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Sous vide and "fast food"

5K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  demevs 
#1 ·
I do not see a lot of information on this matter. Would sous vide suffice a high-demand kitchen as a sandwich shop?

I'm planning a sandwich shop and I'm choosing the primary method of cooking for brisket and pork, but still have my doubts if sous vide would be enough. Of course my demand depends on customers, but I am expecting a high demand on these particular sandwiches.

I know proteins cooked sous vide keeps for 7 to 10 days on low temperatures below 41°F (5°C) or up to 30 days below 38°F (3.3°C) before the 2nd method of cooking, so advanced preparation is a good thing. But still have my doubts as my recipes take up to 36 hours to cook, so the volume of proteins to be prepared in advance would have to be enormous to supply the demand. I guess my main problem is the logistics to keep an stead pace on a professional kitchen with a cooking method relatively new to me. Any thoughts?
 
#2 · (Edited)
But still have my doubts as my recipes take up to 36 hours
How did you get this 36 hours?

Advance scouting with SV ?

If you can get to a place where the brisket can be dropped every day or two continuously then you don't have such a problem worrying re spoilage (may take running a couple of circulator baths at once if things overlap).

Also IMO... if I wanted to eat leftovers I could do it at home.....

mimi
 
#3 ·
Sous vide can absolutely work for a sandwich shop. 

You have to ask yourself what you want your results to be though. Depending on your time/temp, you may yield something that is more "steak-y" than a traditional braised or barbecued brisket. 

Pork is the same way. It is tender/slicebale versus falling of the bone, again depending on what your time/temp is. 

Sous vide does give you advantages in storage, as you said, among many other things. 

It would also be a great way to cook sandwich meats like turkey breast, roast beef, pork loin, etc. 

Its great for marinating meats too, marinating before cooking in the sous vide bag works really well. 

People might have more specific advice if you can provide more details on your recipe/method, etc. 
 
#4 ·
How did you get this 36 hours?

Advance scouting with SV ?
A lot of research and then try and error, though there were no errors, just diferent textures. And a lot of happy friends with the results.

Tried 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours on four temperatures. 36 hours on a high temperature (for sous vide steak, of course) presented best texture/resistence to the bite, not too mushy, expected to a brisket. The meat gotta have some resistance in a sandwich, I don't want it to feel like a tenderloin.
 
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