Joule accessories

I am on the team of designers at Get It Right working on some great accessories to complement the Joule. We have a few questions for all of you avid Joule users:

1. What kind of container do you use with your joule and why? (round metal pot, rectangular plastic tub, cooler, etc.)

2. Do you generally stand your Joule up inside the container, or clip it to the side and why?

3. How do you deal with evaporation?

4. How do you deal with floating food?

Any input is greatly appreciated and will hopefully help us make your sous vide experience even better!

Find more posts tagged with

How To Joule

Comments

fisher23

So do you work with ChefSteps or are you an independent company?

Chris_Young_80640

Get It Right is a small, independent company. We like the stuff they make and so we asked them to think about making some accessories for Joule owners. Rather than tell them what we think they should make, we suggested that they engage with our community to see what kinds of things might make cooking with Joule an even better experience.

wolfiegirl

1. I use any vessel that will accomodate what I'm preparing. Most times it's a square lexan, but I've also used large sauce pans/dutch oven sized vessels. Whatever works!

2. If I'm using a metal pot/pan, I typically stand Joule inside and let the mag do the holding; for lexans, always clip it (into the corner works best for me).

3. Evaporation....plastic wrap does the trick;

4. Floating bags of food is a frustration. I've used small ceramic dishes to hold floaters down but that doesn't work all the time. Thankfully it's not a problem very often.

Brandon_Byrd_40557

Until the big clip comes out, I almost always use it in my 2-12qt Cambro containers that have a narrow lip. I really only use the 2qt for eggs, but clip it to everything larger. I also sometimes use an enameled dutch oven with the magnet. I'm waiting for the big clip to finally come out so I can use it with my "standard" big Cambro for batch cooking and large items. The only time I've used it in there was stuck via magnet to a can of tomatoes in the bottom. Not ideal.
I've never really found evaporation to be a huge problem unless I'm cooking at higher temperatures, and I seldom cook at high temperatures for very long. If the water level drops, I just top if off. And if I can't be around to check on things, I'll use plastic wrap on top of the container.

As for floating food, I'll seal up a couple spoons in the bag. This usually works, but for items like cranberries that have a lot of air in them (no matter what you do) I end up weighing them down with the lid of a pot or something. That doesn't tend to work super-well, as the bags tend to shift. But it works well enough. Sous Vide Supreme sell a bag rack that allows you to stack and hold bags in place; I've often thought about buying one of those to deal with floating bags, but never pulled the trigger.

meyer8863

I have been using a 4.75 gallon cambro with a lid. The lid makes me worry less about evaporation. I did end up cutting a notch in the side of the container for the Joule clip to fit, but that wasn't a big deal. I have not yet gotten one, but I think my next purchase will be the rack that comes with the sous vide supreme. I'm anal about the bags touching, and end up checking more frequently than is convenient. Here are the 2 main things I would like to see:

1. I always worry about things sitting on the bottom of the container, and not getting proper circulation. Something that would keep my product off the bottom (and is versatile enough to work in both big and small containers) would be awesome.

2. Weighted clips that I can put on the bags, if I find that it floats would be super convenient.

wolfiegirl

Weighted clips would be awesome!!!

fisher23

This works really well for a rack. Expandable and you can turn it upside down to keep floaters submerged. I think @HammeredChef_DEFINITELY_does_NOT_work_at_22134 is who showed this to us last year.

fisher23

Here are some accessories that I think would be good:

1. I have put together magnetic stainless steel disks that are glued in the bottom of a Cambro (polycarbonate) 3 and 5 gallon sizes, I have only been able to find 1" disks and would like to see larger ones like 2". I prefer to use the magnetic foot. @HammeredChef_DEFINITELY_does_NOT_work_at_22134 and myself thought this one up...The Hammered-Fish

2. A travel bag for Joule.

3. Closed cell foam pre-cut to fit Joule in various standard Cambro sizes. This floats on the water and all but eliminates evaporation.

4. My wife made me a cover for my cambro made of insulated material, it really helps with higher temperature cooks.

Tom_191450

I clip it to a cambro and top it with corner-clipped lid. I tried putting a big steel washer under the lexan, but Joule didn't feel stable enough. Putting a magnet under the cambro seems ideal but I haven't found one that would work.

