Heston Blumenthal's Sausage and Mash Perfection

[Ianinfrance]

My point was just to make explicit that instructions like "poach for 36 hours at 62C �1C" are not just a million miles away from boil in the bag, but almost seem selected to be as close as possible to impossible for domestic replication. Doesn't stop some folk trying - but I too will gladly pass.

A couple of points about cooking sous vide. Firstly, it happens far more than you might think, you just don't happen to have read about it as the "latest thing". Thermostatic water baths for cooking at 62C are almost commonplace in professional restaurant supplies. Low temperature roasting is commonly done, for example to give perfectly rare roast beef for sandwich bars etc. So although WE as ordinary people, may not have heard much about it, it is used more and more because it gives wonderful results, and also frees the chef from worrying too much about timing. Let's face it, if cooking 20 hours, it won't really matter much if it's 19 or 23.

I've been fortunate enough to eat at two places where this cooking technique was carried out by a master. In both, the results obtained are magic. However, I'm not altogether convinced what it would do for sausages.

[saucisson]

Heston is doing the Bangers and Mash in his first show tonight.

[Josh]

Alas it clashes with Barcelona vs Chelsea.

[Fricandeau]

I do a lot of cooking below 100C, particularly tagines and stews, and it does produce superb meat every time, if you have the time. When I was working I used to put diner on for the family before I went into work at about 9am to be ready for 6 that evening. I think that 110F is too low a temperature, as it wouldn't significantly reduce any bacterial load in the meat, but at 60C (140F) you're fine. A special meal that I cook is a whole shoulder of lamb, spiced and marinaded for two days in the usual North African spices, sealed in a cassarole with dough and cooked at 65C for twelve to twenty hours, then cooled and roasted for twenty minutes at 250C to crisp up. Cook the couscous in the skimmed liqour left in the pot and serve with a leafy salad and some chick-peas. The meat just melts.

As to Mr Blumenthal, I like him. He has a genuine entheusiasm for "techno-food" but no real feel for science, and it produces some great results. I have eaten both at the Fat Duck and at the pub he owns in Bray and the food is wonderful (slightly tastier at the Hinds Head, but I like trad food). His single greatest contribution to food has been that he gets people talking about the subject.

[saucisson]

Anyone know what temperature those slow cookers that were very popular (but I suspect rarely used) ran at?

Dave

[Fricandeau]

Depending on the model they run at just below boiling point.

[Fricandeau]

Oh, and I'm with Dougal on high-tech chefs: if you want to get scary with your food there is no book better than Tom Keller's French Laundry book.

[saucisson]

I watched it.

I have to confess to being a tiny bit underwhelmed by the Heston sausage If he'd looked here before his Herculean task of discovering how to make a perfect sausage, he could have wrapped up the whole business in about 30 seconds flat . Still, it's a recipe to play with and if it gets the general public interested in real sausages so much the better. I dread to think how much Tesco's will be selling "Finest " back fat for though.

Dave

[Oddley]

I'm not going to judge the guy. I think he summed it up when he said "It's my perfect sausage"

As we know from here, for one sausage there is a hundred different recipes, one for everyone that makes it.

What makes me smile is the ice cream recipe, as if dry ice were available in every corner shop...

[saucisson]

Those were dry ice shipping packs, used to ship expensive biochemicals etc. So easily obtainable by, eerh, well no-one actually... Good point Oddley

[pokerpete]

Watched it, and won't be watching anymore of his stuff. Theoreticaly it obviously works as he's an anorak.
Coq au Vin for 400 anyone? A few coaches have just pulled up outside.

[georgebaker]

Hi
slow cookers reach boiling, or at least one of mine does, use it all the time nad have done so for 30 years. My wife says the meat is "wet" and she prefers it crisp (burnt) and dry. Doesn't stop her wanting me to cook for her though.

Slow cooker is perfect for tough game 'cos its a long and slow cook, also for bacon, beef and lamb

George

[saucisson]

That's what I was wondering, I think I have one in the loft somewhere And if not I need to get rid of its crockpot which is at the back of a corner cupboard

Thanks all,

Dave

[dougal]

Anyone know what temperature those slow cookers that were very popular (but I suspect rarely used) ran at?

The "keep hot" temperature of a rice cooker is about 70C... IIRC

[georgebaker]

Hi
there is a problem with keeping rice hot enough - some sort of fungus cirrus ? grows on it. Apparently the mold is harmless but it excreets a toxic chemical.

I was in a college canteen in August where there was a warning about it for students who bought a meal and took it back to their rooms to eat it.

I am told Enviomental Heatlh Officers in manchester check the temperature of the rice store in take aways

Used correctly rice pots are OK of course

George