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How to Cook Meat Like a Five-Star Chef

We tested the Anova Precision Cooker, the hottest home gadget to hit the market since the Crock-Pot.
By Ryan Conner |
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Sous vide, a cooking method in which food is vacuum sealed in plastic bags then slowly cooked in a temperature-controlled water bath, has long been used by five-star chefs for its ability to cook meat, poultry, and fish evenly without losing moisture and flavor. When using an immersion circulator, it’s almost impossible to overcook a filet mignon or lamb shank. It’s easy to use, and the market has introduced at-home versions that make it accessible to the amateur chef. We turned to chef Justo Blanco from Bolsa Mercado to give us a step-to-step guide to ensure your holiday dishes are “Top Chef”–worthy.

  1. Set the temperature. The Anova website and app list cooking times and temperatures for a variety of meats. We used Blanco’s recommendation of 139.5 degrees Fahrenheit for 4- to 6-ounce filet mignons and 147 degrees for 6-ounce chicken breasts. Fill a stockpot with water and attach the Anova to the pot. Set the temperature and start the machine. The alarm will sound when the water is hot.
  2. Prepare your meat. For chicken, add olive oil, salt, and pepper, then sear in a hot pan or on the grill. Cool in the refrigerator for an hour. When ready to cook, season again with herbs like thyme or rosemary. Place side by side in a vacuum bag with no more than a tablespoon of olive oil. For the filet, hold off on searing. Season the steaks, then place them in the bag with olive oil or butter.
  3. Seal the bags. Blanco suggests always using a vacuum sealer. “That’s a required component,” he explains. “Otherwise, you are at risk for letting in water that directly touches your food.” We used the FoodSavor vacuum sealer ($99/amazon.com). When placing food in the bag, make sure cuts are in an even layer.
  4. Place in the water to cook. When water is hot, place the bags in the pot so that water circulates on all sides. Cook chicken for 1 1/2 hours or filet for 45 minutes. You can leave the meat in the water for up to an hour after they are finished cooking, leaving more time for party guests or family. “That’s the beauty of this device,” he says. “It actually extends dramatically the room for error.”
  5. Finish the meat. Make sure chicken cooks at an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (Blanco suggests 147 degrees, but for home chefs we recommend sticking to USDA guidelines.) Pick up a meat thermometer if you’re unsure of the internal temperatures. For the filet, finish off by searing in a hot pan of butter or vegetable oil. Once you cut it open, you’ll notice how evenly cooked the meat is.

Chef Justo’s Mulled Wine Bourbon Cocktail

Makes 24 cocktails

Ingredients
2 bottles of Syrah
2 cups simple syrup
8 cloves
1 star anise
2 oranges (zest and juice)
1 lemon
2 cinnamon sticks
2 sprigs thyme
6 D’Anjou pears (peeled, cut into spears, all scraps reserved)
1 bottle 1792 Kentucky Bourbon
1 cup lemon juice
1 bottle Grand Poppy liqueur

Mulled Wine
Simmer Syrah, simple syrup, cloves, star anise, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and two quartered pears for 30 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Cool overnight. Then, strain liquid and discard solids.

Infused Pears
Peel the remaining four pears and remove the cores. Cut each pear into eight spears. Place spears into vacuum bags in a single layer with thyme sprigs. Spoon 3 ounces of mulled wine liquid into vacuum bag. Vacuum on medium. Place in the immersion circulator at 181 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. Remove bag from circulator and shock in an ice bath.

To Serve
Place a generous scoop of ice into your shaker. Add 1 1/2 ounces of mulled wine mixture, 1 1/2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce of lemon juice, and ¾ ounce of Grand Poppy. Shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass with ice. Garnish with mulled wine, pear spear, and thyme sprigs.

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