# First try!!

**URL:** <https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/first-try/19414>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [January 11, 2019, 6:50am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/first-try/19414 "2019-01-11T06:50:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bobhunt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@bobhunt](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/bobhunt)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 6:50am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/first-try/19414/1 "2019-01-11T06:50:55Z")

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1. When I switch on my Nova and go to the Anova app. on my phone I get a message that the connection cannot be made. What do I do now?

2. My first dish I wish to try is roasting a 75mm thick piece of pork neck. Does 64.8degrees for 4 hours sound right?

Bob

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**Author:** ![Ember](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/ember/32/729_2.png) [@Ember](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/Ember)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 11:35am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/first-try/19414/2 "2019-01-11T11:35:47Z")

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You can set the temperature by the thumb wheel on the unit head.

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**Author:** ![chatnoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@chatnoir](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/chatnoir)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/first-try/19414/3 "2019-01-11T14:23:13Z")

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Bob, if you are a new Anova user you should proceed slowly sorting with the basics of the technique.

1. Peruse the Community posts here and you will read of the many challenges to newcomers have with the app. Take Ember’s advice and start manually until you have mastered the app…

2. Roasting is dry heat cooking. If you have had success with previous pork neck cooks you should do it again the same way.

I don’t believe i know of a more challenging piece of meat to cook competently using the SV technique.

64.8C does’t sound right.  
Here’s why.  
You don’t reveal if you have boned it, but likely not because of your description. Bones resist heat diffusion and meat doesn’t come much bonier than necks.

Also consider how much work the neck does carrying that big head around. Those are well-developed muscles with a lot of supporting connective tissue.

If i were cooking it i would bone it, 4% brine the meat for up to 12 hours, dry, season if desired, and vacuum package as flat as possible.

If you are aiming for a traditional pulled pork result cook at 80C for 10 -12 hours. At that temperature heated water vapour will cause the bags to expand. To ensure even heating you will have to rig something to keep the bags submerged. I give the bags an occasional rotation to move the air bubble around during the cook because moist air insulates the neck meat.

If you expect a more conventional tender pork texture; brine, season, package and cook at 61C for 16 to 24 hours.

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**Author:** ![bobhunt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@bobhunt](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/bobhunt)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 10:27pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/first-try/19414/4 "2019-01-11T22:27:28Z")

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Thanks very much for your time and effort Frank - much appreciated.

The pork neck/collar is a cut I have roasted conventionally quite a bit, hence this experiment .

The meat is a solid boneless piece of about 500g, about 75mm thick.

Does this shed any further light?

Bob

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**Author:** ![chatnoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@chatnoir](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/chatnoir)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/first-try/19414/5 "2019-01-12T13:00:31Z")

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Bob, yes, and thank you for the clarification. I haven’t done _la boucherie_ in a long time.

Cook at the lower temperature for slicing.

That’s a small collar cut, likely rolled and tied to about 75mm x 75mm. I’d cook either way at the longer end of the time ranges depending on your expected result. If cooked at 80C it’s going to result in a lot of moisture loss. about 150-170ml. That happened when you cooked it traditionally, but now you see it in the bag.