alternative drying methods: induction stove top or sous vide
Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2020 12:52 am
My oven doesn't have a fan so I began considering other drying methods.
I have a portable induction stovetop that lets me set a specific temperature. After some testing with a meat thermometer sitting in a pan of water, it seems to run a bit hot, but I can modulate the temperate by turning it up/down as needed. This would be open to the air and at least have some air movement about it as the hot air lifts off the pan.
I also have a sous vide cooker. This is a water circulator that holds the water at a very precise temperature. You cook your food by submerging it in the water in a vacuum sealed bag. (BTW, this produces the most perfectly cooked rare steaks, if you're into that.) Now, the nature of there being water involved makes it not a low-humidity environment of course. Of the three heating methods I have available to me, sous vide is by far the superior mechanism for maintaining a very precise temperature for any amount of time I could want. Anyone else experimented with this?
Another question I have is regarding the "dehydrate at 165F." There are actually two things going on here.
1) Decarboxylization of ibotenic acid into muscimol
2) Removal of water by dehydration
So, could I decarb the mushroom caps by vacuum sealing them, putting them in the sous vide water at 165F, and then dehydrate them by putting them in the oven on the lowest setting until they dry out? Or, for that matter, reverse the order?
Very interested in hearing your thoughts on all this.
I have a portable induction stovetop that lets me set a specific temperature. After some testing with a meat thermometer sitting in a pan of water, it seems to run a bit hot, but I can modulate the temperate by turning it up/down as needed. This would be open to the air and at least have some air movement about it as the hot air lifts off the pan.
I also have a sous vide cooker. This is a water circulator that holds the water at a very precise temperature. You cook your food by submerging it in the water in a vacuum sealed bag. (BTW, this produces the most perfectly cooked rare steaks, if you're into that.) Now, the nature of there being water involved makes it not a low-humidity environment of course. Of the three heating methods I have available to me, sous vide is by far the superior mechanism for maintaining a very precise temperature for any amount of time I could want. Anyone else experimented with this?
Another question I have is regarding the "dehydrate at 165F." There are actually two things going on here.
1) Decarboxylization of ibotenic acid into muscimol
2) Removal of water by dehydration
So, could I decarb the mushroom caps by vacuum sealing them, putting them in the sous vide water at 165F, and then dehydrate them by putting them in the oven on the lowest setting until they dry out? Or, for that matter, reverse the order?
Very interested in hearing your thoughts on all this.