When do you place your food into the water

We are also facing the same issue.

Depends if it is frozen or not (defrost cycle via pre-heat) otherwise no, unless maybe it is within a degree C in my very well insulated container because that takes nigh on no time, if it wasnā€™t insulated that would be the thing that wrecks heat up time.

NB I donā€™t use hot water to speed heat, I do use cold to drop a temp if doing several back to back cooks.
Prefer to follow times due to pasterurisation being a necessity, poisoning friends & family is something I never wish to contemplate having happened.