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Yeah, I agree about the freezer. One of the things I love about using sous vide for batch cooking is the bags go from the cook to the freezer without being open

Yeah, I agree about the freezer. One of the things I love about using sous vide for batch cooking is the bags go from the cook to the freezer without being opened. The liquid in the bag acts as a sort of jacket that prevents freezer burn. Based on the science I know there's a texture change, but I'd be surprised if you could spot it in a blind test. But the other big thing for me is convenience. It takes maybe 10-15 minutes for me to prep say 5 lbs of meat this way, depending how elaborate my marinade/base is. Then you just put it in the sous and ignore it for a couple hours. I can use the sous to thaw a frozen portion very fast with no worries about food safety or overshooting and overcooking. Past that making a plate is just getting the rice cooker going and then again maybe 10 minutes of active time to bring it all together with some fresh produce. The convenience of all this is what really clinched it for me. At this point it'd take more active time for me to go get takeout. I've tried bread a couple times, but so far all I've learned is I'm not a great baker. I intend to make another stab at it though.

kinghtown 6y ago
Bread Baker's Apprentice is a great book which will teach you everything. Peter Reinhart, the author, in general is a great resource for bread making. You kind of have to embrace the random factor in bread making and develop a feel for it. A cake recipe is a far more mechanical process, just follow the instructions and it will work. Bread is more chaotic for sure (like, maybe it's a very humid day and your flour is heavier with water than usual) but it's not like pulling a slot machine. My first few loaves were mediocre, some were bad, but after about 5-10 it came together. And now, like I wrote earlier, I make money baking. Anyone can do it, just treat it like a weird little hobby with no pressure at first.
- jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
  Thanks for the rec, I'll check it out. I have the Ken Forkish book. I'm not his biggest fan based on personal interactions, though I'm honest enough to admit he makes amazing bread. But I pretty clearly need to start with something a little more low key.

kinghtown 6y ago

Bread Baker's Apprentice is a great book which will teach you everything. Peter Reinhart, the author, in general is a great resource for bread making. You kind of have to embrace the random factor in bread making and develop a feel for it. A cake recipe is a far more mechanical process, just follow the instructions and it will work. Bread is more chaotic for sure (like, maybe it's a very humid day and your flour is heavier with water than usual) but it's not like pulling a slot machine. My first few loaves were mediocre, some were bad, but after about 5-10 it came together. And now, like I wrote earlier, I make money baking. Anyone can do it, just treat it like a weird little hobby with no pressure at first.

jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
Thanks for the rec, I'll check it out. I have the Ken Forkish book. I'm not his biggest fan based on personal interactions, though I'm honest enough to admit he makes amazing bread. But I pretty clearly need to start with something a little more low key.