How about selling us a nice foam pad with a magnet built into it to set our cambro's on. That would help muffle Joules noise... um. "purring sounds" and insulate the bottom to mitigate some of our worries about sinking bags getting cold spots.

wolfiegirl

This evening I sous vide'd carrot coins in a vac pack. Floaters. So after looking around, I grabbed a couple of heavy teaspoons and a gaggle of binder clips. To sink the bag and keep it under water, I used one spoon on each end of the bag, attached with three clips on each end. Did the trick but there has to be something easier, quicker to apply and less bulky.

By the way, the carrots were spectacular!

meyer8863

Thanks for the tip @John_Fisher_218893! Santa is adding another thing to his list!

Preston_416351

1. I mostly use old round metal pots, the ones my parents bought in the eighties with the black and white spotted paint. For things like turkey a large round stainless steel stockpot.

2. I use the magnet for most cooks except for when I need the LSS stockpot, then its the clip.

3. Evaporation has been dealt with using a tray that almost covers the whole pot, not yet willing to try to cut a hole in a tray to make a lid. Mostly it's just been a drive by refilling if the water is low.

4. I used butter knives once for vegetables, the second attempt I tried to use water but found that putting bagged potatoes in front of the bagged vegetables worked better. Unsure that this method would be useful in future cooks unless I plan to have potatoes every time I wanted to SV vegetables.

Things I'd love to see:

Reusable containers, I know this is a bit of pipe dream but I have read of people using silicone bags to decent success. Estrogen free material too if you can swing it.

Reusable Weighted containers: the general issue with floating vegetables leads me to think that a weighted container would be a good move. Why not just weights? With the app all ready recommending spoons it'd be hard for me as an accountant, see penny pincher, to say yes.

Vase for resting: I use a glass vase to hold my stick blender on my work table and have been doing the same for my Joule it makes baths so much easier.

Travel case: I've been trying to hold on to my joule box for travel but the plug in cord is preventing me from closing it. I'd love to see what you'd recommend for travel.

nasv

1) Plastic cambro, a 6L, an 16-18L (has a curved lip, difficult for clip), and a 26L. I use the plastic cambros because I generally use my pans/pots for other cookware, because I like to see the sous-vide cook (think aquarium), and because I believe it is conducive to more efficiency (less heat escape)

2) I clip it to the side because it gives the most space and most security for the plastic container

3) Don't worry for short cook (4h or less), use plastic lid or plastic-wrap otherwise

4) I fear it, but would probably use some sort of metal rack or a wooden utensil

nico.beemster

I have an Anova, not a Joule, but the basic principles are similar.

1. What kind of container do you use with your joule and why? (round metal pot, rectangular plastic tub, cooler, etc.)

I use whatever vessel works for the food I am cooking. For small portions/ proteins I usually use a round mussel-pot. For larger portions/ proteins a rectangular plastic box.

2. Do you generally stand your Joule up inside the container, or clip it to the side and why?

In the round pot I attach it to the side. In the larger rectangular container I stand it up.

3. How do you deal with evaporation?

Plastic wrap (round pot)/ plastic lid with a hole cut in it (rectangular container).

4. How do you deal with floating food?

I put some weight on it.. Glasses, ceramics, whatever works.

Martin_411586

1. What kind of container do you use with your joule and why? (round metal pot, rectangular plastic tub, cooler, etc.)

I have an Anova and use this:

2. Do you generally stand your Joule up inside the container, or clip it to the side and why?

As above.

3. How do you deal with evaporation?

As above.

4. How do you deal with floating food?

Weigh down the bag with a spoon for instance.

And, as the container I use is more or less sealed, the top side of floating food will still receive heat: (very) humid air is a fine (not great, but fine) conductor of heat.

Tim_Sutherland_52834

1. Cambros 20L and 40L with lids cut for circulators (cut myself). Sometimes 8L for smaller/single item. The volume of food I'm cooking means I need a 20L+ container. The plastic containers are cheap and easily available.

