http://up.csail.mit.edu/science-of-cooking/
3cm Steak starts at 72°F
250°F and 250°F for 20:00
72°F and 300°F for 4:00
300°F and 72°F for 4:00
72°F and 72°F for 5:00
The transition from medium to well at the innermost part takes place at just over 10m when cooking at 250°F for the 3cm steak.
If, however, the steak is 5cm thick, that the 115°F in the inner part isn't until 16m.
Your method may need to be adjusted for the size of the cut, though if you're ordering the same thing it probably does work for you.
Why rely on calculated estimates when you can just measure the internal temp?
The difference between a 5cm thick and a 3cm thick was rather surprising to me that it changed it that much for what a 250°F cooking does for some duration.
It also provides a "cooking for 70 minutes says it should be X in simulation while the oven is providing Y" that something is off between the simulation and (unmeasured) reality and one of the assumptions of either the simulation or reality is off.
All this being said, other than requiring a bit of extra planning, I have been quite pleased with the results of this slow cook. Maybe try a small temperature increment the next time I do it.
That seems really fast, at least compared to the time I get with a regular oven. Either you're using really thin steaks, or your toaster oven's temperature is way off.
Two things:
1. The toaster oven is probably more efficient than your regular oven (put an electronic grill thermometer in your oven and watch the temperature fluctuations; do the same with a toaster oven, compare).
2. I've usually got the convection thingy on in the toaster (I just forget to turn it off).
It doesn't much matter either way, though: the point is, it goes in the oven and comes out when it reads ~115 when I stick it. :)
You could automate this entire process with much better temperature control and an internal probe to get the timing right. I've done engineering on professional combis and what you can do with those is pretty awesome.
Anova won't be the one to make it in the mass market but eventually one of them will step up to kick off the next air fryer craze (since combis can do that too)
I have used the APO's psuedo vide mode for steaks using the probe and it does work very well and is quite quick. It's also killer for bread - way easier and (for me) better results than the dutch oven methods.
Now that the APO has a new tank design it solves the only real complaint I've had it it though, so I do highly recommend it. Between it at my Breville SOA I haven't used my regular oven in years.
The one thing I wish the APO had was a controllable vent to purge the steam but it gets by with quick temperature swings.
But shouldn't the oven temperature matter? The hotter the oven is, the hotter the outside of the meat will get, even if you pull out the steak at 115 exactly. If you want the steak to be as even as possible, you want the oven temperature to be as low as possible.
I just double checked, and not only is my temp right, but my timings are just about his timings too. I'm getting his mid-rare result 5 minutes faster than he does, but again, I'm cooking in a convection toaster oven, and I'm guessing he tested in a "real" oven.
Out of curiosity, what do you use the sous-vide for? Steak is the "typical" use case but you seem to think it's not as good for that.
I’ve also used my circulator to make diy duck confit which is fantastic.