|
mindphlux posted:yeah, I was gonna ask this too and had typed out a reply but then just decided to close the window. Well thats really why I haven't done it yet. With a sv supreme, I'd have a countertop appliance, not a giant piece of lab gear. I think I would use it more. I could always keep the big one around for long cook stuff. Most things don't need the degree of precision offered by a real ic. I only ever use the ic in the tub I got with it. Most of my pots either aren't deep enough or wide enough for it to be useful. It has a giant cage around the working parts that is optional, but I've never taken it off. It would make it a lot smaller I suppose, but I'm worried about doing that then clogging the intake line or something.
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2012 23:37
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 16:09 |
|
|
Fatal posted:Don't know if you're interested in "beta testing" a product but the Nomiku seems to be an alternative, it's on kickstarter and doesn't ship till december... http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nomiku/nomiku-bring-sous-vide-into-your-kitchen I decided to pledge for this thing, hope it actually works.
|
|
#
?
Jul 16, 2012 23:40
|
|
|
Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:Well thats really why I haven't done it yet. With a sv supreme, I'd have a countertop appliance, not a giant piece of lab gear. I think I would use it more. I could always keep the big one around for long cook stuff. Most things don't need the degree of precision offered by a real ic.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 00:22
|
|
|
Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:Well thats really why I haven't done it yet. With a sv supreme, I'd have a countertop appliance, not a giant piece of lab gear. I think I would use it more. I could always keep the big one around for long cook stuff. Most things don't need the degree of precision offered by a real ic. well, just in my mind anyways, the sv supreme seems really expensive for what it is. I've been doing tepid puddle just using a large pot of water and checking temps every 5-10 mins while I cook - or for longer term, been heating a pot of water to desired temp and then throwing it in my oven set at whatever degree (it goes down to 100F thankfully) - and hoping for the best. maybe it's just my envy speaking, but you should totally just keep your ic and ball out, or forgo the fancy electronics altogether and do it manual-style. who wants a giant breadmaker sized crockpot thing sitting on their counter anyways. 
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 06:55
|
|
|
I don't know if anyone had considered this, but we sv our short ribs at work in a hotbox. Set hotbox to 160F, toss vac bagged ribs into rondeaux with water, finished in 24 hours. Our GM is too much of a cheap bastard to let us buy a nice temp bath =/
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 13:44
|
|
|
Chef De Cuisinart posted:I don't know if anyone had considered this, but we sv our short ribs at work in a hotbox. Set hotbox to 160F, toss vac bagged ribs into rondeaux with water, finished in 24 hours.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 14:29
|
|
|
I cook mine at 131.5 for 48 hours. They're pretty much a perfect medium rare.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 14:33
|
|
|
No Wave posted:This is fine I guess but are 160 degree short ribs actually any better than normal braised ones? 160 degrees is a well-done steak. They definitely turn out better than braising. As far as temp, 160F is as low as our hotbox elements go.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 15:12
|
|
|
Why is there such a large price difference between the Nomiku and a PolySci? Difference in reliability of components? Temperature accuracy?
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 19:02
|
|
|
.Z. posted:Why is there such a large price difference between the Nomiku and a PolySci? I just find for a notoriously finnicky piece of equipment, I'd rather pay 50-70% extra for the unit available now that's universally praised. It'll take a while before we know if there are any problems with the Nomiku. And it looks silly. But I'm not a normal home cook and I kind of fetishize toughness and weight on my kitchen equipment.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 19:39
|
|
|
I think the Nomiku looks pretty cool, and if it works as advertised, I will probably get one. Anyway, here's the model I have. In the pictures in the cambro tank, you can see how much space is taken by the IC, and just how huge the whole setup is. The science geek in me is more or less over the cool factor of the giant rig on my kitchen counter, and now I long for something more space friendly and attractive.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2012 21:01
|
|
|
So I'm looking at getting a new set of pots and pans. I right now got the cheapo entry level Cuisinart 7 piece from Amazon. It's pretty okay but it's a bitch to clean compared to non-stick which is what I grew up using. I basically need a pretty fresh brillo pad to clean up anything, especially if i sautee meat in there. I'm used to being able to just wipe down with a standard sponge and be fine. Is it because the quality of this set is crappy, or is that just the nature of stainless steel. I.e., even if I were using All-clad, would I still have to exert more force and use a coarser pad to clean it? Eggs also seem to be a huge culprit, and its annoying since I like clean pans and I also like eggs. I can get the pans pretty clean after four or five minutes of scrubbing down each one, but the bottoms seem to have this gold color I can't get off. Would barkeepers friend remove this? Anyway, I'm looking at getting a new set. Goon recommended MCP-7 seems tempting. But, this T-fal seems to be pretty heavily vetted for on amazon. I don't mind spending the extra money if the MCP-7 is better, but I don't just want to spend money on a brand name. Does anyone have any experience with this line? It's also oven-safe so that's pretty handy as well. Can anyone vet for the MCP lines being oven safe too? Edit: Also, I'm curious about the situation with non-stick these days. I know it was generally looked down upon because of potential teflon poisoning and all, but now there are teflon-free non-stick pans, right? Are they still crappy since they don't distribute heat that well? People just use them for omelets? wither fucked around with this message at 01:42 on Jul 18, 2012 |
|
#
?
