Grant Achatz Thanksgiving -- Part 1

[designbyhilife]

I like how people are on here giving their advice on how to make something better than Chef Achatz... I'm not ballsy enough or cocky enough to pretend I can teach Chef Keller's most promising son :) He is definitely a man who knows and can respect food on levels i can't yet grasp.

[marcelvigneron1]

Not so worried about the bags!!! My question is, Where's the Salt?????????????

[csgibert]

One note about the sous vide: The aromatics will actually flavor more effectively without any butter in the bag.

[wutangslang09]

How long did it take to cook the turkey to 170 degrees?

[ekolke]

Grant is THE KING!!!

-Eric Chicago

[mikesfarm]

I see the vids are a couple of years old, but thanks a lot for taking the time to make them.

They are well done and explain very well. Because of you two I made my own Sous Vid controller and crank out great food.

Mike

[seattle448]

They are not "boiling" in the bags. If your so concerned, why don't you go troll people microwaving in ziplock bags with higher temperatures.

[sergiogodoy]

I wish I could have GA in my kitchen.

[28chefwatson]

This is a fun, interesting and educational video. I like the idea of seeing Grant and Nikko interact in this atmosphere. I am planning to try this out. However, with temp control, how long did the turkey take to cook from start to end....2 hours?

[DOSBoxMom]

You can buy roasting bags at the supermarket (usually 1 size for chickens or whole turkey breasts, and a larger size for whole turkeys). Maybe instead of putting that wine inside the cooks, you could use it to "deglaze" the juices in the roasting bag or pan?

[hazelvirgo]

first of all, lucky you! I am gastronomically in love with Chef Grant since 2001 , I wish he can come and teach me in Malaysia!.

I am currently a chef doing sous vide as well , I am a brand chef for an italian cooking bags and vacuum machine manufaturer called Orved, you can browse on it if you wish.i am not selling stuff but I think we made the best and the safest cooking bags.

[knottytrevor]

grant is such a smart ass. I love that guy. "well, yah could! Meat glue!"

[iamthespaceship]

sure, you shouldnt boil the bags. but sous vide temperature is a simmer, not a boil. so there's nothing to worry about.

[Bennyboy65]

@iamthespaceship actually sous vide cooking is even below simmering temperature. Water simmers at about 85-95C but generally sous vide cooking doesnt use temperature about 65C

[iSven08]

some one tell me how to get grant to come to my house and give me lessons on cooking

[coco9419]

that is grant with his partner nick.

[pebbles1406]

@iSven08 Go to his restaurant the first wednesday of every month and then make him a business offer! Oh and also be a great friend in tough times!

[xa1a]

@iSven08 You have to be his partner at Alinea ;)

[alexman87]

he's literally burning the turkey bones to make a turkey stock, that's the way how to make a dark stock, I do that every time I'm making a beef stock.

[grantmasterflash]

Only person I know that can "carmalize" protein.

[JosephBayot]

"Caramelization" is now a term that has become widely accepted to also encompass Maillard browning. True, this is technically wrong.

Although the words professional cooks/chefs tend to use are not technically correct, believe me: Chef Grant Achatz (and Chef Keller who often "mis-uses" the term) knows it is not caramelization.

[jamiedavidanderson]

well actually the french have been doing this for decades so nobody stole anything here

[coco9419]

invented in the 1970's by a french chef georges pralus.

[frackle]

Clearly Thomas Keller invented sous vide cooking and just wait until he finds out that Grant stole it!

[JosephBayot]

ahahha

[hitoallusa]

Yeah Grant must mention other chefs who have alreday used this turkey cooking method.

[ncelletti]

Why are there so many idiots watching this video? Oh, Thomas Keller wrote on this once so take that Grant! Dude, come on, Keller is his frickin mentor. They have similar techniques. Also, obviously he isn't talking about professionals. This is for regular people. Next time, think before you post.

[dancharles20]

Because this video is for idiots. Grant should at least credit other chefs rather than making it his own. Do you work at Alinea? I like Per Se much better!

[pflanze42]

sous vide = under vacuum. No vacuum equipment, no sous-vide.

[ttyl200]

Thomas Keller has already done this. I read about in on a magazine in 2004. It is not because "nobody thinks" as you've said Grant. Be honest and give credits to people who already started this.

[TheKpow]

Idiot, he's not talking about chefs, he's talking about general people who cook for their families at home.

