Hacking your slow cooker for Sous Vide
 

On Nov 13, 11:18*pm, isw > wrote:
> In article
> >,
>
>
>
> *zydecogary > wrote:
> > I have one of those Quasar microwaves with a temperature control probe
> > which I use for sous vide. If you have one, or a similar one, perhaps
> > you can try your hand at an easy sous vide without an expensive water
> > bath piece of equipment -- at least as an experiment.
>
> > -Take a boneless chicken breast (season if you want)
>
> > -Place it in a vacuum bag and remove all the air (I use the FoodSaver
> > system)
>
> > -Place a two quart Pyrex bowl or measuring container with sufficient
> > water to cover your chicken package in the microwave and heat it to
> > 130 degrees using the temperature probe (do not have the chicken in
> > the water at this time - you want the water to temperature - first)
>
> > -When temperature is reached, THEN place the chicken package in the
> > water container. Make sure it is submerged (you may have to put a non-
> > metalic weight on top of the package to keep it under the water)
>
> > -Continue to microwave at Medium with a temperature setting of 130
> > degrees. Cycles will be mostly off as all it is doing is keeping the
> > water at 130 degrees. There will be some microwaving of the chicken so
> > that is why I select 130 degrees rather than the published 140
> > degrees. [If you like your chicken 'more done' then use higher
> > temperatures]
>
> > -You can wrap the container with the water and chicken package with a
> > towel to keep heat in and to cut down the microwaving
>
> > -Leave the chicken in the hot water bath in the microwave for at least
> > 40 minutes
>
> > -Result: great evenly cooked tender juicy chicken. You'de be surprised
> > how good.
>
> Very clever. But since chicken is mostly water, there's no reason to
> believe, as you suggest, that the chicken could be anything like 10 F
> warmer than the water it's floating in.
>
> And note that 130 F may not be sufficient to kill salmonella, *no matter
> how long* you cook the chicken. How accurate is your temperature probe?
> (My guess: probably not better than +/- 2 F and likely somewhat worse.)
> If it errs on the high side, salmonella is even more likely not to be
> eliminated.
>
> I'd suggest you check around for recommended time-temperature profiles
> for killing salmonella.

I sure as heck wouldn't do it, but I would NEVER put uncooked meat of
any kind into a microwave. Just because you CAN do something, doesn't
mean you SHOULD.
>
> Isaac

--Bryan

Hacking your slow cooker for Sous Vide
 

On Nov 13, 9:12*pm, Bryan > wrote:
....
>
> > And I'd place the thermocouple directly in the waterbath. It's
> > stainless steel after all. And you don't want anything coming between
> > it and the water to delay the temperature transmission from the water
> > to the thermocouple. Just my thoughts on the subject.
>
> You also don't want it contacting the sides or the bag.
>
>
>
> > John Kuthe...
>
> --Bryan

Yep, I thought of that later.

John Kuthe...

Hacking your slow cooker for Sous Vide
 

On Nov 13, 10:51*pm, "Paco" > wrote:
> "Bryan" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
> > Over here, and I'm buying the beer, Schlafly Dry Hopped APA (surprise,
> > eh?).
>
> >> > Or you could bring it all over here and same scenario. I know I have
> >> > all the tools necessary.
>
> > Got a sodderin iron too.
>
> > --Bryan
>
> Soldering iron.
>
> Is this going to be one of those "Hey y'all, watch this shit!" scenarios?
> What newspapers electronically publish Fire and Rescue reports in St. Louis?

No chance! I've been soldering (and I think Bryan was just putting a
little MO Hick spin on the word!) since I was in grade school, and I
know how to safely, even if drunk.

John Kuthe...

Hacking your slow cooker for Sous Vide
 

On Nov 13, 11:18*pm, isw > wrote:
> And note that 130 F may not be sufficient to kill salmonella, *no matter
> how long* you cook the chicken. How accurate is your temperature probe?
> (My guess: probably not better than +/- 2 F and likely somewhat worse.)
> If it errs on the high side, salmonella is even more likely not to be
> eliminated.