Jul 18, 2012 01:37
|
|
|
All stainless takes a little effort to clean compared to nonstick. Your set looks fine. A sponge with a green scrubbing side should do fine on them. They don't have to have every single stain OCD clean, just clean enough. You can supplement your set with a nonstick pan. T-Fal is good, just don't ever use the abrasive side of a sponge on them, they will lose their nonstick property quicker. All non-PTFE nonstick pans are inferior compared to your typical Teflon pans, according to Cook's Illustrated. Quality of teflon pans has improved in recent times. As long as you don't use high heat or leave the pan empty for long they're perfectly safe. Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 03:53 on Jul 18, 2012 |
|
#
?
Jul 18, 2012 03:50
|
|
|
I have the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro set and it rocks sack like an immersion circulator that keeps switching to reverse while my balls are dangling in the pot. The MCP's keep them so evenly heated that I could bang Paula Deen and she would ejaculate butter.
|
|
#
?
Jul 18, 2012 04:15
|
|
|
PRADA SLUT posted:I have the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro set and it rocks sack like an immersion circulator that keeps switching to reverse while my balls are dangling in the pot. The MCP's keep them so evenly heated that I could bang Paula Deen and she would ejaculate butter. This makes perfect sense. But really, get the Cuisinart MCP. It's awesome and I absolutely love it.
|
|
#
?
Jul 18, 2012 04:27
|
|
|
Has anyone used the copper-based T-fal as well as the MCP extensively who could give a comparison between the quality of the two? Also the MCP versus All-clad and Calphalon?
|
|
#
?
Jul 18, 2012 05:29
|
|
|
Without having used either, I can safely assume the MCP will be superior to the copper bottom T-Fals, because its aluminum layer goes around the whole pot and not just the bottom. Disc bottom pans tend to have a major heat difference where the disc ends, and this is where a lot of your burned sauces/stews will happen if you're not being diligent about mixing or watching the heat. Basically you can screw up a little and be lazy with aluminum core cookware and not have to worry as much about burning food. The MCP's have been used by many on the forums, everyone who has one likes them a lot and the 12 piece set typically goes for $200 at Costco, and even goes on sale every now and then for $150. I personally got the Calphalon tri-ply set because I wanted glass lids, but if that doesn't matter to you, the MCP is a much better deal. Cook's Illustrated did tests with stainless steel cookware where they put sheets of paper or pieces of solder in different skillets and measured how even the heating was. They found that the All-Clad was the most even, but after seeing the patterns of browning on the paper I decided that the difference wasn't extreme enough for me to shell out the extra money for the All-Clads. The Cuisinart MCPs came out after CI's tests, but as I mentioned several people have bought them and were pretty happy with them. Personally, I think your current set is good enough that you can hold onto them for a few months until Costco puts the MCP's on sale again. Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 09:12 on Jul 18, 2012 |
|
#
?
Jul 18, 2012 08:39
|
|
|
If you've been thinking about getting a Thermapen but can't see paying full price the manufacturer currently has open box units on sale for $69 + $6 S/H. If I hadn't literally just purchased their RT600C yesterday I'd be all over this.
|
|
#
?
Jul 19, 2012 20:52
|
|
|
How does Circulon stuff rate on the Farberware/Cuisinart/Calphalon/All-Clad scale? As far as pots and pans, I only have an 8 qt tri-ply stock pot and 12" non-stick frying pan, both Calphalon. The 3 qt straining pan seems like it would be a good all-purpose small pot: http://home.woot.com/plus/circulon-contempo-red-cookware I'm also considering this: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/calphalon-contemporary-nonstick-pour-strain-saucepan-3.5-qt.?ID=571974 Josh Lyman fucked around with this message at 21:22 on Jul 24, 2012 |
|
#
?
