Help! I need advice, so I am new to sous vide, I out in a pork shoulder at 165 last night for 22 hrs, I vacuum sealed it, appeared to have no air in it, and double sealed it. It’s in an igloo cooler that I cut a hole in for the machine .
I wake up and the temp is good but, I opened up and the bag has ballooned. No signs of a leak or any change in the water color indicating the juices are leaking.
Any thoughts?!
Take the meat out. Open the bag and give it a good sniff test. You’ll know if there is a problem. If it smells good and clean, re-bag it and put it back in to continue cooking.
Don’t waste the juices in the bag. Clarify them by bringing them to a simmer to coagulate the proteins, strain them through a cheese cloth or coffee filter or something similar. Pop them in the fridge for later when the meat is finished.
There are several possibilities with the ballooning. Some pieces will release more gas than others, just due to variations in the animal. But it is also possible that you have a problem from bacteria or, more likely, autolysis. Your nose will tell you because the meat will smell bad.