First sous vide try
Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 1:13 am
I'm a few hours into my sous vide experiment. I bought this controller http://www.amazon.com/Ranco-ETC111000/d ... co+ETC-111 , and wired it myself with a 14 guage extension cord. I'm using our ancient Hamilton Beach slow cooker, an approximately 7 quart ceramic container with a glass cover, thick walls; hardly ever used because the ceramic is not removable, making the unit hard to clean.
Trying to approximate a dish from a great experience in Paris. Went to a new Mexican food market near home and bought a hunk of pork belly. I cut two single serving pieces off it and rubbed them with a combination of black pepper and finely chopped garlic, chives, rosemary and thyme. Salted very lightly and used the vacuum sealer. Placed in F150 degree bath in the slow cooker. Plan to cook 20-24 hours.
The Ranco controller has a 1 degree differential; I think some systems claim a 0.1 degree differential. Reviews mentioned a problem with overshooting the target temperature. This does not seem to be a problem with this system. I had turned the temperature controller to high to bring the temp back to F 150 after placing the pork belly in, I turned it to low at F148 it went to F151 after turning the heat off at F150. Overshoot did not happen again; temp has alternated between F149 and F150.
I think reports of overshooting may be cause by bad insulation, low water volume, or too high heat settings on whatever people are using to cook. I think the controller will work in most systems if a 1 degree differential works. Not sure if superfine control is ever necessary, but as temp and time suggestions are all over the place for pork belly, I don't think control finer than 1 degree is necessary.
Will report after eating.
Trying to approximate a dish from a great experience in Paris. Went to a new Mexican food market near home and bought a hunk of pork belly. I cut two single serving pieces off it and rubbed them with a combination of black pepper and finely chopped garlic, chives, rosemary and thyme. Salted very lightly and used the vacuum sealer. Placed in F150 degree bath in the slow cooker. Plan to cook 20-24 hours.
The Ranco controller has a 1 degree differential; I think some systems claim a 0.1 degree differential. Reviews mentioned a problem with overshooting the target temperature. This does not seem to be a problem with this system. I had turned the temperature controller to high to bring the temp back to F 150 after placing the pork belly in, I turned it to low at F148 it went to F151 after turning the heat off at F150. Overshoot did not happen again; temp has alternated between F149 and F150.
I think reports of overshooting may be cause by bad insulation, low water volume, or too high heat settings on whatever people are using to cook. I think the controller will work in most systems if a 1 degree differential works. Not sure if superfine control is ever necessary, but as temp and time suggestions are all over the place for pork belly, I don't think control finer than 1 degree is necessary.
Will report after eating.