I have to comment.
First remember it's a TV show created for your enjoyment. Time is irrelevant as the producers can edit anything they want.
What you may have seen as a protein going into a water bath for only 45 minutes could have actually been and hour and some but it was edited for your viewing pleasure.
Now on to Someday's comments about Sous Vide and timing.....
In another thread here on the Pro forum entitled "School me on Sous Vide: Zero to hero style..." you wrote the following:
1) You'll probably have to play around a bit with temperatures to find the one you like best. I do my steaks at 132F, which is a touch on the rare side of MR. But it works great for me and where I am. I do my chicken breast at 138F for 1.5 hours. Pork I generally do about 135F, Duck magret I do at 135 (2 hours), Lamb loin/rack at 134F.
I realize this was and is your own experiences but now you have me wondering if the TV show kitchens turn their machine up higher to facilitate faster cooking, but wouldn't that defeat the purpose of Sous Vide in the first place?
I don't understand the point you are trying to make? Are you trying to call me out for contradicting myself or something?
I only gave two times in your example above, which was for chicken breast and duck breast. The reason chicken has to cook for so long at 138 is to pasteurize it so that you get a 7-log10 reduction in bacteria. This really takes about 40 minutes to do that (once the core temp reaches 138). I pad this time out since it won't reduce quality for a chicken breast to sit in a batch for an hour and a half and to allow for the food to come up to core temp. Upping the temp (even by a few degrees) significantly reduces the pasteurization time, where it is quite possible to do a chicken breast at a slightly higher temp (with still amazing quality) and gaining the reduction in bacteria needed for safe consumption.
The duck magret is timed at 2 hours because it significantly enhances tenderness of the magret breast, which can be a bit chewy if not prepared right. Another type of duck breast could be used.
Something like a steak, lamb chop, pork chop, etc that don't need pasteurization can easily reach the core internal temp (say, 132) in the allotted time, provided the portions were not too large.
And yes, turning your machines up too high will defeat the purpose. There are charts and times based on thickness of the protein, the water batch temp, etc that do make it possible to hit correct internal temp even if the batch is warmer than the target. This method usually involves probe thermometers, sealing tape, timers, etc. This is a more complicated method that probably doesn't warrant in depth discussion here....but it is also possible.
