There's a big difference between a steak made at a restaurant versus at home. The latter usually never tastes as stellar as the former.
But The Paragon Induction Cooktop, released in 2015, promises to help you prepare high-quality steaks in your kitchen. First Build, a subsidiary of GE, developed the appliance, which is available online for $299.
It employs induction cooking, meaning it uses copper and an electric current to sauté, sear, or fry food. But it also lets you do sous vide (which cooks food in a a temperature-controlled water bath), thanks to a water temperature sensor that hooks to the pot's side.
To switch between sous vide and normal induction, you just need to change the setting on the device.
I'd never used a sous vide or induction cooktop before this week — I've always made steaks using my oven's broiler or stovetop. Sous vide takes much longer. To sous vide a steak with the Paragon, for example, the meat must sit in a water bath for at least two hours.
After a few friends raved about the magic of sous vide machines, I decided to try making a steak sous vide-style using the GE cooktop. Here's what happened.
SEE ALSO: The world's largest vertical farm will produce 2 million pounds of lettuce every year
The Paragon Induction Cooktop comes in a huge, heavy box. Though I made a steak first, it can also cook chicken, pork, eggs, and vegetables (though you should only prepare veggies with the sauté feature). Normal induction cooks your food rapidly, while sous vide cooks it in a water bath for a few hours.
Because sous vide and induction lets you control the temperature down to the degree, they ensure your food cooks evenly all the way through. Here's a steak sous vide-broiler comparison by First Build (although the second steak could just be overcooked):
The cooktop comes with a digital thermometer and a cord for charging. I supplied a gallon-sized plastic bag, an induction-compatible* pan and pot, oil, water, seasonings, and the steak.
*To check if your cookware is induction-compatible, try putting a magnet against the bottom. If it sticks, you're good to go.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
