Is there a chart or general rule-of-thumb?

First of all, forgive me if I’m asking something that’s been covered here. I did search, and didn’t find the answer to my question, but since I’ve only had my Anova since yesterday, I’m still a newbie!

I’m more a “fly by the seat of my pants” type of cook; I rarely use a recipe. Is there any type of chart, or guideline of temperatures and times for various types of foods? I cooked two frozen salmon fillets last night, and they were overdone for my taste. Which leads to my next question. I thought this system sort of eliminated that problem?

Is this what you are looking for?

Fish is really personal and takes a little experimentation. When you get the time/temperature perfect it cannot be beat. Halibut is my favorite, it is also a fish that is easy to overcook and it goes from perfect to dry if the temperature is too high.

YES! Thank you! And thanks for the tip on the fish. I’ll keep experimenting!

OK, looking at this chart brings up another question: Surely a 10-pound roast takes longer to cook than a 3-pound one, and there are no weights listed on this chart?

With Sous Vide weight is not as important as thickness. If you look under beef roasts there is a wide latitude for time. The spread is for thickness and type of meat. The tougher cuts require a long time to breakdown and become tender. It is similar to the low and slow for barbecue. I use the chart as a starting point and normally look up the specific cut of meat here on the Anova recipe site or other internet sources. As with most things there are also different opinions on time and temperatures.

OK. Thanks John. I’m going to do a pork butt tomorrow, and finish it in the smoker. Normally I’d cook the whole thing in the smoker and it would take most, if not all, of the daylight hours this time of year. I like the idea of using the Anova to save time, electricity, and wood pellets. I’m having fun experimenting!