Author Topic: Floating hamburgers  (Read 3574 times)

prudentsmoker

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Floating hamburgers
« on: July 31, 2016, 02:01:42 PM »
I really like sous vide hamburgers (2# 80/20,envelope onion soup mix, 1/2 C H2O) but I always have to fiddle with them to keep them from floating using the immersion technique. Then a light bulb went off- you can put a few kitchen knives (not the pointy kind) in the bottom of the bag to weigh it down. Hope this helps others.
Brian from Wichita

Durangosmoker

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Re: Floating hamburgers
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2016, 01:03:35 PM »
That's brilliant. And somebody will probably make a fortune selling sous vide bag weights.
Eric in New York's Hudson Valley, unless I can get out to Durango.
SI #1 in Durango, #2 in NY, and thinking about a 3D.

DivotMaker

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Re: Floating hamburgers
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2016, 09:39:10 PM »
That's brilliant. And somebody will probably make a fortune selling sous vide bag weights.

If you remove all the air from the bag, it won't float.  A stainless butter knife will certainly work, but I don't understand how you are SV cooking with air in the bag? 
Tony from NW Arkansas
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Durangosmoker

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Re: Floating hamburgers
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2016, 02:18:39 PM »
Removing ALL the air is sometimes impossible, especially for something like a hamburger, which has air within the meat, or lots of smallish pieces/slices (like pulled pork)  If it is bagged with some liquid, you have to seal it before the liquid is squeezed out of the bag, which means the air trapped within the meat remains.  Depending on the bag and the quantity involved, there can be enough air to cause flotation.
Eric in New York's Hudson Valley, unless I can get out to Durango.
SI #1 in Durango, #2 in NY, and thinking about a 3D.

prudentsmoker

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Re: Floating hamburgers
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2016, 03:30:05 PM »
The knives in the bag weigh it down thereby removing the air.
Brian from Wichita

DivotMaker

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Re: Floating hamburgers
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2016, 07:47:54 PM »
Makes perfect sense, Brian - thank you!  I've never done SV that wasn't vac-sealed, so this is good info!
Tony from NW Arkansas
"Official Smokin-It Test Pilot"
Smokin-It Model 1, 2D conversion, and 3D
Auber PID, NexGrill 896 6-burner, CharBroil Big Easy, Anova Precision Cooker w/WiFi
Wife, Son and One REALLY Big Dog!

prudentsmoker

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Re: Floating hamburgers
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2016, 03:38:59 PM »
You are most welcome!
Brian from Wichita