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For several years I've been hankering for an immersion circulator to try sous vide cooking at home. I didn't have the $2000 plus for a complete PolyScience unit, or even the $900 or so for a pro quality circulator head. So without expecting too much, I bought the oddly, sweetly named DorkFod DSV Temperature Controller and teamed it up with a 7 quart manual crock pot I found on sale at a local discount store for $19.
Much to my surprise, the combination totally rocks. The DorkFood unit is solidly built, easy to use, and holds the temperature I set within about 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit. The natural bottom to top convection of the crock pot, even without an additional circulator, has provided even heat for my sous vide creations. If you've never had leg of lamb cooked under vacuum for 36 hours you don't know what you're missing: a mild, non-gamy flavor with the buttery texture of filet mignon. Lobster tails cooked with garlic butter unbelievably tender and sweet. Restaurant quality duck confit becomes child's play! Cure duck legs (with thigh) overnight with salt, thyme and crushed juniper berries rinse and pat dry the next day seal under vacuum with 1 tablespoon of rendered duck fat per leg and cook at 167 degrees for 30 hours or more for the most succulent duck you've ever tasted. After cooking I cut off the skin and fry it under a cast iron weight (affectionately known as a "pig") and top the duck leg with a crispy duck bacon "cracker."
There are so many free resources on-line and great books at Amazon for sous vide coooking it's easy to get started. And for a total of $118 including the crock pot DorkFood exceeded my expectations. Although I have a good vacuum sealer (VacMaster VP112) many sous vide dishes can be prepared using carefully sealed freezer quality ZipLoc bags. This product really lowers the bar for getting into the wonderful world of sous vide. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but adventurous chefs love it!
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I am so happy that there is finally an affordable solution out there for the rest of us. We frequently have dinner parties and sous vide is a super easy way to cook an amazing meal for many people. I use it a lot to cook fish and steak, but we have also used it for chicken, lamb, and even veggies. There are a lot of good cookbooks out there too, but I think experimenting with your own recipes is part of the fun.Small hint: Whole Foods and some other stores will vacuum seal your meats if you ask nicely with a smile :)
The device may look a little intimidating at first, but its actually very simple to use. It also comes with a small handout that has instructions and pictures for setting it up. The unit is a little industrial looking so I'm happy that its small enough to put away out of sight after I'm done cooking. I hope the company makes a "prettier" version of the device soon.
But my absolute FAVORITE part about the DSV is that it allows you to transform your existing kitchen devices... those that have been sitting unused in the kitchen cabinets gathering a thick layer of dust... into a fancy state-of-the-art sous vide machine that is just as good as the $500+ models.
I would highly recommend this product to any of my friends and I'm getting my parents one for Christmas this year. It would also make a very unique wedding present or a cool gift for the aspiring chef in the family.
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Very simple tool to cook via the Sous Vide method. Did four filets with butter and salt in the bag. 135 degrees for 2 hours, a very quick sear at the end. Amazing results, may be the one of the best steaks I've ever had.The unit is very easy to setup, make sure your Crock Pot has a mechanical temperature switch, not electronic. Kept the water at the perfect temperature for the entire cooking time. Preheated the water for 1 hour before to let the unit calibrate. Would highly recommend.
Honest reviews on DorkFood DSV Temperature Controller for Sous-vide
Thank you, Dorks. This is the small scale, clutter free, set-and-forget appliance I was waiting for.I snare spiny lobster and spear a lot of fish, and have been wanting sous vide capability for a long time. But my tiny kitchen will not fit any more gadgets; not one more pot. I didn't want a barn rigged mess of DIY components. I can't cope with longer cords or circulators or racks or vacuum sealers or any more stuff. Now with my $15 crockpot and the DSV, I'm good to go.
First try out of the box, I made the best pork tenderloin of my life. Seafood is like something from a very moist alien world. I will NEVER cook my lobsters any other way. I use regular zip bags or roll softer proteins into cling wrap cylinders. As I learn better techniques, I may just wrap. It's faster and cheaper and there is no movement to disturb it. Worries about uniform food thickness are unfounded for home cooking. That's for chefs who must produce many meals in a limited time. No part of the food can ever be overheated. Texture differences in thin areas from a few more minutes at target temperature are imperceptible. Flavors are intensified. Use less spice and seasoning.
Despite a few overwrought reviews, my Dork works perfectly. Unless you sleep in the kitchen, concerns about the clicking are ridiculous. Put on some music in the living room and it's unnoticeable. It holds 1ยบ over the displayed temperature according to a reliable stick probe. I normally preheat the water in a fast electric kettle. Then the Dork powers the crock heater for a few seconds 3 or 4 times/minute. It doesn't heat up the kitchen and that's a big deal in Florida. Like running a 20 watt bulb, the power costs a penny for 3 hours of cooking.
The only valid issue with this approach to sous vide is the use of low-power heaters. The cooking water should be up to target temperature before introducing the food, which will cool it. This can be a long wait with a 100 200 watt crockpot like mine. So preheat the water quickly in a pot or kettle, much hotter than cooking temperature. The crock has to be heated too. Then adjust with a little tap water to the target temperature and off you go. With a few tries, you will hit target temperature in 5 minutes with very little fuss. The Dork helps by constantly displaying the actual water temperature.
The general problem with sous vide is long cooking times. With a nice controller like the Dork, it doesn't have to be your time. Go outside for some sun, fresh air, and exercise. Dinner will be perfect whenever you get back.
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The DSV is a fantastic way to get into sous-vide cooking without spending a ton of money. I looked at several DIY options, but I don't think they are very cost effective, nor safe unless you really know what you're doing (and I don't).I have tried this with a 4QT slow cooker/crock pot and with a Oster 14 cup rice cooker. Either works fine.
It takes a long time to "settle" on your selected temprature, even if you pre-heat the water. For example, if I set the temp to 140F, often it will hold at about 145F after about 30 min and takes quite a while to come back down. The temprature on the unit and the temp as read on a separate thermometer are exactly same, generally about 5 degrees too high. Odd, but after a couple of hours it will generally "settle" at the selected temp. I can work around this by either intentionally setting the temp lower than desired or just wait however long it takes for it to settle at the selected temp.
They claim the device can maintain the temp at +/.25F once the unit settles on the selected temp. I have found that to be spot on, once settled it never deviates.
Overall, I am very happy with this purchase. I hope it lasts a long time!
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