I’m currently on lock down in Torremolinos with Corona virus on the rampage so I thought id do a quick blog on some of the fantastic Electric cooking devices available to take your cooking adventures here is my top five cooking gadgets for 2020
NUMBER ONE
Has to be the Anova sous vide cooker.
Once you cooked sous vide there is no going back! You can see the sous vide cooker in the picture below cooking steak and a corn on the cob. The whole method includes investing in either zip air free bags or a electric vacuum sealer which i went for. There are great benefits from having the vacuum sealer as you can seal meat and get longer fridge time and also you can infuse the food say the day before.
The sealer cost me 100 with a big roll of bag which i cut to size with the machine and seal, these can be picked up cheaper but i went for a half decent one as i plan using this a lot! Now i went for the basic Anova with bluetooth which is the best they say for say 2 to 4 people cooking, this can be controlled on the machine or from a remote app using bluetooth so you cant be really to far away but if you want full range you could pay around 175 for a wifi version with the scope of cooking for more people, Again you can get cheaper models one for like 50 but Anova is damn good. Now you can see i have this in a pan which i got because i can use this for curries and other things like soup and hot pots. Anova also do a tank which i getting next which has racks inside to put the bags in so they get proper rotational water circulation and the lid will keep the heat inside using less electricity I’m thinking. Any way my method is one very top end aged fillet steak left on the side for around a hour to two hours then i season with salt and pepper then vacuum seal. I then set the sous vide cooker in a bowl full of water to 135 for two hours, then start. Once the sous vide hits cooking temperature it will notify you then and not before I drop in the fillet steaks. Then i wait for one hour and drop in the corn on the cob sweetcorn, these are not in official sous vide bags but cook perfect! Next we get a notification after the two hours so then i take out the steaks and open the bags and put the steaks onto kitchen roll. As the steaks are settling i let them settle for ten minutes i pat them very lightly removing all the moisture as I’m doing this i turn my griddle or you can use a pan and the hottest it will go. As the griddle warms i add some slices mushroom to the end I’m not using with a spray of oil and a touch of garlic turning while i pat the steaks dry as possible. Then i get a not to big lump of butter and add the steak to the other end of the griddle i tend to put the steak to the end where the probe inserts. I use a set of prongs to brown the sides off and cook each side for say one minute until its looking perfectly cooked. Then i move the steak to the plate and make a tinfoil tent over the steak for a minute or so or maybe 5 but don’t wrap.. then while I’m getting off the mushrooms i cut the sweet corn from the bags from the tank and then put on the plate and then remove the tinfoil from the steaks and we are ready to eat the most perfect cooked steak and succulent sweetcorn you ever tasted !!
Ive also cooked pork loins which are absolutely amazing. Chicken breast and beef and prawns which i added to curries.
Also I’ve cooked lamb chops and pork chops which i cant describe. Pork takes around 1 hour! Then you sear of again like steak etc. Next I’m looking at getting a tank to cook more efficient, a blow torch to sear off and a barbecue with a smoker so i can sous vide then smoke. Also one thing I’m really looking forward to testing is a large cut of top side beef joint and sous vide for around 24 hours and then sear off! Divine! If you have any questions or need any tips feel free to drop me a message!
Keep in mind that the meat is cooked through to perfection with no loss of size and full impact flavor with meat holding all juices.
NUMBER TWO
The rice cooker. Now i make a lot of curries but my rice is always real bad. So i bought this! You can see the extra additional bit on the top where i can drop a bit or sweetcorn or peas in and it steams them up with a taste you never imagined. So i get the basmati rice and fill one of the plastic cups i go with the machine and this feeds two perfectly. I put this into metal bowl and then i wash the rice off until the water comes clear . Then the water level i have about a centimeter of water hardly any! Then i put on the lid and set to cook which takes around 10 to fifteen minutes you hear it click off. I don’t hang around like you can with the sous vide cooker or the rice starts burning up on the bottom and sticking, although you can get some gauzes to stop this I don’t bother. You get a plastic spoon to take out the rice without scratching the bowl and then i just add a slight bit of water and washing up liquid to the bowl and leave to soak to wash out the rice easy that stuck. People ask if I wash the rice of after etc but no need i just add straight the plate and its not sticky light and fluffy ready to eat infact its better than i buy from most Restaraunt’s !!! This was like 25 euro a real bargain.
This is a great bit of kit to boil up rice and then fry of the rice with egg and spring onions peas and ham as a special fried rice.
NUMBER 3
The Plancha, As you can see this looks pretty bolloxed! But has had hard usage for 3 years this is a cheap bit of kit at around 15 euro and just easy to use and clean! as you can see im ready for another! but I do loads on this and it gets thrown on the balcony for cooking outside! hot dogs – fry ups you name it but its damn good for getting up to a hight temperature and searing of steaks or pork loins when they have cooled from out of the sous vide!
NUMBER 4
Halogen Cooker . This is a damn great big of kit! This was given to us by two of loveliest people and great friends from Australia as they didn’t want to carry it back to Australia! Any way we cook roast vegetables and full chickens in this as well as other meats and vegetables. Chicken comes out of the halogen cooker divine, soft and juicy – these are available from around 50 euros upwards.
NUMBER 5
Deep fat fryer. Ours is small but this is so handy and get the right results. This one is small and compact and cost 18 euro. Easy to replace and clean and doesn’t need to much oil. The filter is easy to take out and clean and great for two people just fill basket with say frozen chips of fresh cut chips after you have heated on full for 5 minutes and drop the fries in and drop the lid and 5 to ten minutes later pull the basket onto the top rim and close the lid let them dry off and you have the most amazing fries also handy for cooking up popadoms for curry etc. Nice compact and easy to maintain and cuts down on fat all over the kitchen using a standard chip pan with lid and filtering.
That’s the round up but here is a couple more gadgets that are outstanding and worth buying!
Wine Fridge
Having a great variation of fine wines in stock and cooled to the right temperature is one of the best things I did as a citizen of Spain. I can get realistically priced wines as well as a few real good ones and have them cooled to the perfect temperature and have the display light on when I’m in at night or have friends around. It’s silent and uses small power. Next on the cards is a electric wine bottle opener.
Last but not least!!
THE ORANGE JUICER
This has to get a mention coming cheaper than the deep fat fryer at a mear 12 euro! Buying a large bag of oranges for juice is a round 4 euro which gives you a fresh orange jug everyday for the week is a real bargain and its fresh with no additives has to be one of the best bargains. Around 3 or 4 more minutes to cut the oranges in half and put on top of the juicer to get one jug.
Hope you like my cooking gadget review!
Don’t forget gadgets give you good results !!
I’ve got done great blogs coming with some great gadgets.
Currently in day 4 of a Corona virus lockdown so plenty of time for some more amazing reviews and blogs – keep safe. Peace and love to close family and friends and love to the people who took the time to see if we was ok. Mum, Dad big Sister and my oldest daughter. Thank you 🙏
Lisa family and children are amazing and maximum respect and love to these. We don’t forget this.