Had to pick between a new $800 immersion circulator or a second-hand commercial convection oven for my pop-up.

Went with the oven for volume, but I'm still figuring out how to nail sous-vide style proteins without the precise gadget. Anyone have a reliable stovetop method for a consistent 135 degrees?

3 comments

3 Comments

sageross14d ago

Honestly that circulator was the better call for quality. A used oven will have hot spots and inconsistent temps, which is the exact opposite of what you need. Trying to fake sous vide on a stove is just going to waste good product.

gibson.elizabeth14d ago

Yeah, that's the real problem with trying to use an oven. Even if the thermostat is okay, the heat just isn't steady like a circulator. Have you ever actually tried the stove top method with a pot and a thermometer? I'm curious if anyone gets results that are even close to the real thing, or if it's always a letdown.

faithwalker13d ago

Saw a test where someone tried the pot method. Temp swung like 15 degrees the whole time. Basically just boiled the outside of the steak.