron skillet. It takes more time than throwing something in a skillet or on a grill, somewhat like using a smoker to cook, but delish!

I check online time and temperature charts to know how long to cook at what temperature, and have concluded that everybody who posts those likes to eat everything raw or rare, including pork. I now raise the temp 5 to 10 degrees over their recommendation. It seems like I can't overcook things, if anything, meat just gets more tender if you leave it longer but does not dry out nor move toward well done or over well done.

Huge fan of my Anova for game meat and chicken going on the barbecue. I've found it an extra, ineffective step in beef and sacrilege on pork.

Game meat: Despite the leanness of game meat, I (like many) find the flavor provided by what little fat there is as undesirable, I trim off every bit of it (along with silver skin). That makes a meat that is prone to dry out. My Sous Vide prevents that. An hour in the Sous VIde at the target temp and then it goes into an ice bath for 10 minutes. Right before serving, I open the bag, flash fry it (super hot pan for 45 seconds each side) or flame sear and serve. Charred on the outside red AND COOKED TO PERFECT TEMP on inside. I won't do my duck or deer any other way!

Barbecue chicken: Same concept, but no risk of drying it out. I Sous Vide the chicken for 1.25 hours before removing it from the bag, coating with sauce and slapping it on the grill until its good and charred.

Whatever you do, don't eat it right out of the Sous Vide. It won't be dry (quite the opposite), but it'll feel like boiled meat on your palate. Yuck!