Kitchen

[nomless]

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wrote:

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So...I take from what you say that if the instructions say 150 degrees for 1 to 5 hours, the food will be done in one hour and ruined if I leave it for more than 5.  Do I understand that correctly?

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@Esmi, no, that's incorrect. The item you're looking will never exceed the temp you set. You can't overcook it. The varience in cooking times is to account for how done you want it and the thickness of the item.....for example, a thin steak vs thick steak and do you want it rare, medium or well done.

Think of it this way.....if something is room temperature, it will always remain at room temperature. It won't get hotter or colder unless the room gets hotter or colder. Same with a sous vide water bath....if something is in a water bath that 147 degrees, that item will eventually become 147 degrees also, and as long as the water remains at 147, so will the item you're cooking.

[Lisa now in AZ]

Sometimes, although the food is still at that temperature, the longer you leave it in there, some of the fibers break down and the texture may change. I cooked a brisket and it said 24-36 hours. By the time I took it out, it was incredibly tender and almost shredded with a spoon, but it didn't work for doing slices. So, I just poured some BBQ sauce on it and it was wonderful - just not what I was planning.