Vent: I was dead wrong about sous vide being a fad

Back when sous vide started getting big in home kitchens maybe 10 years ago, I thought it was just another gadget for people who watch too much YouTube. I mean I run a tree service, not a Michelin star kitchen, but I cook a lot. Steaks, chicken, whatever. I figured a good cast iron and a thermometer was all you needed. Then my buddy who cooks for a living talked me into trying his setup for a pork shoulder last summer. I was skeptical but I figured what the hell. 24 hours at like 145 degrees. It came out so tender I actually felt stupid for being stubborn about it. The texture was something I never got from a smoker or oven. Even my wife who never compliments my cooking said it was the best pork she ever had. I still don't use it every week or anything, but I broke down and bought an Anova on sale for like $80. I've done chicken thighs and salmon so far and both came out way better than my usual method. Has anyone else had that moment where you ate your own words on a cooking trend?

3 comments

3 Comments

young.michael3d ago

@ward.anna I had the same exact moment with that pork shoulder my buddy made. 24 hours in the water bath and it was so tender I almost got mad at how good it was. Realized I was just being stubborn about new cooking methods because I thought I already had it down.

ward.anna3d ago

My neighbor bought a Joule two years ago and brought over a brisket he cooked for 36 hours. I was polite but I didn't want to try it because I was sure it would be mushy. Ended up eating three slices and had to ask him for the recipe the next day.

gavin_kim2d ago

And the thing that gets me is I still won't do it for a weeknight dinner because I'm too impatient to wait for the water to heat up, you know? But for weekend stuff where I've got time, I'm starting to see why people go all in on it.