i started with this meal, since it's been one of my favorites from the beginning.
corn - easy! from bag o' frozen directly to sealer. bistro uses 3 oz, so i do too. i was considering roasting and flash freezing, but they taste just fine as is, and that seemed like a lot of work for a minimal improvement in taste. i can always toss them in old bay if i get bored.
green beans - no brainer. direct from bag o' frozen to sealer, again 3 oz.
pork - this was a little tougher (literally.) i bought really good, really lean pork tenderloin from a fabulous local place called dorothy lane. on my first try, i sliced it into chunks and baked with some diluted montgomery inn sauce (also local, to cincinnati) on low (300) for 40 minutes. it wasn't bad, but the sauce was waaay too watery so i dumped it and added two fresh tbls to the pork before sealing it.
the verdict: montgomery inn sauce is too sweet for me, and baking in liquid left the pork tougher than i liked. certainly not inedible, but not ideal. el nino liked it a lot, though, and ate almost half the meat and most of the corn. i gave it another go again last night, but used a spicier, vinegar-based sauce (can't remember the name offhand) and left the meat covered in a crockpot for 8 hours before bagging.
i got all excited when i nuked the corn and green beans and ended up with the little puddle of liquid that needed to be drained just like a bistro meal. dorky, i know.
will try the second batch tonight and see if this cooking method leaves it more tender.
original nutrition: 450 cals
my version (from Fitday): 286 cals, fat 7 g, carb 31 g, fiber 5 g, protein 28g, 371 mg sodium
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2 comments:
I think they cook the pork in a Sous Vide method...Food is cooked for a long time, sometimes well over 24 hours. Unlike cooking in a slow cooker, sous-vide cooking uses airtight plastic bags placed in hot water well below boiling point (usually around 60°C or 140°F.. That is how they get it to be tender and moist and use very very lean meat.. tough to do at home. I use a sugar free BBQ sauce for added flavor for many things with Bistro.But I think the pork tenderloin needs to cook relatively quickly otherwise it gets too dry. I tried it once in the slow cooker but it was tough. Renita
Here is the info from the Foodsaver. about the sous vide cooking :
Sous Vide Cooking
Sous Vide cooking involves seasoning and vacuum packaging meat, fish or vegetables in a FoodSaver® Bag, then gently poaching in hot water. With the juices and seasoning sealed tightly in the Bag, the food emerges tender and succulent; none of the nutritional properties are lost, and flavors are intensified. Plus, no fat is added during the cooking process and clean up is a breeze.
Sous Vide Cooking Tips and Techniques
Season and vacuum seal each individual portion of chicken, meat, fish or vegetables in a FoodSaver® Bag. Heat water to below a simmer, usually around 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Submerge the Bag(s) and stir occasionally to rotate. Adjust heat as necessary so temperature remains constant. Be careful not to boil the water.
Approximate cooking times:
Chicken Breast – 18 minutes
6 Ounce Beef Steak (Medium Rare) – 10 minutes
6 Ounce Fish Filet (Medium Rare) – 8 minutes
Vegetables – varies – cook until tender
Use tongs to remove bags from the water, then serve as desired. You can also place the cooled bags containing cooked foods directly into the freezer so you can defrost for an instant gourmet treat.
Note: for crispy skin or seared meat, sauté the chicken, meat or fish until golden brown after the sous vide process.
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