For those who want to try out sous vide aldi have got in on the game at $129, I cannot comment on the quality of the cooker.
More info on the functions here: http://www.kuchef.com.au/product-categories/multi-cookers/so…
Aldi Sous Vide & Slow Cooker $129 & Vacuum Food Sealer $70
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The Anova looks interesting but why are they using ziploc bags? Is that resistant to heat? Is there a heat resistant version? How about these Aldi vacuum bags? Should I buy these instead and use with Anova?
You can use any means of vacuum sealing. Ziploc bags with the water displacement method are the budget way.. it seems to work for most people, it also works with anything containing liquid.
Proper vacuum sealing is probably preferable. You can use the Aldi ones or indeed any other vacuum sealing option with any water bath or immersion circulator.One thing I'd suggest is do some research on sous vide before trying it. This is a good resource: http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html
Thanks. Very good resource. And it does say, as well as a google search, that the plastic bags for ziploc seem to be okay.
The thumbnail looks like someone is putting a picture of food into a deep fryer.
Most ALDI products are rubbish, you get what you pay for,I bought one of thier tablet computers last year, the sd card would not go in slot the tablet would not go past the sign in screen and could not connect to internet.
A lot of thier foods are copies of well known brands too, take the salmon Aldi is now selling, the packaging is nearly identical to the Tassal salmon and thier fruit juice is packaged in near identical packaging to Australian Berri juice. Aldi should stop trying to decieve it's customers.I think many would disagree.. but whatever..
Their blender from the other week works great and for $99 was a bargain
The packaging looks the same is because in most cases it is the same product. The same company, just sold under the aldi home brand.
Yeah buy this unit if you want to kill yourself sous vide style.
Seriously don't buy this…
You need exact temps for sous vide.
Don't buy the other home units either.
Vacuum sealer is good.
But again don't try to be Heston….Neg vote for poor quality and dangerous product - I am working with the state government to make an industry supplement for the food safety program because the food industry has no idea how to sous vide safely, and it's dangerous to the public as more and more people try and experiment with poor quality equipment like this.
Bald statements without ANY references are near useless - you badly need to support your claimed expertise and scare mongering statements - "Yeah buy this unit if you want to kill yourself sous vide style" - for example.
OK a bit over the top. Haha
So cooking at temps less than 60 can be dangerous. It's called the danger zone between 5 and 60. This unit can cook 40 and above.
For example if you cook a 8 hr meat at 55. You will have stopped any bacteria from growing, but these bacteria have released toxic spores.
Any less than 57 is considered dangerous as there is no true kill step. That's why it's 60 and above to keep hot to stop bacteria growth and stop spores from forming.
75 is the regulated kill step for most meats. Except for fish and steaks.
So the issue is you are given a product that is defaulted to 50. With little guidance, a thermostat that may not be accurate and a public which does not understand adequate food safety.
that's why you invest in a couple of reliable thermometers. anyone who blindly trusts the factory calibrated temps in the appliances like these are idiots or gullible or both.
a bit of FUD there, its not just about the temps, but how long it remains in that temp range.
what you are cooking matters too. in some cases, it wouldn't matter even if you blast it to 100degrees if it's ciguatera.
As slowmo said, the regulated temperature for pasteurization because it happens incredibly quick at that temperature. If you hold a 10mm steak at 55C for 2 hours it is sufficient to make it safe for all but the immunosupressed.
I have no idea where you got the idea that it defaults to 50C? Pasteurization temperatures start at 54.4C, and there is no default temperature for sous vide as a method.
50C is the default temperature setting for the unit. This is clearly stated in the product video on the kuchef site referred to in the OP's notes.
Also I agree with slowmo that you should verify the temperature accuracy if you buy any low price appliance like this. Personally I would double check ANY device like this that works in marginal safety areas.
Finally thanks to diddy50 for giving extra information re his concerns - it looks like the suppliers are trusting th user to read instructions and to do a bit of research before they work at the limits :-)
The manual states it defaults to 50 degrees.
A reliable thermometer still needs to calibrated.
But seriously I doubt many people would have a good probe thermometer and know to use one with sous vide.
Meh.. depends on the type of person. I wouldn't recommend most people to change their tap washers or fiddle around under the hood of their car or try putting together a PC, or try their hand at welding.. but really most of this stuff isn't rocket surgery.
I don't get it?
Get your masterchef on!
It's a REALLY small unit. Much better to spring the extra for the Breville unit.
any other deals on pressure cooker (5-6L) ?
SS, House at Broadway shopping centre are still having their "Up to 70%" off. About 2 weeks ago, I got a basic Baccarat 4.5L one for about 25% off at $90 (got tired of using and waiting for my 6L one to come to pressure for steaks and steaming veggies :-). Prices are indicative only: my memory is getting worse!).