[campbellerik]

I think you should go back and watch the clip again. LISTEN carefully what did Nick exactly ask to Grant and how pretentious Grant ANSWERED the question. I've highlighted the key words for you because you surely need time to think before calling other people idiots!

[SharpFinale]

I'll probably be a vegetarian when I get older because I can't fanthom the thought of touching raw meat.

[mulebollock]

Are the breasts cooked for the same duration as the legs???

[andrewjusticefan]

lol i think he meant general public not other chefs who use sous vide all the time. I agree Thomas Keller's turkey tastes great. Maybe Thomas should post a demo on youtube.

[hitoallusa]

Other people cooked turkey in this way too. Chef Thomas Keller at Per Se in NY. It is a wonderful restaurant.

[hitoallusa]

Thomas Keller's sous vide turkey breast is awesome. The breast is vacuum-packed in plastic with fresh herbs, cooked slowly in water at a low temperature, then browned in butter. The legs are boned, stuffed with foie gras and Savoy cabbage, and roasted. The result is a breast thats remarkably flavorful and moist, compared with that of a roast turkey (when you roast a turkey, the breast tends to dry out before the rest of the bird is done), and legs that have a rich, luxurious taste.

[doctortim1]

I know he squeezes most of the air out, but is that enough (compared with vacuuming all air out)? That'd be great if it was, since I don't have a foodsaver.

[lapptom12]

Those plastic bags. Does he know how dangerous they are? They are freezer bags not intended to heat!

[nickkokonas]

That is not correct. Some are OK to heat, some are not. Just look on the box.

Additionally, these are being heated to only 170 F surrounded by water (as opposed to dry heat). The bags suffer no damage, nor do any "chemicals" leak into food or anything like that. Millions of food items are transported, heated, cooked, and eaten from this method daily... just think of Kraft!

[Victorian200]

"We have contacted the Ziploc company and they replied by telling us that ZIPLOC® brand Bags cannot be used to boil food. They also told us that they do not manufacture a "boilable" bag.... yet.

[nickkokonas]

well, that is interesting if not accurate. Because on the box it says this: For Defrosting and Reheating: open slider one inch to vent. Place Bag on microwave safe dish. Handle with care: bag and contents may be hot.

Sandwich bags are not appropriate as they are too thin. But you need to do your research before you post... and note as well that we are not "boiling"... we are at 170F.

[HelpAmericaUSA]

People have been using this method to cook turkey and they are not dead or sick. By the way, I am surprised that Grant speaks as if he invented this method. Chef Thomas Keller published similar cooking method on a magazine in 2005. If you google search you can find it easily. It has been clearly done before!

[XMuraX]

@scottohscott Those are the freezer bags, which are made of Polyethylene, which has a breakdown temperature of 225F to 240F. I don't really see any reason to doubt a chef like Grant Achatz, either. He's won pretty much every award that can be won, holds 3 Michelin Stars, and had his restaurant ranked sixth best in the world by Restaurant Magazine. He's also had a very strong hand in making Chicago the center for modern experimental cuisine in America.

[AnonyiestMousse]

@nickkokonas

Some people can't tell the difference between warm water and a ruptured steam pipe; don't waste your time.

[barzelay]

Even Foodsaver claims that their bags are only safe to 170F. And the USDA recommends cooking all your poultry to 175F. And Advil tells you "do not exceed 6 tablets in 24 hours." And all cookware always says not to use it over high heat.

I'm not saying there aren't any reasons behind these warnings, but why be a stickler about this one and not all the others? Thousands of people eat sous vide food every day and don't complain. Get over it.

[fishin18]

yes, boiling a Ziploc bag will cause chemicals to leach out (according to Ziploc). However, in the video the water is only heated to 170F or 76.66C. this temperature is far from boiling. in fact it is not even hot enough to make a cup of tea or coffee. perfect for cooking moist and succulent turkey though :D awesome video!!

[hitoallusa]

well I believe it's ok as long as you don't eat this everyday. I agree with you in a sense that some spices like clove can melt plastics,

[cliffcox66]

@lapptom12 Yeah, hikers use freezer bags to contain dehydrated food and hydrate them in the field by adding boiling water to them. Hikers, myself included are paranoid environmentalist and concerned about BPA and other chemicals in the bags they use. Many freezer bags are fine for this and putting boiling water into and heating.

[rebeccarose92]

Thats a weird way to cook Thanksgiving turkey. Works though, apparently.

[JosephBayot]

"You CANNOT be a panshaker"

haha, thanks for these! Keep them coming!