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What size container for large quantities?


Sarah Duffy

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Totally sold. May order a wand tomorrow.

Boxes: I have about 20 boxes in various sizes in the workshop. Need to check but I believe they should be suitable.

What are the quantity limits per size? Do you go on weight of food or volume of space? 

So if I adapt a 14l box would that be suitable for 2, 6 or 10 steaks, a joint? Do I need to also adapt a 25l box if I’m cooking 6 or above?

Balls.. do I need balls? I’ve read they’re better to have for longer cooking times but are those ‘longer cooking times’ 8 hours or 18 hours? 

Beef joint.. thinking smoke then sous vide. Or sous vide and finish in the oven for the crispy bits? Oh lord, smoke, sous vide and then chargrill the outside? Drooling...

Thank you!

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We only cook for the two of us,  so we find the sous vide bath we have is spot on,  if you do have a number of various boxes is to do a test run for what size you will need to cook for your larger parties.

I would think a 14l box would fit the bill,  do you need balls??? that's up to you if you want to spend money??.  We use an old 1 lb weight works a treat and didn't cost anything.

We do a 24hr brisket, so far we have not smoked it at all, we may try later.

Ice.

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I usually just use a large stock pan. Bob some foil over the top to stop water evaporation there should be marks on the wand for minimum and maximum water level if I'm going for a bigger joint an old cool box is dragged out the garage. The wand instructions should tell you the maximum water volume it can cope with 

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1 minute ago, Neil Craven said:

I usually just use a large stock pan. Bob some foil over the top to stop water evaporation there should be marks on the wand for minimum and maximum water level if I'm going for a bigger joint an old cool box is dragged out the garage. The wand instructions should tell you the maximum water volume it can cope with 

Ah ha ok thanks! So I’ll have a lot ok at the spec before ordering then. 

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3 minutes ago, Sarah Duffy said:

Well the sous vide is on its way but what about bags? I can’t get a vacuum sealer just yet. I had planned to use the food zip lock bags from a super market but will they actually be ok with the heat for long periods? They generally do say not to use in heat!

Bags, ziplock/freezer are good, Tesco ones are OK but if using for any longer than a couple of hours I would suggest doubling up or even trebling up for those longer cooks and for very long cooks only use vacuum sealer bags. Thin ziplock bags can melt/split at high temps ruining the food. Just a suggestion... 

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2 minutes ago, Brinkman said:

Bags, ziplock/freezer are good, Tesco ones are OK but if using for any longer than a couple of hours I would suggest doubling up or even trebling up for those longer cooks and for very long cooks only use vacuum sealer bags. Thin ziplock bags can melt/split at high temps ruining the food. Just a suggestion... 

Ah ok thank you! Yes, don’t want them to melt on the food! Any recommendations on vac seelers? I guess something I can use with rolls would be more cost effective on the long run

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External vac is fine and get some suitable bags .  I got mine on Groupon. You can use smooth bags by putting straw in or a strip of textured bagging. Straw works better apparently but I have not used. I tend to use pouches not roll as there is no cutting straight lines from roll. If you do get roll I recommend a wheeled blade like gets used to cut frantic and a straight edge. 

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1 minute ago, Sarah Duffy said:

Ah ok thank you! Yes, don’t want them to melt on the food! Any recommendations on vac seelers? I guess something I can use with rolls would be more cost effective on the long run

I use a Lidl special, £24 when I bought it. Does it have a roll holder? No. How big width wise? 28mm which creates a standard size and you then make the length as long as you need.. Does it have a cutter built in? No. But I do have a nice pair of scissors! I even double bag with these but thats just me, meat and fish is expensive so why take a chance on your investment?

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1 minute ago, Brinkman said:

I use a Lidl special, £24 when I bought it. Does it have a roll holder? No. How big width wise? 28mm which creates a standard size and you then make the length as long as you need.. Does it have a cutter built in? No. But I do have a nice pair of scissors! I even double bag with these but thats just me, meat and fish is expensive so why take a chance on your investment?

Thank you! I must go have a look at the loca aldi. It’ll be mostly 1 hour max cooks for now so I think I’ll give food bags a shot first 

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6 minutes ago, Justin said:

Yes. Agree. Though you can clip tops of zip bags out of water to edge of container. No chance of it splitting then?

You can even use a sealer with ziplock bags as long as you use a straw or a small piece of a Vacuum sealer bag to assist in the removal of the air. In essence that straw or piece of sealer bag tricks the sealer into thinking you are using a proper bag!

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1 minute ago, Brinkman said:

You can even use a sealer with ziplock bags as long as you use a straw or a small piece of a Vacuum sealer bag to assist in the removal of the air. In essence that straw or piece of sealer bag tricks the sealer into thinking you are using a proper bag!

Ha ha! Good to know. Looking at the proper bags, they’re not overly expensive so I’d probably just go with those over the food bags (long term)

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1 minute ago, Sarah Duffy said:

Ha ha! Good to know. Looking at the proper bags, they’re not overly expensive so I’d probably just go with those over the food bags (long term)

If you want the little balls check here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Locisne-Cooking-Drying-Cookers-Container/dp/B06XKWN3W1/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1536862268&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=Sous+Vide+Water+Balls+250+Count+with+Drying+Bag+by+Wasserstein £14.99 or just wrap the top with cling film! As long as you don't cover the wand it will keep the heat in and you don't have to find another place for storing the balls! Remember how cling film reacts when placed over food in a microwave! Pretty good seal with no heat escaping until you lift it off, then you burn your fingers!!

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4 minutes ago, Brinkman said:

If you want the little balls check here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Locisne-Cooking-Drying-Cookers-Container/dp/B06XKWN3W1/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1536862268&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=Sous+Vide+Water+Balls+250+Count+with+Drying+Bag+by+Wasserstein £14.99 or just wrap the top with cling film! As long as you don't cover the wand it will keep the heat in and you don't have to find another place for storing the balls! Remember how cling film reacts when placed over food in a microwave! Pretty good seal with no heat escaping until you lift it off, then you burn your fingers!!

Ohbyes, been there! I will likely adapt a box with lid

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Just now, Sarah Duffy said:

Ohbyes, been there! I will likely adapt a box with lid

I honestly don't see the need for the balls! cling film or tin foil with a couple of tea towels over the top work and costs nothing. For wrapping the containers themselves for very long cooks? You know those screens you put in the front of the car to deflect the suns heat? Well cut to fit the container, they cost nowt and work great as an insulator. You don't need to spend vast amounts if you give things a little thought.?

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24 minutes ago, Brinkman said:

I honestly don't see the need for the balls! cling film or tin foil with a couple of tea towels over the top work and costs nothing. For wrapping the containers themselves for very long cooks? You know those screens you put in the front of the car to deflect the suns heat? Well cut to fit the container, they cost nowt and work great as an insulator. You don't need to spend vast amounts if you give things a little thought.?

Thank you. Yes I can be a cheap skate ;) I don’t think I need anything other than the wand really. Plenty of foil, pots, boxes and lids etc etc. Food bags will suffice for now as it’ll be chicken breast, steak and fish I play with for now

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22 minutes ago, Justin said:

Yes for hot temps. Most stuff is lower temps than that. Chicken breast at 66 secs  for instance for cold eating

Think I was cooking corn on the cob in butter and chilli flakes when I discovered all sous vide vacuum bags are not created equal 80'c for 2 hours but do agrèe it's only the veg that needs the heat ?

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