This episode is sponsored by NordVPN
Hey guys, "Salut", this is Alex, today
I don't want to do any machines,
I don't want complicate things too much...
Hmm...
Today I want to treat myself
with a steak, with a big
juicy yet simple steak.
Obviously I want to cook it right
and by right, I mean perfect.
And I also want to share something that I've learned
the hard way
and that basically changed
everything for me.
You know that I am right
in my croissant series.
I had problem with the commercial grade dough mixer
I've been trying to fix/improve
my croissant machine version 3.
That's why the 3D printer is printing gears.
Also I've been working on the
grocery bag this is prototype number
ten, or eleven, I can't remember exactly.
Everything is taking time to be fully completed
And also even though those projects are connected
to food, they're not recipes, right?
I want to experience the beauty of food again.
That's what I want in this episode.
So now I am on my way to see Simon, my butcher.
The thing is, I don't eat meat that often,
so whenever I do it, I want to make it right,
I want to make it count.
So that's why I'm heading to a proper butcher shop.
Juicy,
and delicious.
Guys, I've got the meat,
I'm heading back to "Le studio" right now
A fun fact, Simon, inside the butcher shop
immediately suggeted that I would get
dry aged beef, because he knows me,
he knows that I am a big sucker when it comes to dry aged meats
And yet I was looking for something else, something more obvious
That's right, you get to be in the mood to get dry aged beef
This is not my mood,
I'm more into a simple obvious
relaxed chilled mood, OK?
So this steak is a thick piece coming from the Chateaubriand cut.
You basically get the fillet, also called "tenderloin"
and that cut is divided into four parts
You've got the tip, the end, the chateaubriand which is the thickest part,
and then you've got the chain, on the side
This is cut right in the center
on the thickest part.
It won't be the most flavourful
but it's definitively the most tender, and also the most expensive.
But anyway, I just want to give myself a treat,
this is it,
let's give it some proper attention.
So this is a sous-vide machine.
Now I know I said, "this video wouldn't be fancy"
I said that?
Did I really used those words?
I think I did.
But in my defense I don't consider this to be fancy anymore.
Maybe a few years back, yes,
but now I don't think it's the case anymore.
I got this one for about 80 bucks.
This is basically an hacked ikea box.
And, otherwise the whole thing wouldn't make sense
This contraption right there is the absolute best way to cook a steak,
hands down, period, ever, so far.
I'm not saying you can't use a pan for the whole process,
or the oven for that matter,
but I am just saying that this is easier, it's more consistent.
And it's foolproof.
I'm a fool, I need this.
Right, I think it's time for a little confession.
I know it's gonna sound surprising,
but I gotta say it.
I've been scared of cooking meat basically my whole life.
The idea of just cooking meat wrong.
I tend to buy great quality meat
so whenever I'm not cooking it perfectly
I feel deep inside that I'm wasting it.
But of course it doesn't prevent me from actually doing it.
I still love steak once and then,
but there is so much guess work in the whole process
of just using the pan or the oven
that makes the whole process, at least for me,
quite stressful.
Cooking shouldn't be stressful, it should be fun, light, enjoyable.
And then, I discovered: Sous-vide.
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Back to it.
To fully understand sous-vide and how it works, and how it's helping us
We need to do this.
If you're cooking a steak using only a pan,
260°C, super hot.
The inner temperature of the steak is going up as time is passing by.
I like my steak at a very precise inner temperature.
Which corresponds to only one timing.
So basically if I remove that steak just a second too late,
My steak will be overcooked. If I removed it just a second too early,
My steak will be undercooked.
Where with the sous-vide,
the steak is placed inside a temperature controlled environnement,
in this case water, standing at exactly 54°C
As time goes by, the inner temperature of the steak
just get closer and closer and closer
and at some point, the inner temperature of the steak becomes equal
to the water bath
No matter how long you keep that steak in this water bath
it will never, never be overcooked.
You can keep it in there for one hour, for two hours, for like forever.
You can't keep it forever.
Now, as beautiful as this is, it also implies that you know
which temperature equals which meat doneness.
That's not a big deal, there's plenty charts online
I'll just share a link to a good one.
I'm gonna go back to taking that steak out of its plastic bag
and to searing it in a blistering hot pan.
Let's go.
Whooaaaa!
It looks tender!
Its' juicy!
That's the very first thing I know, it's...
i know this is one those tasting session
that there is gonna be difficult not that because the product is complicated to eat,
but because I can't find any adjective when I'm experiencing bliss
Oh, it's extremely tender!
From this day on, I will not accept any steak below this standard.
"Jacques Pépin, Jacques Pépin!"
There's still got a tad of chewiness.
You can't feel the fibers,
the beefy flavour is very much on the mild side.
I was looking for...
Hold a second...
I was looking for simplicity, I was looking for juices,
now of course I could make a sauce on the side like...
Especially a stronger one to pair with this.
But I think it would be too much.
Oh damn!
"Le morceau de beef"!
Holy fuc**g sh**t!
The amount of juices I get
is outstanding.
"Jacques Pépin, Jacques Pépin!"
Hmmm.
OK, OK, calm down, calm down.
One last one, and then, I pour.
Right, so, let's just look back at this very episode.
OK, let's just...
Consider what we've just learned:
A brilliant, scalable, reliable cooking technique but you've also learned
to grow as a chef to
instantly become a better cook
at almost no cost.
Ahh this so much more than just a technique, this is an opportunity.
It's a key to a world of dishes
Just think for a moment, juste pause.
And think for a moment that you can now cook
any food
at any doneness,
with the absolute certainty,
with the outrageous confidence that it will be perfect.
Every time, every fuc**g time!
It's just the passion pushing me forward!
Well, so guys, that's it, I hope you enjoy this episode
at the end of this, just me having a steak
But I'm also sharing what I've learned the hard way within this culinary journey of mine.
And enjoy to make yours a bit less painful.
You see? I'm a nice guy!
I'm gonna post a few links in the description box down below
to few ressources like immersion circulator that I've got.
It's not sponsored by the way, but I think it's a good one.
And also a few other ressources that really really helped me
getting my sous-vide game... Just a bit little higher.
I you enjoyed it, then please give it a like, give it a share,
give it a spread and give it a sub.
Take care, byebye! Salut!