For years I have heard all about how sous vide is the way to go. That food is cooked perfectly this way. How it is foolproof and many restaurants rely on this method. So I reached out to Anova to see if they would send me a unit to test out. Last week a Precision® Cooker Pro arrived at my doorstep. Here’s what happened.
A sample was provided to review.
The first thing I made using the Precision® Cooker Pro was scallops. Now scallops are not difficult to cook, but I had already planned on making them for dinner. Plus I read online that the this was the perfect way to cook them evenly and without the risk of overcooking. I had a large bag of scallops that I defrosted and patted dry before adding them to a plastic bag with some oil and spices. I seared them afterward because we like a nice crust on the outside. I worried that this would overcook them but they were perfect, even though I forgot to preheat the water before adding them. to the bath.
Since then I have made pork (pictured below), flounder and even poached eggs right in the shell. I still have to experiment with time and temps to get the latter right.
How to use a sous vide device
The Anova came with two small instruction booklets, one in English and one in French. Since it did not come with an extensive recipe guide I watched some videos online and found more information and recipes on AnovaCulinary.com. Through my digital research I discovered a few things.
First, you will need a container for your water bath. You can buy one, but you can also just use a pot and place it on the stove. The water can get very hot, and you don’t want to crack your countertop. You can also opt to purchase a heat mat to protect your surface.
The device comes with a screw that you can fasten to keep the sous vide in place. Then just fill your container to the minimum line, so long as your food will be completely submerged.
Once you fill your bag the key is to make to expel the air from the bag before sealing. This is to ensure that it will not float during the cooking process. You may want to clip the bag to the side of your container. There are many different accessories available online, even dividers that you can use when cooking several bags at once.
This method is not only for meat and seafood. You can sous vide vegetables too.
With 1200 watts of power, a flow rate of 12 Liters per minute, and a motor guaranteed to run constantly for continuous weeks on end – the Anova Precision® Cooker Pro is an absolute workhorse with the ability to heat and circulate up to 26 gallons of water at a time. Whether cooking a weeknight meal for the family or an all out holiday feast for the neighborhood, this is the tool for the job.
I used the manual method this time, but this device works seamlessly with the Anova culinary app. Browse through a myriad of sous vide recipes and suggested cooking times and temps. Bluetooth connect your cooker to the app and you’ll be able to start, stop, and monitor right from your mobile phone. You can even cook remotely. How cool is that?
What I love about Sous Vide cooking
Not only is the food perfectly cooked, but you can walk away from the stove top while your food is cooking. This makes this method wonderful for busy parents.
But what I love most of all is the cleanup. There isn’t any! I can just dispose of the bag and dump the water. Violà! There are also reusable bags you can purchase.
The Anova Precision® Cooker Pro can be purchased here for $399. The Anova Precision® Cooker Pro is $129 and the Anova Precision® Cooker Pro is $179.
Wow….a first for my eyes! I will definitely check it out!
I have never used a sous vide device before. Thank you for this helpful information on how to use them!
I have never heard of this device. Very solid and professional looking. Since the Anova has a WiFi connection, it means that you can control the device from anywhere. Great!
I have yet to try cooking stuff sous vide, but will look into purchasing one of those machines because I heard cooking sous vide was amazing.
never try this method but i want this Anova culinary cooker and have application and can use Bluetooth from phone. Amazing . Life hack. I will check the details about this for sure
Great, I found the perfect gift for my husband! He loves Sous Vide and would enjoy making his own.
I’ve heard of sous vide cooking, but haven’t tried it. I love that you can walk away and not overcook food.
I need one of these Anova cookers in my life! I’ve always heard that sous vide is the way to go for really juicy meat, and that chicken DOES look juicy and tasty.