I'm one of the 3 MIT students (now MIT alumnae) who coded this over 5 years ago now. It's popped up around the Internet again in the past year or so, which is neat but also a little cringey, because it forces me to look at code I wrote when I was a lot newer to programming than I am now.

One person commented about a better simulator that they'd developed, which I am certain exists. This simulator was developed for an EdX class called the Science of Cooking. Although we tested it and found it to be largely accurate (in one of the more delicious code testing sessions I've ever attended), it was designed primarily to illustrate the various reactions that occur at the molecular level, rather than to provide actual cooking guidance.

Also, it seems that some of you are having problems where the program crashes your browser. Unfortunately, that's not entirely avoidable as the whole application is client-side javascript, and does some moderately complex calculations for heat diffusion. Obviously this would not be the approach I would take if I were to rewrite the program today...

If anyone wants to take a look at the source code, here is the original git repo: https://github.com/laurabreiman/science-of-cooking. Cheers everyone!

We built a somewhat better thermodynamic model into the Pantelligent iOS and Android apps -- i.e. user would select 1" thick steak, medium, and then we'd use the real temperature signal to adjust the cooking time.

The key fact this simulation is missing is that the outermost layer of the food quickly becomes dehydrated, at which point its thermal conductivity drops dramatically. This is good! It allows for much more uniform internal temperatures.

Edit: we did a lot of thermal simulation using my CircuitLab simulation engine (https://www.circuitlab.com/) -- circuit models for thermal simulation are common, where voltage represents temperature, and current represents heat flow. The simulation engine allows for arbitrary behavioral elements like algebraically-defined resistors, which lets you model this "outer layer dries out" behavior quickly.

I'm impressed but disappointed the "reverse sear" is missing. If you haven't tried, it, it's a pretty amazing way to cook a steak and it scales up to lots of steaks at the same time.

It's awesome

[1] https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/03/how-to-reverse-sear-best...

  3cm Steak starts at 23°C
  110°C and 110°C for 2:00
  23°C and 230°C for 0:15
  230°C and 23°C for 0:15
  23°C and 23°C for 20:00

Once, Nathan Myhrvold spoke at Google about Modernist Cuisine and I asked him how to make the ultimate BBQ ribs (he won some competition). He said "sous vide, liquid nitrogen, then deep fry". Glad to see this site includes sous vide + liquid nitrogen.

Cooking the meat is cool. But, being someone of french gastronomical culture, I to to lean to Fernand Point saying : "Du beurre ! Donnez-moi du beurre ! Toujours du beurre !"

(basically, butter, butter, butter).

There was a recipe from G. Ramsay where it show to first sear the steak in oil, then, finish it with a bit of butter. It adds flavor and prevent the butter to burn.

I also tend to use my finger to test if a steak is fine. I'm no expert, but it works 80% of the time (to get a good steak). Now I must admit that sous-vide gives a lot more control and helps to reach the medium cook on a much wider part of the meat.

It's not clear to me what they're using for the surface heat transfer coefficient, which I think would be different for a skillet vs sous vide. (Or even, in their case, Side 1 = skillet vs side 2 = air.) But I only have a cursory knowledge of the physics involved.

For the sous vide case, I've tried implementing Douglas Baldwin's model on Observable. It seems to match the "SousVideDash" results, but this is my first foray into solving PDEs, so use with caution.

https://beta.observablehq.com/@dunhamsteve/sous-vide-calcula...

If anyone here does know the physics / math, I'd like more details on the $\beta$ "geometric factor" that Baldwin uses. I couldn't find mention of it in books and wonder if it is something you derive (say transforming coordinate systems) or something determined experimentally.

My go to site when cooking thicker than normal steaks via Sous-vide

This model needs density, moisture content, and temperature gradient at initial cook.

Prob a second model for bone-in cuts.

I'm looking for a recipe that maximizes the term Net Meat Score = [(browning+med rare) - (medium+well)] while also enforcing steak=3cm, Rare=0%, Raw=0, Char=0, and steak starting at either 0C or 23C. Note that you have to let the meat rest for 10+ minutes to really let it finish (the default settings cut it off to early).

The best I have gotten under normal conditions is: Net Meat Score of 40, by doing:

Steak starts at 0C, 3:20 @190C , flip, 1:40 @190C. Yields 17% brown, 23% well, 7% medium and 53% med rare.

Chose 190C because olive oil. Interested if anyone has found something better.

Would be interesting to see sous vide and torches incorporated into this.

I usually "sous vide" at a lower temp and then finish with a weed burning torch (aka flame thrower). I find using a large and very hot flame is necessary to get that crisp outside without overcooking it. The handheld chef torches don't get enough searing to cooking ratio.

Fat and connective tissue is another factor that makes things interesting. What's the best technique to soften up the fat and connective tissue without denaturing the protein?

My question is how to brown/caramelize meat with only an induction cooktop?

After I put my chicken, I just see all the water come out and the chicken starts boiling in the pan :(

It breaks when you switch to Fahrenheit and use the sous vide + liquid nitrogen recipe. It autoconverts -200°C to -328°F which then errors "too low" (for some reason?)

Does this work for sous vide and reverse sear? Water's thermal conductivity is 1/10th of iron and much smaller for air(oven).

If you put a thick steak (like 50 cm) it freezes Firefox for like 4 seconds, while Chrome freezes for 1 second. Real world benchmarks :D

What is the cut? You might be buying brined chicken (salt solution).

If it was previously frozen, and not thawed out this might be the problem.

Maybe you are "crowding" the pan? When you put too much protein in the pan too close together, the meat steams instead of searing. It needs space for the moisture to air out.

Or you might have lots of surface moisture. Based on your scant description, I'm guessing this might be your issue.

Regardless, try this next time:

- line a flat plate with paper towels

- take your protein out of the packaging, and pat dry on all sides with other paper towels

- place protein on the lined plate

- turn over and replace towels after 12 or so hours. to avoid this, and the lining, you can put the protein on a rack with a towel underneath so air can circulate under the meat

- put back in your fridge overnight on lowest shelf, uncovered (fridge is a very dry environment)

- next day, surface should be very dry

- take protein out 45 minutes before cooking it

- super hot pan + high smoke point oil + don't crowd it + dry protein surface == nicely seared

note: super hot + nonstick is toxic. use cast iron, or stainless that works with induction. induction should get hot enough to sear at 500-700 degrees

Is your pan induction compatible? If the metal has too much nickel it'll cancel out the magnetic field. Put a magnet to the bottom of your pan and if it grips strongly it should work. Also, do not use a teflon-lined pan. Pans with thick bottoms are better because they retain more heat which is then available to transfer into your meat, and with typical ranges will help avoid hot-spots.

Pre-heat your pan. As your pan heats, toss some water droplets into the pan. Once they immediately form beads and roll around the pan like crazy, your pan is hot enough. But don't let it get too much hotter; if the water droplets disappear in <3 seconds, it's too hot. Pat your slightly-chilled or room-temperature chicken dry with paper towels before putting it down; excess water will prevent the sear, pull moisture out, and boil the chicken. And don't crowd the chicken in the pan, or the close proximity of escaping water vapor will steam the chicken. You can also try adding a light coat of oil to the dry chicken.

Dry the meat with paper towels before. Use cast iron or carbon steel, get the empty pan ripping hot, pour some canola oil and it should start smoking. Put your meat in the pan. Dont touch it for a minute.

Guaranteed sear.

You might need a hotter pan with more butter/oil.