Trying sous vide techniques with an induction cooker
I have a Nu-Wave induction cooker and the normal pans, and I want to try to use it as a sous vide cooker for steaks. I plan to get it going with the steaks and then move on to everything else, finishing with searing the steaks at the very end, right before serving.
The nu wave has a digital control that goes up or down by 10 degree increments (farenheit). from other experience I have found that it maintains the temperature very consistently and accurately.
Since I will not be using a more pricey rig, I know I will have to make sure to occasionally stir the water bath. I'm not going to try to rely on convection.
Before I plunk down the cash for some good steaks, will this work and what things am I overlooking?
Any advice to prevent me botching this would be greatly appreciated.
Best Answer
Make sure to clip the bags away from the bottom of the cooker, where it heats from. If a bag ends up flat against the heating surface, without water between, then it could heat up far past the water temperature and melt the bag.
Beyond that, if you're willing to stir reasonably frequently and it really does maintain the water temperature well, then you'll end up with a good replica of what happens in a normal sous vide bath.
That said, 10 degree increments are really large, especially for steak. See for example The Food Lab's sous vide steak guide - rare 120°F, medium-rare 129°F, medium 135°F, medium-well 145°F. You won't really have any ability to tune for exactly where you like it, though you'll be able to avoid overcooking.
So... does this work? Well, it depends. A few of the big benefits of sous vide:
- Precise temperatures: avoiding overcooking, and getting it just right
- No drying out: the food stays with whatever liquid it releases.
- Hands-off: just put it in and forget about it til it's done.
- Flexible timing: leave it longer? No problem.
You're getting some of the temperature precision, and the avoiding drying out, but it's not hands-off and the timing isn't really flexible since you're not going to want to keep stirring longer than you have to. To me, this sounds like a good idea to try sous vide, and see how you like the results. But it doesn't sound like a replacement. The convenience is a huge deal.
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Can you sous vide with an induction cooktop?
It employs induction cooking, meaning it uses copper and an electric current to saut\xe9, sear, or fry food. But it also lets you do sous vide (which cooks food in a a temperature-controlled water bath), thanks to a water temperature sensor that hooks to the pot's side.Can you sear a steak on an induction cooktop?
Non-magnetic cookware, such as copper, glass, aluminum, and ceramic, would be incompatible with induction unless they have a layer of magnetic material.What Cannot be cooked on induction?
Induction burners are known to heat up very quickly and hold a consistent temperature and are purportedly safer, since they are flameless and often have features such as automatic shut-off and screen-locking mechanisms. They are also easier to clean and are more energy-efficient than gas or electric stovetops.Induction meets sous vide in a cooker you can actually afford
More answers regarding trying sous vide techniques with an induction cooker
Answer 2
Put some canning bands into the bottom of the pot. Just twist them together with some ties and they will keep the food off of the bottom. A collapsible metal steamer will work well enough as well.
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