One of my intended uses for the ANOVA ONE is to make yogurt. The culture temperature must be maintained at 110 degrees F. plus or minus 2 degrees, for 10 to 12 hours. Higher temperatures (118 degrees F) will kill the culture. I plan to place my 1 or 2 quart yogurt culturing container in a 7 1/2 quart Cambro square container.
What is the temperature variance range of this device, once it comes up to temperature? Will my scheme work?
I think I’ll use a 12 quart Cambro container, for larger cuts, like roast beef or pork. Will this device be adequate?
Once temperature has stabilized, and assuming that the temp isn’t at the limits of the Anova’s power (I was having some problems holding 85c recently), I’ve never seen the temp vary by more than .1 degrees c.
This is assuming that your probe is accurate (but even if inaccurate, it shouldn’t vary much) and that you’re OK with the temp being lower when you first add your container (until it gets back up to temp).
Thanx. It looks like I’m on the right track. .1 degree c. = .2 degrees F.
This heater will be a lot more accurate than the dedicated yogurt maker I tried and returned - twice. It had no temperature adjustment feature, and it rose as high as 120 degrees F. My yogurt died a horrible, painful, curdling death!
Besides, this device will be useful for a lot more (steaks, chicken, fish, veggies, Etc.) than the yogurt maker.
I went online and ordered it today. Now I’m looking to collect recipes.
My Anova One came yesterday, and I ran right out, to my local restaurant supply house, and bought a 5 gal. covered plastic tub, then a half gallon of milk and a cup of Greek yogurt. I came home and hacked a cutout in the cover, for the heater, and set up the culture, in a 2 quart glass jar, in the tub. After 8 hours of culturing, at 110 degrees F, the yogurt looks and tastes perfect. it’s in the refrigerator now.
I was very pleased, at the rock steady temperature regulation of this device. It is well made and sturdy. Though the three home thermometers I used to monitor the process, varied as much as plus or minus 3 degrees Fahrenheit, from the Anova and from each other, I think I can trust the Anova to be the most accurate. What does Radio Shack know, about temperature measurement, anyway?
This setup works much better than a dedicated yogurt maker or a light bulb in the oven, and it is multipurpose (meat, chicken, fish, veggies, Etc.) I highly recommend it.
Now i have to insulate the tub. I set it on a thick stack of newspapers, to protect the counter top. I’ll have to go to Home Depot, and see what kind of insulation products are available.
Any suggestions?
I went to Home Depot last night and bought a 24" X 24" X 1" thick piece of rigid foam (pink, R5.7) insulation, for $5.48. This morning I was able to cut a 10" X 16" base, for the 5 gal.plastic tub and a 13.5" square, to put under my big, steel pots. Now I have adequate thermal protection for my kitchen counter tops. Goodbye, pile of old newspapers!
I also made a 10" circle, to cover my 10 qt. pot, cutting a 1/2" rabbit into the edge and a cutout for the ANOVO. It fits snugly and will provide great insulation and evaporation control. I need to buy another piece, to make a 13" cover for my 22 qt pot. I inquired about Reflectix, wraparound insulation, but they were out of stock. They promised to email me, when it came in, though. I’ll just use bath towels, for now.
The foam is soft and easy to cut with hand tools, but it crumbles easily, making a mess out of my workroom. I wish I could say,“The Maid is coming tomorrow.”, but, alas, I will just have to get the vacuum cleaner out, myself!
@M_HAND How did you cut the cover? Was it easy or is the polycarbonate awkward to cut? I didn’t order one when I bought my tub but after seeing the evaporation rate I’ve purchased one, which should be delivered soon. All I have available to me is a dremel, wondering how good of a job that will do.
@mspeleoto:
I used a hack saw to make the straight cuts and a coarse, half round hand file to cut the curved area, finishing up with a finer file, to clean up the edges. A coping saw would have made cutting the curve easier. I cut the lip, for the clamp, by making two straight cuts and using a Vice Grip pliers, to bend the tab back and forth, until it snapped off. It isn’t pretty, but it does the job!
insulation solution:
The heck with Reflectix wraparound insulation! I would only be able to use it for ONE purpose. I am just using a couple of all purpose bath towels, to wrap and cover my plastic tub and my steel pots. The tub has a custom cut, plastic cover, and I made covers for my pots out of the 1" foam I’m using underneath the pots/tub.
I just started a 12 hour pork belly, ala Kenji Alt, At 170F for 12 hours, in my 5 gal tub, so we’ll see how well it works. YUMMY!