Some time ago, there was a thread about this cooking technique, but my search drew a blank.
The immersion style heaters seem to be the most cost effective. Are they reliable? Does anyone have any experience with that type? Has it really become your go to cooking technique for meats as well as veggies?

Anova is the probably the way to go for most folks. That said, I use an Inkbird 308 temp controller that I use to regulate a large electric turkey roaster (Nesco) full of water. Works great for my needs for about $30 vs $100-$150 for the Anova. The added benefit is that if/when I get it hooked up with a relay, I can run a higher wattage heater element in a huge bath for very large cooks, something the Anova can't do.

To your original questions, the Anova seems to be very reliable, and with great customer service from what I understand, from many folks that I correspond with on another (cooking) forum. While it's a very handy tool in certain situations, I wouldn't say it's my go to method, just a very useful tool at times. For instance, I did about 40# of chicken breast for a party recently and absolutely nailed a perfectly juicy end product, something that's hard to do in that quantity, especially while doing a bazillion other foods at the same time.

We have a Joule and have been pleased with it. It's not something we would normally purchase, but I bought it as a birthday gift for my husband.

We've done pork chops, steaks, and a pork loin. All turned out excellent. It's nice to be able to program and watch the temp and cook time via the iPhone. Haven't tried veggies yet.

It will never be our go-to cooking method. It's more of a novelty at the moment, but I suppose that could change as we use it more.

My father-in-law did a fair amount of research and bought me a Nomiku WiFi sous vide machine for my birthday a few months ago.

I couldn't care less about the WiFi part (at least so far), but it's a more powerful unit than the Anova and is rated for up to a 10 gallon sous vide bath vs. 4-5 gallons for the Anova.

It comes to temperature pretty quickly and maintains it very, very accurately.

If you want to do complicated stuff the UI is kind of a pain, but for just adjusting the temperature, you just grab the big ring around the entire face of the unit and twist it.

I've used it several times and it's worked great.

It certainly breathes some flavor-life into boring chicken breasts without frying them.

I've had good luck with the Anova. A couple of friends bought them also and like then a lot.

I've been using an Anova for a couple of years. No complaints

I see no reason for the wi-fi personally

I've wanted to try this, but haven't plopped down any dinero yet to try it. Reverse sear works so nicely, I can't imagine it's that much juicier. I'd be interested more for chicken than red meat.

What do you guys use it for most and how do you season with out seasoning overpowering meat (especially red)?

We have an Anovo, non-wifi model. It does have bluetooth to talk with a phone or tablet, but not really needed. Best steaks I've ever had come out of it, perfect medium rare throughout every time (only the reverse sear method on my BGE ever closely approximated it, and was much more hassle). Does well with fish, chicken and pork as well. We've really enjoyed it.

Anova WiFi purchased at Christmas. Absolutely the best NY Steak I've ever made. 3.5 hours at 135°
Mike

Anova...with WiFi I can turn my cooker on from anywhere with internet using my phone. A trick I do now is put ice in the water and leave the meat I want to cook in the ice water with the machine connected. While coming home I turn the cooker on it melts the ice (this adds about 15 minutes to the cook ) and the meat is ready to go shortly after I get home.

I have the non-Wifi Anova. I am using a polycarbonate bin with a lid that already has a cut-out for the heater unit. I also bought the insulating blanket that covers all sides - I believe that the insulation made a significant difference in the unit's power needs.

I'll try to post information on the specific parts when I can look up the purchase (made on Amazon).

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
Anova WiFi purchased at Christmas. Absolutely the best NY Steak I've ever made. 3.5 hours at 135°
Mike

It took 3.5 hours to cook that steak?

What is the advantage over cooking a steak just a few minutes at 275 in the oven with a Thermoworks set to alarm when the internal temperature of the steak reaches 135?

quote:

Originally posted by Sportshooter:

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
Anova WiFi purchased at Christmas. Absolutely the best NY Steak I've ever made. 3.5 hours at 135°
Mike

It took 3.5 hours to cook that steak?

What is the advantage over cooking a steak just a few minutes at 275 in the oven with a Thermoworks set to alarm when the internal temperature of the steak reaches 135?

No carry over. The steak is done to the exact temperature you want. No done on the outside and rare in the middle. It's the same all the way through. The only thing you need to do is throw it on a super hot skillet or grill to brown the outside. Some even use a torch. There are many other things you can cook sous vide.

quote:

Originally posted by Sportshooter:

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
Anova WiFi purchased at Christmas. Absolutely the best NY Steak I've ever made. 3.5 hours at 135°
Mike

It took 3.5 hours to cook that steak?