Jul 24, 2012 20:51
|
|
|
I dunno about that Circulon, but I have that Calphalon and it works fine. I think I got it at Home Goods for $35. Go shop around TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Marshalls, etc. I only use it for cheeses and pasta, most other cooking I do in stainless steel sauce pans. Since non-stick doesn't last forever I try to keep non-stick pan usage to a minimum.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 00:44
|
|
|
Josh Lyman posted:I'm also considering this: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/calphalon-contemporary-nonstick-pour-strain-saucepan-3.5-qt.?ID=571974 I have actually used that exact pot, and I can say that in a house with rowdy careless roommates, it held up well. I like that type of non-stick a lot better than the typical Teflon-coated wares you normally see. It is also a good size and the handles/lid are nice.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 01:02
|
|
|
The Circulon nonstick has a high and low layer so the high layer will take the brunt of your metallic mistakes. It's good, cheap nonstick and I love the hell out of my Circulon Commercial 20cm pan for eggs. The Infinite Circulon range is also great for cheap nonstick that's induction capable. They're also the same company that does Analon. Analon Advanced pans/knives are decent if you can get them cheap but avoid the Analon Basic anything as they're poo poo. It's also all made in Thailand, which means absolutely nothing other than its not made in China.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 04:42
|
|
|
Steve Yun posted:I dunno about that Circulon, but I have that Calphalon and it works fine. I think I got it at Home Goods for $35. Go shop around TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Marshalls, etc. quote:I only use it for cheeses and pasta, most other cooking I do in stainless steel sauce pans. Since non-stick doesn't last forever I try to keep non-stick pan usage to a minimum.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 08:50
|
|
|
One nonstick skillet, maybe one nonstick saucepan and you're good. The rest should be stainless. And maybe a cast iron skillet.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 09:14
|
|
|
I wouldn't buy any stainless or cast iron pans. Non-stick is the way to go for all time. All I know is every time my wife uses the stainless pan it is a pain in the rear end to clean.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 15:56
|
|
|
If your stainless pans are hard to clean, l2deglaze.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 16:40
|
|
|
modig posted:I wouldn't buy any stainless or cast iron pans. Non-stick is the way to go for all time. All I know is every time my wife uses the stainless pan it is a pain in the rear end to clean. You are cooking wrong.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 17:07
|
|
|
Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:You are cooking wrong. More specifically, his wife is. I mean, I caught my 13in stainless on fire (lolol sesame oil) and it only took me maybe 5min to scrub it back to shiny silver.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 17:12
|
|
|
Put some soap and water in the pot before all the crud dries on, jeez. It is not hard to wash a pot!
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 17:14
|
|
|
The cleaning method isn't the problem. The cooking method is the problem.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 18:01
|
|
|
Are those square silicon pot handlers enough to handle a cast iron pan in a 500 degree oven, or should I pick up something else for it?
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 18:52
|
|
|
PRADA SLUT posted:Are those square silicon pot handlers enough to handle a cast iron pan in a 500 degree oven, or should I pick up something else for it? No probably not, not for very long anyway.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 18:57
|
|
|
PRADA SLUT posted:Are those square silicon pot handlers enough to handle a cast iron pan in a 500 degree oven, or should I pick up something else for it? IME, the most heat-resistant ones have both silicone and fabric. Oxo's oven mitts and pads for example.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 19:15
|
|
|
PRADA SLUT posted:Are those square silicon pot handlers enough to handle a cast iron pan in a 500 degree oven, or should I pick up something else for it? I haven't had any trouble. Just move the cast iron to a heat resistant surface (stovetop) quickly and you'll be fine. Dawdling will result in a melty sensation in your hands.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 19:16
|
|
|
PRADA SLUT posted:Are those square silicon pot handlers enough to handle a cast iron pan in a 500 degree oven, or should I pick up something else for it? Use a towel, like the rest of us.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 19:21
|
|
|
Just make sure your wife hasn't just cleaned up some water with said towel without telling you.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 19:37
|
|
|
As an aside, I like to make fun of our bakers for using oven mits instead of towels.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 20:20
|
|
|
It's total heresy I guess but has anyone used diamond swiss nonstick? I was cooking at someone else's house and I cooked two chickens under a brick in two pans and holy poo poo. No sticking, no nothing, beautiful golden brown. At first I was disappointed because I wanted to make a pan sauce but a.) I was already making a gravy from the bones and poo poo so I didn't really need it and b.) this meant that the flavor stayed on the chickens. So I used to be all "non-stick sucks" but this really turned me around. It would probably kick rear end for fish cooked/basted whole as well. I mean there are a lot of sites that are dubious of this but drat it worked well. So I don't know, if I just use it for fragile proteins cooked whole it seems kind of useful. I know plenty of restaurants use non-stick oval pans for sole meuniere, for example.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 20:48
|
|
|
DuPont has a monopoly (edit: or maybe it's a duopoly with 3M?) on the teflon used in nonstick pans, but rather than just resting on their laurels they continue to come up with improved teflon formulations. Cheaper teflon pans use the older formulas, more expensive teflon pans use newer formulations. It's possible Swiss Diamond uses one of the newer formulas. Calphalon Unison pans also use one of the newer formulas and it's impressively slippery. I don't think everyone's against nonstick, it's just that you have to take into account that they don't last forever so we advise against making big investments into nonstick sets. Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 20:57 on Jul 25, 2012 |
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 20:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 16:09 |
|
|
Steve Yun posted:DuPont has a monopoly on the teflon used in nonstick pans, but rather than just resting on their laurels they continue to come up with improved teflon formulations. Cheaper teflon pans use the older formulas, more expensive teflon pans use newer formulations. It's possible Swiss Diamond uses one of the newer formulas. Calphalon Unison pans also use one of the newer formulas and it's impressively slippery. Basically, nonstick is good for applications where you're not going to be tempted to use metal utensils, you won't need to deglaze, you won't need to get it super hot, and sticking is an issue. This is pretty much just large fragile proteins and eggs for me.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2012 20:59
|
|