For the sous vide guys...

[cosmiccowboy]

If you think steaks are good you gotta try chicken! For a break from beef on the annual west texas prairie dog shoot memorial day weekend I did chicken one night...( I cook for about 15 guys and teenage boys) I used big boneless/skinless chicken breasts (cut in half) and deboned thighs. I prepped them before the trip by rubbing them with a spicy BBQ rub I use on poultry and then shrink wrapping them in manageable size packs. Just threw them in the ice chest on the trip. When I was ready to cook them I threw them in the hot tub at 141F for about 3 hours. When the rest of the meal was almost ready (angel hair pasta with homemade butter/garlic/rosemary sauce, steamed broccoli with holandaise, sauteed mushrooms with lots of fiesta fajita seasoning) just opened the packs, quick dip in egg, then spicy bread crumbs and flash fried them in hot oil till the crust browned and served them.

The chicken was freaking amazing! Hands down the best I have ever eaten.

Great crust, fork tender, awesome hearty flavor, and the juices would just squirt out when you cut it. I normally don't even like chicken breasts because they cook so "dry" by the time they are a safe temperature in the middle but these were just incredible...

Y'all gotta try this!

[Johnny Dangerr]

I will.....

[Gom]

Wife makes Chicken Parm that way and they are awesome. She sous vides chicken breasts ahead of time freezes them and throws them on the grill the same time we are grilling other things. Best grilled chicken breasts you will ever eat! Use your favorite glaze.

[cattlelackranch]

I'm hungry.

[cosmiccowboy]

It was so good one of the teenagers took a picture of his plate and posted it on facebook...

[cosmiccowboy]

What I SHOULD have gotten a picture of was the steaks we had the last night. 1 1/2" thick prime ribeyes and 2" thick prime tenderloins. I did them like the chicken and prepped hem ahead of time. Uncle Chris's steak seasoning and butter in the shrink wrap in manageable size bags then kept them marinating on ice for 4 days. Put them in the hot tub @ 131F for about 3 hours then unzipped them and seared them on HOT mesquite coals right before serving...just flash flipped them with tongs maybe a minute each side to get a good crust.

Freaking awesome. We used butter knives for steak knives and they were absolutely gorgeous...perfect warm medium rare pink from crust to crust. Ruths Chris got nothing on us...

[txsteele]

It was so good one of the teenagers took a picture of his plate and posted it on facebook...

Good thing you posted a Pic there cowboy or you would have gotten the dreaded......No pic, then it......well, you know the rest

[Chad]

Man...I REALLY need to try this Sous Vide method! Sounds great.

[cosmiccowboy]

LOL...when you are cooking for 15 with 6 hungry teenagers there is no time at mealtime for many pictures...I can guarantee you that we ate DANG good though...I turned out one of the best 16# briskets I have ever done and I've done some good ones...did a couple of pork shoulders at the same time and let a couple of my teenager sous chefs pull it for me...so lunches were pulled pork sandwiches with fresh cole slaw.

[Johnny Dangerr]

Jack,
There are few folks that can or will attempt to feed 15 people - 5 meals in one weekend. {Very few}
It really takes a ton of dedication, and focus.
Breaking down every meal into tiny components and then making it happen in a timely manner is a stellar accomplishment.
Been there and done that many - many times.
The worst was Big Ben with 25 folks to feed on the side of a bluff - 6K feet up - from 9am to 4 pm - in 100 degree heat. Had to keep everyone hydrated and serve a protein filled lunch.
Platters of almost frozen watermellon and cantelop with pealed oranges and grapes, and 1/2 pound burgers for lunch. Prime Rib for dinner that night.
Congrats on the weekend. You did good.....

[cosmiccowboy]

Jack,
There are few folks that can or will attempt to feed 15 people - 5 meals in one weekend. {Very few}
It really takes a ton of dedication, and focus.
Breaking down every meal into tiny components and then making it happen in a timely manner is a stellar accomplishment.
Been there and done that many - many times.
The worst was Big Ben with 25 folks to feed on the side of a bluff - 6K feet up - from 9am to 4 pm - in 100 degree heat. Had to keep everyone hydrated and serve a protein filled lunch.
Platters of almost frozen watermellon and cantelop with pealed oranges and grapes, and 1/2 pound burgers for lunch. Prime Rib for dinner that night.
Congrats on the weekend. You did good.....

Yeah, it's an interesting mental exercise. I actually write out a full 5 day, three meal menu and run it by the other adults for suggestions...then break it down by dish and ingredients for a shopping list. It took me almost 6 hours just for shopping...Costco, then HEB twice (basket got too full). When it takes 30 minutes just to get to the ranch gate (much less Marathon) you don't want to forget anything. The bed of my truck and the smoker in my pit was loadd with food and firewood. I always over buy and over cook because it's better to have leftovers than hungry people and it gives people more options for lunch as they trickle in from various activities. Breakfast and dinner are the only "formal" meals, but I have all the stuff for "do it yourself" lunches.
At the end of the trip I add up the receipts and divide it by people (including me) and they reimburse me for the food. This year (and we ate REAL well) it was $87 per person for 5 days.

[Johnny Dangerr]

Yeah, it's an interesting mental exercise. I actually write out a full 5 day, three meal menu and run it by the other adults for suggestions...then break it down by dish and ingredients for a shopping list. It took me almost 6 hours just for shopping...Costco, then HEB twice (basket got too full). When it takes 30 minutes just to get to the ranch gate (much less Marathon) you don't want to forget anything. The bed of my truck and the smoker in my pit was loadd with food and firewood. I always over buy and over cook because it's better to have leftovers than hungry people and it gives people more options for lunch as they trickle in from various activities. Breakfast and dinner are the only "formal" meals, but I have all the stuff for "do it yourself" lunches.
At the end of the trip I add up the receipts and divide it by people (including me) and they reimburse me for the food. This year (and we ate REAL well) it was $87 per person for 5 days.

Something isn't it.
I was at 75.00 per - five years ago. They begged me to do it again and I said NO.
Again congrats..........

[jpbruni]

Awesome Jack! You sure have jumped into this head first! I have not done chicken yet but I will try it next. Glad to hear that the steaks went well also.

Sous Vide Away!

J.P.