2. Joule I stand up free standing as Joule cooks are short or retherm. Long cooks I do with other circulators, usually PolyScience.

I use the magnet on Joule, but not as imagined. As Mr. Squigglewould say, "Upside down Miss Jane."

3. I leave the lids on and and check once a day or so. I have never had an issue with evaporation even with 100 hour cooks.

4. With a PolyScience clipped on a cambro the max fill line means that you can fill the container so water is on top of the lid. This holds floating food under water.

If the wide clip for Joule held it at a height like this it would be nice.

I also use a steamer basket upside down to hold bags under.

The ideal thing to hold bags under would be weights with a flat clip - think tablecloth weights or chip bag chips made of lead.

You attach enough depending on the bag. They work on long bags you have clipped to the rim of the container. They work on bags you have sealed, but are now floating. Unlike spoons in the bag, you don't need to clean them.

lockgavin

Much like everyone else I use cambros of variying sizes. I like to use the clip but it's limited now to container edge profile, so larger cambros are out of the Question for now. I like the idea of standing it up but don't want to epoxy anything to my cambro as I use it for other things like brining and such. Evaporation is either a kid cut to fit or plastic wrap depending on vessel. Weighing down I usually use whatever is heavy if I have a problem, which is rare.

I know you didn't ask for any suggestions for product design but a clip that not only accomodate larger vessels but also different depths would be great. For instance the joule could ride up and down in height within the clip that fit in the grooves of the joule. If you only need a bit of water, you can push it down. I always hate having to fill 4g of water for something that may only need 2. Also a stronger suction cup type magnet to secure the joule to the cambro base for easy removal would be something I'd buy into.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

douglas_bd

I'd buy those lead chip clips!

douglas_bd

They make great spatulas.

Rich_Phelan_463574

1. Container - cooler for large / numerous items. Pot or kettle otherwise. I like that the cooler keeps the heat in and the Joule doesn't have to work as hard.

2. For the cooler I can usually clip it to the side. I'd like a thicker clip and one where I could slide the Joule lower to close the lid. It will stick to the bottom of most of my pots otherwise I'll clip it to the side. I'm considering placing a pan in the bottom of the cooler and placing the Joule in the pan.

3. Usually either plastic wrap or foil. I've been looking at the sous vide water balls as another solution.

4. Not usually a problem as I usually use FoodSaver bags and vacuum seal them. I don't always pull a full vacuum so as to not deform the item.

I hope you have something to show us soon!

wolfiegirl

Got Lead??

LMAO.....

Wendy_Welch_Olivares_440385

Container - usually I use a 12 L Lipavi sous vide container with a lid with a cutout. I have also used a stockpot. I have clipped the Joule to the side of the Lipavi container. I've used plastic wrap to cover the stockpot, but the plastic container is more convenient, since it had a lid. Floaters- I struggle with those, but I use something like a trivet, plate, cup or steam basket.

wolfiegirl

Steam basket....good idea! I'm pretty sure everybody has at least one of those!

fisher23

How about a copper searing plate like Chris Young shows on his Twitter account?

douglas_bd

Yes, to be clear, I wouldn't really want these to be lead. But the idea of heavyweight clips to hold floater bags down would be great

Samantha_Rose_2681

Hi all! Sam from GIR here. I'll be jumping in to respond to some of the individual comments, and also just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for all of the feedback so far. We're really excited to make some awesome accessories for the Joule + sous vide experience. Here's to geeking out.

Chris_Young_80640

You won't like the price, I know that our CFO is most unhappy with me about that right now ;-)

Chris_Young_80640

Yep, they're the best.

Jonny_411383

Hi Mike,

I am new as well but went with the LIPAVI C10 tank, with the LIPAVI C10L-NO (lid fits the Joule. I also went with the LIPAVI L10 rack.

What I found is that tank can support a few steaks but the rack had trouble holding more then 3 steaks and I order them 2.0 inches thick. The rack is adjustable but the steaks would have to be paper thin to get five in there.

Since then I have upgraded to the LIPAVI C20 (6+ steaks) which is longer but does not take up that much more kitchen room and can hold more food. The lid I got is the LIPAVI C20L-NO (fits Joule).

