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Is Sous Vide cooked meat safe to eat without searing?

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dragon49

I received am Anova Precision Cooker Sous Vide device as a gift.  I've been checking out a lot of recipes and they all call for searing the meat after, or before, the main cooking method.  Is this necessary for safety, or just flavor?
 
If I'm going to use the device, I'd like to avoid the frying pan altogether.
 
Thanks
 
It's because the sous vide leaves a less than awesome texture on the surface ...
 
but, that said, if you are using a sauce (or making one from the bag juices more likely), you can just pat it dry and then top the meat with your pan sauce ...
 
Otherwise, though ... a Searzall or torch is your best bet ...
 
 
Trust Grant on all that is sous vide.
 
And he also went through a learning curve. I remember the booger-snot ribs so now I know what this post is about. :)
 
Yeah ... the appearance of the food surface upon exiting the bag is pretty awful ..
 
It's worth mentioning that it functionally tastes fine it you just dab it off with a paper towel - if you can get down with meatiness without char, anyways ...
 
Hint: If you have a gas grill, you can do it a little bit more no-fuss and save from having to wash a pan! ;) ...
 
grantmichaels said:
It's because the sous vide leaves a less than awesome texture on the surface ...
 
but, that said, if you are using a sauce (or making one from the bag juices more likely), you can just pat it dry and then top the meat with your pan sauce ...
 
Otherwise, though ... a Searzall or torch is your best bet ...
 
Click to expand...
I can deal with a crappy texture.  I just don't want to eat something that isn't safe to eat, so please elaborate.  Are you stating that if I don't sear the meat cooked exclusively with the Sous Vide, it will be unsafe to eat, or will it just have a very crappy consistency?  Of course I plan on using any juices that accumulate in the bag, but don't understand how adding this on top of the cooked meat can make it safer.
 
Thanks
 
Texture is all important though. Think flaccid chicken skin vs. crispy, or a burger with no sear.
 
He is saying it is safe.
 
The Hot Pepper said:
Texture is all important though. Think flaccid chicken skin vs. crispy, or a burger with no sear.
 
He is saying it is safe.
Click to expand...
I don't mind mushy or non-crispy food.  A friend of mine was recently chiding me for heating up some fried calamari in a microwave because it was taking away the crispiness.  I didn't feel like waiting 5-10 minutes for our crappy toaster oven to warm up when I could nuke it for 30 seconds and get what I wanted.
 
Regarding - "He is saying it is safe."  Thank you.  This is all that I was asking.  I'm going to make a shoulder lamb chop for dinner tomorrow and am now comfortable I can make it exclusively in the Sous Vide.
 
dragon49 said:
I can deal with a crappy texture.  I just don't want to eat something that isn't safe to eat, so please elaborate.  Are you stating that if I don't sear the meat cooked exclusively with the Sous Vide, it will be unsafe to eat, or will it just have a very crappy consistency?  Of course I plan on using any juices that accumulate in the bag, but don't understand how adding this on top of the cooked meat can make it safer.
 
Thanks
Click to expand...
 
TL;DR - You can eat the food straight out of the bag.
 
The meat is safe once you hit time and temp ...
 
It's safer.
 
You are pasteurizing, literally ...
 
Since I now see what you are getting it, I can answer the question you aren't asking ...
 
Go with Douglas Baldwin ...
 
http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html#Safety
 
He has a book, but there's plenty free online on his page ...
 
If you go with his times and temperatures you'll be siding with science ...
 
There are other people's dishes and times and temperatures, but his have been tested in ways that nobody else will ...
 
Pasteurization is good shit - and it's trustworthy in terms of kill rates.
 
PS - When you realize kill-rates and efficacy is all about time @ temp (@ pressure), you realize sous vide is more safe than "normal" cooking ;)
 
grantmichaels said:
 
TL;DR - You can eat the food straight out of the bag.
 
The meat is safe once you hit time and temp ...
 
It's safer.
 
You are pasteurizing, literally ...
 
Since I now see what you are getting it, I can answer the question you aren't asking ...
 
Go with Douglas Baldwin ...
 
http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html#Safety
 
He has a book, but there's plenty free online on his page ...
 
If you go with his times and temperatures you'll be siding with science ...
 
There are other people's dishes and times and temperatures, but his have been tested in ways that nobody else will ...
 
Pasteurization is good shit - and it's trustworthy in terms of kill rates.
 
PS - When you realize kill-rates and efficacy is all about time @ temp (@ pressure), you realize sous vide is more safe than "normal" cooking ;)
Click to expand...
Perfect - Your answer and the link is EXACTLY what I was looking for.  I'll be measuring the thickness of the chop and using this table to determine the temp and cooking time:
 
http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html#Table_5.1
 
A quick follow-up:  I'd prefer to get the meat cooked as quickly as possible.  Is there a downside to using a higher temp and a shorter cooking time? 
 
Thanks!
 
dragon49 said:
Perfect - Your answer and the link is EXACTLY what I was looking for.  I'll be measuring the thickness of the chops and using this table to determine the temp and cooking time:
 
http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html#Table_5.1
 
A quick follow-up:  I'd prefer to get the meat cooked as quickly as possible.  Is there a downside to using a higher temp and a shorter cooking time? 
 
Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
In sous vide, that means you are setting your sights for a more well-done result ...
 
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRGzQrNpu64QXsG6niVN_RfaKopa42iioRFKb5RK59nD5PpjYeV
 
 
 
 
i buy rack of lamb from trader joe's, seasoned and frozen. stick it in the sous vide then after just give it a quick sear in some hot oil or bacon fat. It makes a big difference as per what Neel said (maillard reactions). The meat on the inside stays nice and medium, or however you cooked it. 

I highly recommend trying out some short rib, and even ground up short rib burgers. if you do the whole short rib with the bones, lots of juices flow out, and it's perfect beef broth just by itself, but I like to make french onion soup with it. And since you like expediting, you can microwave sliced onions and and which takes most of the liquid out of it, and then finish the caramelization in some butter then add the broth. Pretty delicious and relatively quick once you have the broth 
 
SavinaRed said:
hmmm I just might have to get into this sous vide style of cooking. 
Click to expand...
 
It's definitely worth the investment if you like cooking. You don't need a vacuum sealer, can just use ziplock bags and water displacement.  I've made a lot of great things in it too. Next on my list is a bit more adventurous, chicken noodles soup seen at the link below. And then probably some cuban mojo pork. Also, if you like poached eggs there's a lot to play around with there. I've yet to try to make root vegetables, but that's up there on my list of things to try, which i hear can turn out pretty good 

https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/not-your-average-chicken-noodle-soup
also, i know anova was having a pretty cheap sale for their precision cooker, i think 100$. I got mine on black friday last year for 150, so it's definitely a good price 
 
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