Anova Precision Cooker …had me wondering if I really needed one of these. But I really wanted some way to cook quality meat that wasn’t a gamble. The set up for this type of cooking is pretty elaborate. While a stock pot will work, I’d prefer a polycarbonate container with a lid designed for this product. But where to store something that can only be used for one thing? We don’t eat that much meat, but when we do, I just needed a “sure fire” method. Also the prep time from start to finish is really something you need to plan. Something that needs cooking anywhere from 10 to 48 hours takes a little more forethought that I was planning on giving this. It really is for meat. There are easier (not sealed bag for instance) ways to cook vegetables that don’t really require this kind of elaborate preparation. Personally, it’s foolish to hard boil eggs sous vide when you can do it 13 minutes on the stove. So. Is it worth it for meat? Well…I’m still a little wary. You have to put a crust on in a separate step, and you have more control on the outcome, but with a stockpot running, a vacuum bag to seal it, 10-48 hours later you still need a fry pan or charcoal or gass grill to put a crust on the meat. It was by far the best meat I’ve ever turned out in the kitchen, but at my age, the treat of a well-cook steak set before me by a waiter is really the preferred option. I went down this road due to the Corona Virus “shelter in place” order, so I do have the time and willingness to go through all this preparation. But it’s just for me and my partner, and he could care less. He likes his meat burned to a crisp anyway. So, think about it and the time commitment necessary for using this form of preparation. If I was entertaining guests, I wouldn’t give it a second thought, but just for me…it’s worth the error quotient in just a slab of beef in a pan on the stove. This IS the brand you should buy if you choose to go the route of sous vide cooking, however.
