I'm new to this whole sous vide thing and so far my results haven't met my expectations and I'm trying to develop a more intrinsic understanding of the process.
I was making carbonara so I thought I'd sous vide some chicken thighs to accompany it for a bit of a protein boost.. I flattened them out a bit and put them in a ziplock bag with a bit of salt, pepper, garlic, thyme and a pinch of msg. I did 72° for an hour and a half the put them in a sink full of cold water to rest for 10 minutes nd then hit them with the blow torch and sliced them up. They were alright. But maybe a bit dry or overcooked? I've cooked juicer and more succulent thighs on the grille.
First thing I noticed after the sous vide bath was there was a lot of jus in the bag. Is that normal? Is 72° too high? I was tossing up between 66° and 72° but everything I've read said the the lower temp can leave them a bit firmer and doesn't render the fats and collagen as much…
How can I improve? What's everyone's favourite temp/time for thighs?
by BonusSweet
10 Comments
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Honestly I’ve never done thighs. Thighs are tender and juicy cooked at high heat and they’re hard to overcook. 72*C is a good temp for thighs, but you need to go 3-4 hours. Like doing ribeye vs tenderloin, you need to break down the extra fat and connective tissue.
154F (67C) is my go to for thighs. 147F (64C) for breasts. 2 hours is sufficient for both. Cold shock in ice bath or in the fridge for 5-7 minutes. Onto a hot grill to mark for a min or two per side. I prefer thighs and often sous vide with bbq sauce and then finish on the grill. You are correct about a lower temp and rendering, but I find a cast iron or grill to finish the fatty parts off better than a torch.
Thus spake Kenji Lopez-Alt,
“times, you end up with chicken that is more tender than chicken cooked to 150°F and just slightly more dry. With extended cook times, the chicken begins to fall apart much more readily. Expelled chicken juices and broken-down connective tissues start to collect in the bag, forming a gel that can subsequently be used to make a flavorful pan sauce. Any longer than eight hours at 165°F or above, and the chicken will get too soft, becoming mushy and unable to retain its juices as you chew.
After tasting, I settled on three different temperature and timing combinations, all of which offer excellent but different results.
150°F (66°C) for 1 to 4 Hours: Very Juicy and Quite Firm
165°F (74°C) for 1 to 4 Hours: Very Juicy and Fully Tender
165°F (74°C) for 4 to 8 Hours: Moderately Juicy, Pull-off-the-Bone Tender”
I have generally seen he is most of the time on the mark, so I’d be comfortable with this advice.
Source: https://www.seriouseats.com/crispy-sous-vide-chicken-thigh-recipe
Why?
Your temp is too high. Try 62.7 for at least 3 hours since they aren’t bone-in. Also, no need to ‘flatten’ them, just put them right in. Thickness won’t be an issue if you’re going 3 hours.
but why?
I just got a sous vide too. Just did mashed potatoes with it. Magical.
Yeah, I only sous vide thigh if im making confit. Doesn’t feel worth the time otherwise.
Carbonara?