What is the advantage over cooking a steak just a few minutes at 275 in the oven with a Thermoworks set to alarm when the internal temperature of the steak reaches 135?

In a sous vide, the steak gets up to the set water temperature in maybe a half hour.

At 135 degrees (medium rare), connective tissue breaks down slowly. At higher temps, it breaks down faster - think pot roast or short rib, that you have to cook for a long time to soften enough to enjoy eating it. By letting it sit at 135 for several hours, you can break down a lot of connective tissue without ever cooking it past medium rare.

It isn't that you HAVE to cook the steak for several hours - it's that you CAN cook the steak for several hours.

Another benefit is that since the steak is sealed in a vacuum bag, there's no evaporation.

You can sous vide a steak at 135 for 24 hours if you want (it's safe) and by the end you can cut the steak very easily with a spoon (this is generally not recommended, because a steak should have SOME texture.)

On the other hand, it is pretty common to do short ribs sous vide for 24-72 hours. A lot of fancy restaurants specifically note on their menus (as something they think makes the dish better or more appealing) that they do their short ribs that way.

I have an Anove and find that sous vide is good for some things (like marinated chicken breasts that are very easy to overcook, for example) and not so great for other things.

I don't mind taking time to prepare a good meal, but I do mind going to a lot of hassle to prepare that meal that is unnecessary for the end result to be good/great.

Steaks, for example. My favorite, and go-to, way to have an amazing steak is on my Egg. It involves lighting the charcoal, cooking for 6 minutes, then enjoying the best steaks there are. Sous vide involves, setting up the contraption, filling it with water, turning it on, bagging your steak, waiting an hour (or better) for it to heat up, removing it from the bag, heating up a skillet/oven/grill, then searing it, and then getting to eat it. Too much trouble, too much mess, too much hassle for me to go through for a steak that won't possibly taste any better than the one that took six minutes to cook on my Egg in a no muss no fuss method.

If you want to cook them that way, knock yourself out. Too much of a pain in the keester for me.

I wouldn't mind trying a butt in it though. I'd imagine the long slow cook followed by some generous smoking would make for a good pulled pork without having to hover over the grill and watching temps.

quote:

Originally posted by Sportshooter:

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
Anova WiFi purchased at Christmas. Absolutely the best NY Steak I've ever made. 3.5 hours at 135°
Mike

It took 3.5 hours to cook that steak?

What is the advantage over cooking a steak just a few minutes at 275 in the oven with a Thermoworks set to alarm when the internal temperature of the steak reaches 135?

That's nothing - - I cooked a top round roast (a couple of pounds) for 30 hours at 145 and it came out perfect.

I use a seal-a-meal to encase the meat and loads of spices before deep sixing in the water bath.

Strange but true.
Mike

"In a sous vide, the steak gets up to the set water temperature in maybe a half hour."

OK, I understand now. The main selling points seem to be that one or more steaks can be cooked to uniform doneness and safely waiting to be sered at the last minute to complete the meal preparation.

quote:

Originally posted by Sportshooter:
"In a sous vide, the steak gets up to the set water temperature in maybe a half hour."

OK, I understand now. The main selling points seem to be that one or more steaks can be cooked to uniform doneness and safely waiting to be sered at the last minute to complete the meal preparation.

That is certainly one application of sous vide. It can be extended, too - if you have philistines that want medium, medium well, or well done steak, you can put the sous vide temp on, say, 165 for an hour with the well done steaks in it, then turn it down to 135, leaving the well-done steaks in the water, and add the steaks that are to be done medium-rare. Pull them all out, sear them, and they're all ready at the same time. No need to wait, and wait, and wait for some of the steaks to turn into jerky.

MANY steakhouses have several different temperature sous vide tubs of vacuum bagged steaks in the kitchen, ready to sear and slap on a plate.

There IS benefit besides convenience, though.

A steak held at 135 for four hours and then seared is much more tender than a steak that is brought to 135 and seared, or just grilled until it the inside temp is 135. The extended time at low temperature breaks down a lot of connective tissue, even though it never gets past medium rare.

Most of the consumer marketing of sous vide seems to focus more on this sort of "improve the end product" process rather than the "make the process more convenient/easier" idea.