Since I mentioned getting a new sous vide machine (the Sous Vide Supreme promo package) I thought I would report on the results so far. I have been discussing this in the comments to the first post I did about the device, but thought it might be worth discussing the results in a standalone post, for those who don’t read all the comments.

The first meal I made last night was sweet chicken italian sausages. I didn’t take any pictures, but the appearance was not terribly appetizing. Did them in the sous vide machine, then finished them on the grill, one minute each side, with the grill around 400. I think that was not enough; either the grill was not hot enough or I didn’t put them on long enough. They tasted good, and preserved more of the chicken taste of the chicken, but I was not jumping for joy. My basic feeling was: the taste is very good, and it was easier to cook them thoroughly all the way through without burning the hell out of the outside, but next time I will finish them differently to get a different texture.

When I had tonight’s tri-tip, things were quite different. This was a delicious meal that distinctly surpassed the results I have gotten from the same cut of meat on the grill. I tossed it in the Sous Vide Supreme for eight hours at 135 degrees, and at the end of the process, fired up my gas grill good and hot, to 600 degrees. Tossed it on there for one minute each side, and the results were amazing.

Here is the meat on the plate before carving. Note how one minute on a grill that hot gave it grill marks and plenty of texture:

Here it is carved up:

And a close-up:

This was very, very good. Very tender, but not mushy; juicy, and done perfectly to my taste. This is the only way to do tri-tip.

Next up: salmon with a lemon slice and citrus butter.

Seems a mite bit inconsistent, no? (Link goes to Hot Air in light of our Politico boycott):

The very same year, for example, that Colorado legalized marijuana, the Colorado Senate passed (without a single Republican vote) a ban on trans fats in schools. Are we to believe eating a glazed donut is more harmful than smoking a joint? California has already banned trans fats in restaurants statewide, but now is on the brink of legalizing marijuana statewide come November. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg supported New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s effort to decriminalize marijuana in New York State, while at the same time supporting a ban on extra-large sodas. A 32-ounce Mountain Dew is bad for you, but pot isn’t?

The logic is dumbfounding. For many years, health-conscious liberals have waged a deafening, public war against cigarettes. Smoking bans in public places like restaurants and bars have been enacted in states all over the country. Recently, New York City, New Jersey and several other cities and states have extended those bans to include the newest tobacco fad—e-cigarettes. Yet, when it comes to smoking marijuana? Crickets.

Saying “marijuana is not as bad as portrayed” is a far cry from saying “marijuana does not have any adverse health effects.” The occasional Michael Phelps outlier aside, stoners don’t particularly have a great reputation for being in excellent health. They have more of a reputation for slouching on the couch with Munchos crumblets disappearing into the folds of their T-shirts.

I don’t have to agree with libertarians on everything, but at least they don’t want the government banning any of this stuff. Lefties, what’s your excuse?