Serving temperatures

I cooked Salmon, with new potatoes and samphire.
I did the spuds at 88c for 90 mins, and then the salmon at 49c for 45 mins. When i plated up, the food was all luke warm, but perfectly cooked.
How do I keep the spuds hot while the salmon is cooking?

Cook the vegetables first because they need the higher temp. Then when they are done, quickly chill the bag down in an ice bath for a couple minutes to stop the cooking then put it right back in to the water bath with the meat/fish. It won’t cook any more because of the lower temp, but it will keep it hot.

I did keep the spuds in the water with the salmon. The problem was 49c isn’t hot, it’s luke warm.
I might have to reheat the potatoes in the microwave for my next attempt.
I just wondered what other people do.

Ah, I misunderstood.

Yeah, you might have to resort to the microwave. Or maybe a blast under the broiler for the potatoes? Some color, texture and a bit of heat?

Broiler as ACS recommends or brown them with a torch. Microwave will work but not my favorite.
Hot plates also help keep the food warm.

Yep, definitely agree with the broiler idea! :slight_smile:

I have been wrestling with this situation for about a year now.
While I love the texture cooking at low temps, I do not like lukewarm food.
But if that’s the temp you are using that will be the result: lukewarm.
I have two solutions now:

  1. very hot plates
  2. quick jolt in the microwave.

Little off subject but relevant. When I had a restaurant, I used to argue with customers about the following request:
“I want my steak very rare but very hot.” The hotter the more done. period.

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Its always a question of temperature balance between cooking and service temperatures. You always want to minimize the length of time in between by planning ahead, having everything you need ready ( your mise en place) and acting quickly.

The potatoes are a lot more forgiving than the Samphire and Salmon so they can be adequately reheated first before service. While you sear the salmon, or crisp its skin, if you do, just give the blanched Samphire a few quick tosses in a sauté pan, season and serve.

Did you know most people can tolerate a temperature up to about 130F?
Any higher triggers a pain response.

Restaurants have a fierce little piece of equipment called a salamander and no i don’t know why it’s named after a little reptile. It’s a shallow 1,200F broiler usually set at eye-level that melts cheese and heats food surfaces in an instant right before service. Ever wonder how they got your plate so hot that if you touch it you get a burn? That’s how.

At home i employ most of the above recommendations. Service on hot plates should be a local-by law except during Australian summers.

I’m finding that when cooking sous vide nice hot serving plates are even more critical than when serving “piping hot” foods that need to cool down to non mouth charring temperatures before consumption! :slight_smile: My wife is very vocal about this let me tell ya!
For anyone curious - a “salamander” is both a mythical and real creature. The name “salamander” is derived from the Greek term loosely meaning ‘fire lizard’. In myth the salamander was a fire dwelling lizard.