As for the rack I have kept the LIPAVI L10 and ordered another L10 as side by side they both fit in the perfect and I have the option to remove one instead of buying the longer unified rack the L20.

The lids helps with the evaporation but I could see long cooks needing to be topped off. For floating food I have been using silverware and spoons work great.

I have seen that butter knifes and forks cause to much pressure on the bag when squeezed in the racks and can puncture the bag. I had a butter knife squished in the rack the pressure ripped the bag.

Hope this helps you choose the right size upfront but any hobby has its experiments.

Johan_Edstrom_5586

Never thought of the flipped Cambro lid. Thank you sir. And what a Duhrrrr moment.

David_Mader_381680

I've just bought 2 RubberMaid containers w/lids; 12 qt & 6 qt. Made a paper template for standing/clipping Joule in the corner of each container. Used a Stanley utility knife to carefully score the lids and cut it out. Works perfectly. Joule is clipped and captured in position by the lid. Also solves the evaporation problem. So far haven't had problems with floating but only done meat, seems too heavy to create a problem.

I'm considering making a foam box that could cut out heat loss in case I decide to long term cooking in my unheated garage in the winter. Make a slim, insulated box for the containers! That would be a great accessory.

Shachar_183567

1+2. What kind of container do you use with your joule and why? (round metal pot, rectangular plastic tub, cooler, etc.)/Do you generally stand your Joule up inside the container, or clip it to the side and why?

Usually either my enameled Dutch oven (then the Joule stands using the magnetic foot), or a SAMLA container from IKEA, clipped to a corner (clip is too small for any other configuration). The Dutch oven uses less water, and it's more convenient to use the magnetic foot, but then I have to use a plastic wrap to cover it which is annoying to handle especially if you need to handle/check the food midway. The SAMLA container has "legs" so it does not sit directly on the counter (less heat transfer), and when inserted into another SAMLA the same size, you get a pretty good insulation from an effective double wall (I've use IKEA pads to make sure there's a separation at some points). I've cut the corner of the supplied lid, so it fits Joule nicely.

3. How do you deal with evaporation?

A plastic wrap, or a lid. I was actually about to order some rectangle and circular GIR lids and cut them to snuggly fit my Joule

4. How do you deal with floating food?

I either use a tablespoon to weigh down a bag, or in some cases (like when cooking eggs in a bag) I add some water into the bags.

Great accessories would be:

1. Generic lids that fit the Joule. Maybe something with an elastic contour, to fit different container shapes and around the Joule.

2. Silicone weights (either in the bag, or clipped versions).

3. Thin reusable silicone bags/containers.

Your new ladle is awesome BTW

Shachar_183567

Still waiting for my rectangle lid...

Lawrence_Ballack_60689

1. What kind of container do you use with your joule and why? (round metal pot, rectangular plastic tub, cooler, etc.) It depends on the size and shape of what i am cooking. If I'm doing a brisket, I'll use a 3 quart pot. If i'm just cooking a couple of eggs, I use my guitar shaped swimming pool because it just makes sense.

2. Do you generally stand your Joule up inside the container, or clip it to the side and why? I clip it to a feather and use a trained monkey to hold it upright as it cooks away because an idle monkey is a bad monkey.

3. How do you deal with evaporation? I turn to alcohol and drugs.

4. How do you deal with floating food? I politely ask it not to float.

Alan_686882

I just ordered a 8” diameter x 3/8” thick circular carbon steel disk (shooting target) so I can use the Joule’s magnet on non-ferrous containers. I use a medium sized cooler with a hole cut out of the top for large or long cooks where evaporation is a problem and like the big clip for that.

A suction cup would be interesting if the unit is truly waterproof. It would require much less aggressive and irreversible modifications to a cooler.

I use a food saver to vacuum seal so floating is less of an issue. I’ve tossed a meat mallet of floaters before. Honestly, floating is a rare problem.

I use my swimming pools in the cooler parts of the year to go from hot to cold quickly. I will wonder what my pool guy thinks when I have a brisket hanging out in the cold spa.