I think you can get the fancy one-touch-open lid one (eg. similar to the T-fal/Tefal Vita) for close to 50% off but at a higher price obviously.
did you have pic of the model mate? I am looking for a pressure cooker myself…
Firstly, apologies: I've mistimed my internet usage and have been shaped to <dial-up speeds (got addicted watching Koko the Gorilla & Alex the Parrot videos).
Ergo, I can't really link a pic but for Googling purposes, the model I have is the 4L Baccarat Easy-Twist. However, if you're just starting off with (PC)pressure cookers, I'd suggest just getting a cheapy 6L $49 from Kmart (I have a sneaky suspicion the same factory that makes the Baccarats also make the Kmart ones).
It's the one I started off with. The 6Ls are the Holden Commodores of the PC world, it's the odd sizes that command a higher price :-/
Btw, the fancy one was a Baccarat iD.
i do have the iD series of their pots/pans, they are pretty good. Thanks for the heads up. I might get the 4L instead of the 6L as I have only a couple of things I would rather pressure cook (eg. duck stew, braised ribs) and not a big fan of having the same left overs for the entire week. :)
I hear ya, buddy. But, basically, pressure cookers are in the Bizarro world of cooking vessels where the smaller the volume you buy, the higher the price you pay!
They're the Clei Furniture of the kitchen.Mmm…duck…stew…
Why would you cook a Steak in a Pressure Cooker?
More apologies:
1) Chuck steak, blade steak aka Ozbargain steak :-). The tougher the meat, the better the flavour. Well, that's my excuse anyway. For 'premium' steaks, I just use my Breville Ikon Grill (am lusting after a Tefal Optigrill nowadays)
2) I'm a prime-grade A1 lazy-bones bachelor. Anything that can be made in a one-pot wonder, I'm in. Chuck some cheap meat in, and some veggies in the steamer just on top, bob's your uncle.
3) I love gelatin/collagen/tripe/etc. I ain't gonna stand around for hours waiting for 'normal' cooking vessels to break them down to edible level. I want my textures, and I want 'em now!
I got one of those sous vide cookers that works without being watched, it's awesome.
Any thoughts on the vacuum sealer please? It's a different model to their usual one, and can supposedly handly moist foods.
I intend to get the sealer as it has settings for moist or powdwered items according to aldi/kuchef and the vacuum level is adjustable fo allow for delicate materials. Sorry I can't give any more details but I intend oi get one even though I currently have a sealer.
I'm pretty sure this is better than the Sunbeam version. It has a 60 days satisfaction guaranteed and 3 years warranty! You won't get that from Sunbeam.
You'd have to be mad to buy this instead of the Breville.
Unless you just wanted to try the technique for 60 days and take it back ;)
I picked up one of the Breville Sous Vide Supreme BSV600 that I posted for $199 @ Myer
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/149126When I went in to check it out and pick it up they had it and the Sunbeam side by side so I got a chance to compare them to each other. Being that the Aldi one looks like it has been based on the Sunbeam but with some minor changes I would say that if you are considering the Aldi one to pop into Myer and check out the Breville one first. The two machines were not in the same league as each other.
The Sunbeam / Aldi one is also quite small in capacity. It is 5.5 liters vs 11 liters for the Sous Vide Supreme
The Sous Vide Supreme also runs a PID circuit to control temps according to their site
http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/Shop_Online/Water_Ovens/Sous_…
I am not sure what the Aldi / Sunbeam one uses but it gets some average reviews about its ability so I'm thinking it may just be a slow cooker that they have put a temp switch into.Unless $129 is your absolute maximum budget I would still strongly recommend the Sous Vide Supreme over the Aldi one, it does cost a little more but in my view is well worth it.
Based on my experience with the Sunbeam, i'm not convinced its running a PID algorithm. The temp fluctuation is greater than what you'd generally want for sous vide.
How do you pronounce the words "Sous Vide"?
Sue V
or if you are a bogan
'Suss Vid'
sue veed
Kudos, you are obviously not that moron Steve Price.
(reference: 23/6/14 episode of 'The Project', Anglocentrically chiding Lehmo for correctly pronouncing Lionel Messi's first name. Great comeback though from Lehmo, with "Dub-bay!" (Dubai) )
Damn, these sealing units are sold out.
Apparently Aldi St Kilda has a few left.
Had 48-hour hangar steak tonight. Awesome.
Try this with beef cheeks: http://movida.com.au/slowly-braised-beef-cheeks-in-pedro-xim…
But instead of 4 hours, cook the cheeks for 24 hours or longer.
Appears to be a rip-off of the Sunbeam unit. Assuming its exactly the same quality, it really isn't great as a sous vide unit. Temp varies by a few degrees either side of the set temperature. If you want an integrated non-circulating unit I'd say the sous vide supreme is worth the extra $70. Though for my money an immersion circulator like the anova is a better unit all round.. can't comment on the vacuum sealer.