Masterclass the Final Cut
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Masterclass The final cut Recipes Stephane Hardy Photographs Andreas Eiselen Production Kim Hoepfl In this, the second in our In general, we found that cooking Advantages of cooking series of basic sous vide beef using sous vide gave an techniques, we look at the meat sous vide evenly cooked result with a cooking of meat, specifically luxuriously tender texture and • Sous vide is able to transform beef. Cuts chosen were: Fillet, the softest of the juiciness. The flavour of the meat an inexpensive cut of meat into meats used, but also with was clear and pure, with no fat something tender and succulent. the least amount of flavour; in the juice. A downfall was that It is much like braising, but where sirloin: more flavoursome fat did not cook or even melt. the temperature is lower so that than fillet but not as tender While this meant that juices muscle fibers don’t contract and and; rump: the toughest of were not fatty at all, we found squeeze out meat juices, but long the three, but with the most that it was best to sear the meat enough for connective tissue to flavour. All portions were quickly before serving it, to give melt into gelatin. The result is fresh and not aged and went colour and to crisp the fat. We meat that is extra tender and into the sous vide bath at a also added a knob of butter to juicy. temperature of 4°C, straight the pan with the oil, which added from the fridge. It was a unction and, we felt, improved • Sous vide is the only technique limited experiment, looking the flavour of the final product. that allows you to pre-cook food Issue 15 only at beef and not any All meat was seasoned with salt in large volumes before it is other meats and only a few and pepper prior to tasting. needed, then blast freeze and CHEF! select beef cuts. store it - with no compromise 44 on quality. For example, 500 window to get it away from heat and temperatures is 4 hours. The medium-rare portions of fillet can therefore stop its cooking, is very faster it is chilled, the better, be prepared 1 week before they small. The problem is compounded hence the recommendation for are needed, then quickly frozen. since the temperature of food blast freezing. All they need before service is continues to rise a few degrees quick regeneration in a bath of even once it has been removed Sealing the bag - Pressure is warm water. This method allows from heat, called the carryover important for perfect consistency, unlike cooking effect. When sealing meat in the sous vide meat done on a grill. bag, it is important that it be sealed When cooking with sous vide, once tightly (with no bubbles) so that • Sous vide saves on staff costs: food reaches the desired internal the maximum surface area of meat It allows preparation to be done temperature, it stays there - even if comes into contact with the water's before service, reducing the left in the water - and there is also heat. The bag should not be sealed number of staff required during no carryover cooking effect when so tightly that the meat distorts - the service. it is removed from the water - but sealing pressure will vary according this does not mean that the window to how delicate the cut of meat is. • Sous vide saves on food costs: of time for perfectly cooked food is when food is vacuum packed and unlimited. chilled, there is no wastage. You only cook exactly what you need Food safety precautions and the rest can be stored safely, Food safety issues for sous vide for months if necessary. Also, are different to those of traditional because there is high moisture cooking. retention, very little weight of the meat is lost. It enables precise • Sous vide cooking temperatures portioning and meat can be still exist within the danger zone bought pre-packed from your for bacterial growth 4°C - 60°C. supplier. • For this reason, it is important that food to be cooked in sous Cooking tender cuts of meat vide must be cold when sealed in Sous vide works well for tender cuts the bag, and then either cooked of meat. This cooking technique HOT TIP! immediately or stored in the allows you to achieve an exact Sous vide is not limited to refrigerator. This is to prevent internal temperature, every time - specific cuts of meat - you can also use it to cook bacteria from getting a chance to something impossible to achieve burgers! Patties can be form on the surface of the meat. any other way. This temperature is pre-cooked, blast frozen, • After food is cooked in sous spread evenly through the entire regenerated and seared - to vide, it must either be served cut, not just the centre, which give colour and crunch. This immediately or quickly and means that meat is perfectly process gives a much quicker thoroughly chilled (in an ice bath cooked right through. and exact finish. or blast freezer) within 4 hours. How to do it • Sealed food should never be Cooking tougher cuts of meat stored at temperatures higher Tougher cuts of meat include the Sous vide vs. conventional than 4°C. Certain bacteria live tongue, shank and shoulder. All cooking of meat in an anaerobic environment. benefit from sous vide cooking Timing is important. Where meat They are: salmonella, clostridium, techniques, where they are cooked and sous vide are concerned, it botulism; E-coli and; listeria. at temperatures low enough to is not how long you cook it but If they are already in the bag prevent drying out (like braising) how long before you must stop that is then immersed in warm but still hot enough to dissolve, over its cooking. On a conventional water, they will multiply and this time, the connective tissue that grill, this is problematic since is very dangerous, as they can makes them tough. cooking temperatures exceed the survive in temperatures between • You can cook short ribs and a pot Issue 15 temperature food is to reach. This 4°C - 60°C. The maximum roast to medium-rare, yet cook it means that once meat has arrived time that food sealed in a bag long enough so that it is tender at a desired temperature, the should be allowed to sit at these and pink. CHEF! 45 Masterclass • Confit: The same results can be achieved (cooking for prolonged periods in quantities of fat) but using less fat. Using sous-vide also means that you are not using valuable oven space that traditional confit would require. • Tough cuts can be cooked to exact consistencies desired e.g. pork belly that is falling apart or still tender but firm enough to be cut. • Temperature: cooking braise cuts of meat under sous vide breaks down collagen but without squeezing out meat juices. The result is meat as tender as a traditional braise but more flavorful. *These experiments established that resting the meat after cooking, for about 10 minutes, is important, even at these relatively cool Cooking with marinades / temperatures. If meat is not rested but immediately carved and served, sauces / curry moisture seeps out and the fibers are tougher. For meat that traditionally This is an excellent technique would have been grilled, the best results were achieved by searing the cooked meat briefly in a mixture of oil and butter directly before service. for marinating braise cuts, but This browned the meat (which emerges from the sous vide bath a pale it is faster and cleaner than the reddish-grey), greatly enhancing its appearance and crisped superficial traditional marinating process and, fat. A mixture of oil and butter, not just oil, contributed valuable flavour, because less marinade is required, finishing the meat off deliciously. more efficient. **Meat quality will vary from supplier to supplier so these results should • Vegetables and spices to be be taken as guidelines only. added to the meat and cooked ***The darkening of meat when packaged has no negative using sous vide should be pre- repercussions. cooked separately before, then combined with the meat and left to marinade for a short while before cooking sous vide. Temperature Time Result Otherwise herbs, spices and 250g sirloin, 20 Appearance: Evenly cooked vegetables might not cook as the cooked at minutes and pink. The meat first had temperatures might be too low. 52°C to be drained of abundant external moisture when first • When cooking any kind of meat removed from the bag, then using sous vide, herbs used to seared in a pan to finish. Texture: Almost blue. flavour the meat should never Characterised by succulence come into direct contact with the and tenderness, but still with meat, otherwise some areas will plenty of chew. be more flavoured than others. Aromatics are also more powerful 30 Little difference between when cooked with sous vide. minutes the 20 minute sirloin and 30 minute sirloin. Issue 15 CHEF! 46 Temperature Time Result 40 minutes Appearance: Much the same as the 20 minute and 30 minute examples. Texture: noticeably more tender, still very pink but now a perfect medium rare. 250g sirloin, 40 minutes Appearance: Flesh is still pink and evenly cooked; juices run pink cooked at and are clear. The fat in the meat had not cooked, or even melted. 56°C Texture: Tends toward medium, is softer, but still has chew; very succulent with a pure, juicy flavour. 250g rump, 20 minutes Appearance: Evenly cooked through and very juicy, although the cooked at juices run red.