Bryan and I were on the telephone while we discussed thermocouples and
temperature controllers. The Series TCS Thermocouple Temperature
Switch model TCS-4010:

http://www.mod-tronic.com/Love_Tempe...witch_TCS.html

which has a temp accuracy of +-1% and uses type J or type K
thermocouples. These thermocouples derive their temperature
discrimination and thus their voltage output from the metals of which
they are contructed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple#Types

We decided on a type J thermocouple, an iron-constantan thermocouple
because it's is more sensitive than the K type, thus will produce a
little more accurate reading of the temperature.

Of course after construction a test run with an accurate thermometer
in the waterbath will be in order. Time to drink more beer too, while
we wait for the waterbath to come to temp!! :-) And I believe Bryan is
more interested in this Sous Vide cooker for cooking beef more than
chicken, which as Bryan and I were discussing we sometimes will eat
raw anyway! And neither of us are in any way immunocompromised in any
way, quite the opposite most likely!

John Kuthe...

Hacking your slow cooker for Sous Vide
 

On Nov 14, 10:04*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
> On Nov 13, 11:18*pm, isw > wrote:
>
> > And note that 130 F may not be sufficient to kill salmonella, *no matter
> > how long* you cook the chicken. How accurate is your temperature probe?
> > (My guess: probably not better than +/- 2 F and likely somewhat worse.)
> > If it errs on the high side, salmonella is even more likely not to be
> > eliminated.
>
> Bryan and I were on the telephone while we discussed thermocouples and
> temperature controllers. The Series TCS Thermocouple Temperature
> Switch model TCS-4010:
>
> http://www.mod-tronic.com/Love_Tempe...witch_TCS.html
>
> which has a temp accuracy of +-1% and uses type J or type K
> thermocouples. These thermocouples derive their temperature
> discrimination and thus their voltage output from the metals of which
> they are contructed:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple#Types
>
> We decided on a type J thermocouple, an iron-constantan thermocouple
> because it's is more sensitive than the K type, thus will produce a
> little more accurate reading of the temperature.
>
> Of course after construction a test run with an accurate thermometer
> in the waterbath will be in order. Time to drink more beer too, while
> we wait for the waterbath to come to temp!! :-) And I believe Bryan is
> more interested in this Sous Vide cooker for cooking beef more than
> chicken, which as Bryan and I were discussing we sometimes will eat
> raw anyway! And neither of us are in any way immunocompromised in any
> way, quite the opposite most likely!

The way you worded that makes it look like we eat raw chicken.
>
> John Kuthe...

--Bryan

Hacking your slow cooker for Sous Vide
 

On Nov 14, 10:13*am, Bryan > wrote:
> On Nov 14, 10:04*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Nov 13, 11:18*pm, isw > wrote:
>
> > > And note that 130 F may not be sufficient to kill salmonella, *no matter
> > > how long* you cook the chicken. How accurate is your temperature probe?
> > > (My guess: probably not better than +/- 2 F and likely somewhat worse..)
> > > If it errs on the high side, salmonella is even more likely not to be
> > > eliminated.
>
> > Bryan and I were on the telephone while we discussed thermocouples and
> > temperature controllers. The Series TCS Thermocouple Temperature
> > Switch model TCS-4010:
>
> >http://www.mod-tronic.com/Love_Tempe...witch_TCS.html
>
> > which has a temp accuracy of +-1% and uses type J or type K
> > thermocouples. These thermocouples derive their temperature
> > discrimination and thus their voltage output from the metals of which
> > they are contructed:
>
> >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple#Types
>
> > We decided on a type J thermocouple, an iron-constantan thermocouple
> > because it's is more sensitive than the K type, thus will produce a
> > little more accurate reading of the temperature.
>
> > Of course after construction a test run with an accurate thermometer
> > in the waterbath will be in order. Time to drink more beer too, while
> > we wait for the waterbath to come to temp!! :-) And I believe Bryan is
> > more interested in this Sous Vide cooker for cooking beef more than
> > chicken, which as Bryan and I were discussing we sometimes will eat
> > raw anyway! And neither of us are in any way immunocompromised in any
> > way, quite the opposite most likely!
>
> The way you worded that makes it look like we eat raw chicken.
>
>
>
> > John Kuthe...
>
> --Bryan

No way! Raw chicken is not only disgusting, it's a genuine biohazard!
That's how I treat it in my kitchen too.

