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@Jon T

A couple of guys I ride bike with are restauranteurs so we've had some interesting cooking chats while pedaling along about how very different cooking is in a restaurant versus cooking at home.  

Most of what they serve is prepared from scratch, but it is also prepared beforehand, "sous Vide", meaning that it's cooked in a vacuum bag in a precisely heated water bath with whatever herbs and/or marinade they need, kept just below serving temp and then finish-seared just before serving.  The results are nothing short of remarkable and they can plan food volumes way ahead of time because once the food is up to temp it never over-cooks, so their kitchen can easily plan ahead.  My son has been cooking this way at home for years and it's a very cool way of preparing food.

@IaM-Ray Do you eat out at restaurants much?  The vast majority of restaurants around here prepare their meals way ahead of time via the sous vide method and keep them at just below serving temps for a long time, waiting for the orders to come in.  Canada is probably no different.  

The bags used are very heavier and similar to those used to vacuum seal food for frozen storage and the cooking temps are usually whatever you want to serve the food at, somewhere between 120F and 185F (typically 140F/60C), so lower than when the plastic gets soft.  

I was frankly surprised at how pervasive the technique is in the restaurant biz all over the world, but they're really running a food prep and service factory line, not a "kitchen" so it makes a lot of sense, since you can't overcook something unless you immerse it at too hot a temperature and it will sit for days at just below the serving temp without overcooking.  A good immersion sous vide set-up takes up very little space, too - About the same as a counter-top air fryer.

We only go to restaurants a couple of times a year now and order in maybe once a month, Indian or Thai not pizza or KFC.

I much prefer eating what I cook, I like leftovers and even my daughter has turned into a really adventurous cook. We're on the fresh bread train too ....

My son and daughter in law are here at least twice a week, my daughter 4 nights a week, her boy friend at least once, my wife all week etc. My grocery bills are high enough without adding restaurants to it regularly. And I'd sooner go to good ones for special occasions.

@Jon T posted:

For those of you who pan sear first, then finish in the oven…have you tried the reverse sear?  Start with a low temp oven bake (with the steaks sitting on a wire rack set on a cookie sheet) to partially cook, then finish with a pan sear.  The steak surfaces will dry a bit during the oven bake which helps the final sear to come out quite lovely.  If you enjoy a bit of basting during oven-last cooking method, then the reverse sear may not be for you.  If you want to try the reverse sear you can add a bit of compound butter on top of each cut just after you are done searing.  The butter will coat nicely by the time the steaks have rested.

I think I know what I’m having for dinner tomorrow.

I put steaks in my smoker at 180 degrees until the internal temperature is about 15 degrees from my desired level of doneness. I take them out and let them rest while I get my flat top griddle up to about 900 degrees. Once it is hot I smear a very thin layer of mayonnaise on the steak, it's just oil after all, place it mayo side down, and sear the steak for a few minutes. Then I smear some more mayonnaise on the top side, and flip it over. I put the seasoned compound butter on the steak and let it rest under a metal dome while I plate the vegetables and etc.

IMG_7151D

And just to feed your eyes a little more here is a bacon wrapped pork tenderloin I did with some mashed potatoes, grilled apples, and salad.

IMG_9326

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Last edited by Robert M

Here in Elkins WV and surrounding areas, most of the restaurant's menu is bag food aka bagged frozen until ordered.   The only two exceptions area small family owned diner " Scotty's "with all fresh made to order food and a high-end place " The Forks " which dinner for two can be $170 plus so I'll pass on that. We just returned from Mederia Beach Florida, first night there we went to an inlet - waterfront bar for burgers baskets with fries and a drink each , that alone topped $100 !

Last edited by Alan Merklin
@Robert M posted:

I put steaks in my smoker at 180 degrees until the internal temperature is about 15 degrees from my desired level of doneness. I take them out and let them rest while I get my flat top griddle up to about 900 degrees. Once it is hot I smear a very thin layer of mayonnaise on the steak, it's just oil after all, place it mayo side down, and sear the steak for a few minutes. Then I smear some more mayonnaise on the top side, and flip it over. I put the seasoned compound butter on the steak and let it rest under a metal dome while I plate the vegetables and etc.

IMG_7151D

And just to feed your eyes a little more here is a bacon wrapped pork tenderloin I did with some mashed potatoes, grilled apples, and salad.

IMG_9326

Smoker takes a while how long is the process?

@Robert M posted:

I put steaks in my smoker at 180 degrees until the internal temperature is about 15 degrees from my desired level of doneness. I take them out and let them rest while I get my flat top griddle up to about 900 degrees. Once it is hot I smear a very thin layer of mayonnaise on the steak, it's just oil after all, place it mayo side down, and sear the steak for a few minutes. Then I smear some more mayonnaise on the top side, and flip it over. I put the seasoned compound butter on the steak and let it rest under a metal dome while I plate the vegetables and etc.

IMG_7151D

And just to feed your eyes a little more here is a bacon wrapped pork tenderloin I did with some mashed potatoes, grilled apples, and salad.



I'm getting hungry just looking at the pics. I never thought about using mayonnaise to sear a steak but we do use it instead of butter to make grilled cheese sandwiches. @Robert M , how do you season a steak like that, please ?

@IaM-Ray posted:

Smoker takes a while how long is the process?

I just get them in there to get the smoke flavor and almost to temp. It can take an hour to an hour and a half depending on thickness and starting temperature of the meat. I usually put them on the counter for an hour or more so they aren't as cold. Cold meat doesn't take on smoke flavor as well so the less cold it is when you start the sooner it absorbs the flavor. It's not as important when you're doing a brisket or a pork shoulder since it will be in there for eighteen hours. I love a good ribeye steak.

@Robert M posted:

Besides mine, one of the best steaks I've ever had was at the Corriegour Lodge in Fort William, Scotland. It was built in the 1700s as a hunting lodge. The restaurant is a Michelin recommended place to eat and our experience certainly agrees with that. Here's the filet mignon I had:

IMG_0269D

Very nice....some bearnaise sauce on that one, Robert ? We always have some Montreal Steak spice on hand and also one from the Keg.

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