Best Vessels/Containers for Precision Cooking

@john.jcb That's a very good idea, but I'm probably just going to wrap the Anova in a towel for transport and storage.

For the sake of keeping things organized, I’ve closed two other discussions on this same topic so we can continue the conversation in one thread - here. You can still see all of the great responses here:

https://community.anovaculinary.com/discussion/290/advice-on-cooking-vessels

https://community.anovaculinary.com/discussion/31/best-cooking-vessel

@gmacted This is awesome!! I’m working on getting the image upload issue fixed and will let you know once it has been rectified. I can’t wait to see more photos so I’m trying to fix it ASAP!!

@Gmacted - I like your setup and did the same thing with the hinges on my cooler - removed the screws, spun the hinges out of the way, and then put the screws back in the lid.  You'll note that the lid is hollow and insulates solely on the basis of the airgap which is why it gets warmer than the cooler itself which is full of foam.  The hollow lid is a bit of a hassle because after a 48-hour cook it gathers alot of condensation which must be carefully drained post-cooking to avoid a mess - I'm considering how to best fill that gap (maybe with some blown-in foam of my own, or drill it full of holes to let it drain itself).  I've been occupied with other things of late but I hope to get back to my modded cooler soon - drainage, an internal rack, etc) and will post updated pix when I'm done!  My next Everest?  Scratch-made sous vide pastrami!  Woot!

@kevin One thing you might try is to fashion a piece of plastic that fits in the space made by the cutout then thermal seal it or use silicone sealer. This way no water vapor can make its way into the lid. Even with holes I would be worried that the inside does not dry completely and you might get mold.

In a commercial unit I saw something that looks like it would solve some of the floating and cooking a lot of food issues. It was a stainless wire rack that essentially looked like mail slots for the packages to sit in. It was the size of the vessel. It did not impede the water flow and if you had floating issues you just lay something on top of it. If I can locate the materials I need to make one for myself. I might also include rods across the top to hold any floaters down.

A $25 dollar Cambro tub purchased on Amazon or bought at a cooking supply store easily suffices. It is what moost professionals use and put food grade wrap on top.

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I use clear,  polycarbonate food containers like this

https://www.amazon.com/Camwear-Polycarbonate-Square-Storage-container/dp/B0015R9VXO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=anovacommunity-20&linkId=df594731bd963d2be26d772295d55c4c

they retain the heat much better than a steel pot and I bought two lids, one has a hole cut out for the anova and the other is intact so I can also use it for large scale food storage (it’s a food safe container) when it’s not sous viding. It doesn’t take up that much room and it’s very light.

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@gmacted @Kevin These cooler mods are awesome! I have one question though: A 24 x 14 x 13 cooler is over 40 qt capacity—have you found that to be too big for the Anova to work with? How long does it typically take to heat up?

@Alex B The 40qt cooler you mention holds twice the amount of water that the Anovas are rated at. I would think it would have a problem getting that much water up to temperature. A tub that size would hold a lot of food. I have the a Cambro that is a little under half the capacity and it holds a lot.

@gmacted said:
Here are pictures of my cooler:


gmacted, 

This looks to be a great setup, especially when I figure under $25.00 for the entire setup!

I do have one question for you.

Is there anything you would do different next time?

In Australia a good cheepish option the same quality as Cambro is the 

Vogue from Nisbets $25
and lid $10
Cambros seem hard to find and ship to Australia.

You will need to cut the lid with a 60mm hole cutter, I think and then a table saw, etc…



@mitsured said:

gmacted said:
Here are pictures of my cooler:


gmacted, 

This looks to be a great setup, especially when I figure under $25.00 for the entire setup!

I do have one question for you.

Is there anything you would do different next time?

@mitsured

I would not change anything. I did add a silicon mat with a hole in it to act as a gasket to keep the steam in.

It is a big container though. I use a stock pot when I only cook a few steaks.

I used this to cook ten pounds of corned beef a few weeks ago and I could have easily fit another ten pounds in there.

@john.jcb said:
Alex B The 40qt cooler you mention holds twice the amount of water that the Anovas are rated at. I would think it would have a problem getting that much water up to temperature. A tub that size would hold a lot of food. I have the a Cambro that is a little under half the capacity and it holds a lot.


No issues at all.  My tap water is quite hot, and in combination with the insulative qualities of the cooler the Anova is not stressed at all.  It temps up quickly, and I’ve done 48-hour pork shanks or brisket - fire and forget.  If I’m cooking alot of bags for a group or doing a big piece of something then I like to have lots of water gap to ensure good circulation.  The only issue is that a cooler full of water is heavy - you’re not going to move it much!  Post-cook, we use the water on our plants.

Good to know.

The Rubbermaid FG631200CLR seams to be popular :

a great fit (might just need to remove one row for the anova to fit) :
General PDP Template | Canadian Tire

@jim777 said:
I’m closer to a Canadian Tire than an Ikea, so this is a great fit (might just need to remove one row for the anova to fit) :



I tried this one last night. It fits the Rubbermaid fine, but the racks do interfere. Last night I left all of the day asks in and put the Anova in the corner, but I didn’t like the Anova’s water vents being in the corner.

Next time I will take out the centre upright and try it with the Anova on a side.

If all else is unsatisfactory, I have a rib rack for the BBQ. :slight_smile:

I went the cooler route, found a coleman party stacker on amazon.  $27 shipped.  Tested how high I could get it, quit when I hit this.



[missing image removed]

Also have a rib rack that fits inside perfectly, so plan to use it.   Inside it is 12" wide x 22" long x 10" deep.


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Quick note - if anyone is looking for the rack that @apalmer405 mentioned and doesn’t have an Ikea close-by, it’s also sold on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Ikea-701-548-00X2-Variera-Organizer-Stainless/dp/B00PNJTBMG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=anovacommunity-20&linkId=03df78efa155383f41eeac5ea5ec320f


Cheers,

Alphax

Double wow. 8 in stock in my store. Will check it out.

We knew our sous vide setup was always going to be a permanent addition to the kitchen bench.  Meaning that as being appropriate to cook in - I wanted it to look good too. The Anova itself is a very sexy appliance.... but some of the easy setups are less so. Insulation is a very important consideration - I add the meat early in the morning,  a bunch of ice,  and then it needs to keep the bath safely at fridge temp until I remotely start the cook early to mid afternoon. And also not lose (much) water on those long cooks and trigger a power off when we're not around...

So looking at the cooler options,  but not wanting the standard plastic blue and white coleman look, this is what we came up with. Initial plan had been to cut a hole in the cooler lid,  but it looked so nice I made an alternative lid with a nice timber chopping board and a piece of Styrofoam, so we can also use the cooler as designed. With the hole as is,  we don't use the Anova clip, it just slots right in.  So far it's working really well. Plan is to add a rubber seal to the cut edge of the timber, to stop any steam escape,  but there really isn't much if any.  Only con is that being quite tall and narrow,  you need a fair bit of water to reach minimum on the Anova, even on a small cook, but that does mean it takes up less bench space. And it has a built in bottle opener.  Added bonus! 


Jamie Oliver 17L cooler - http://www.victoriasbasement.com.au/Product/Details/70267