John Kuthe...

Hacking your slow cooker for Sous Vide
 

On Nov 14, 10:18*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
> On Nov 14, 10:13*am, Bryan > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Nov 14, 10:04*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
>
> > > On Nov 13, 11:18*pm, isw > wrote:
>
> > > > And note that 130 F may not be sufficient to kill salmonella, *no matter
> > > > how long* you cook the chicken. How accurate is your temperature probe?
> > > > (My guess: probably not better than +/- 2 F and likely somewhat worse.)
> > > > If it errs on the high side, salmonella is even more likely not to be
> > > > eliminated.
>
> > > Bryan and I were on the telephone while we discussed thermocouples and
> > > temperature controllers. The Series TCS Thermocouple Temperature
> > > Switch model TCS-4010:
>
> > >http://www.mod-tronic.com/Love_Tempe...witch_TCS.html
>
> > > which has a temp accuracy of +-1% and uses type J or type K
> > > thermocouples. These thermocouples derive their temperature
> > > discrimination and thus their voltage output from the metals of which
> > > they are contructed:
>
> > >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple#Types
>
> > > We decided on a type J thermocouple, an iron-constantan thermocouple
> > > because it's is more sensitive than the K type, thus will produce a
> > > little more accurate reading of the temperature.
>
> > > Of course after construction a test run with an accurate thermometer
> > > in the waterbath will be in order. Time to drink more beer too, while
> > > we wait for the waterbath to come to temp!! :-) And I believe Bryan is
> > > more interested in this Sous Vide cooker for cooking beef more than
> > > chicken, which as Bryan and I were discussing we sometimes will eat
> > > raw anyway! And neither of us are in any way immunocompromised in any
> > > way, quite the opposite most likely!
>
> > The way you worded that makes it look like we eat raw chicken.
>
> > > John Kuthe...
>
> > --Bryan
>
> No way! Raw chicken is not only disgusting, it's a genuine biohazard!
> That's how I treat it in my kitchen too.

I do too. Everything gets disinfected after dealing with raw
chicken. Johnny doesn't like fried chicken much, so I've been getting
my fried chicken fix from Popeye's, leg+thigh+wing/$1.99 every
Tuesday. Their "spicy" seriously rocks.
>
> John Kuthe...

--Bryan

Hacking your slow cooker for Sous Vide
 

"John Kuthe" > wrote in message
...
> On Nov 13, 10:51 pm, "Paco" > wrote:
>> "Bryan" > wrote in message
>>
>> ...
>>
>>
>>
>> > Over here, and I'm buying the beer, Schlafly Dry Hopped APA (surprise,
>> > eh?).
>>
>> >> > Or you could bring it all over here and same scenario. I know I have
>> >> > all the tools necessary.
>>
>> > Got a sodderin iron too.
>>
>> > --Bryan
>>
>> Soldering iron.
>>
>> Is this going to be one of those "Hey y'all, watch this shit!" scenarios?
>> What newspapers electronically publish Fire and Rescue reports in St.
>> Louis?
>
> No chance! I've been soldering (and I think Bryan was just putting a
> little MO Hick spin on the word!) since I was in grade school, and I
> know how to safely, even if drunk.
>
> John Kuthe...

Aw, come on! Just a small fire? (I wouldn't want to put Bobo's family in
danger) How about cauterizing something "inappropriate" with the soldering
gun? Give us something!