Okay, I feel guilty (kinda’) about all this Dutch Oven, non-advice Sur La Table-ness. So, here’s something: I took a Thomas Keller Cooking Class at SLT, received an autographed Ad Hoc Cookbook, plus a discount on anything I bought in the store that day.
Disclaimer: Keller didn’t teach the class. But I learned how to make aioli 
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I use soap. It’s not that big a deal of you just dry it, heat it, wipe a little oil on it, and heat a little more. I think a lot of cast iron rules are just superstition. 
Yay… That’s exactly how I do it! I did wait until it was pitch black and well-seasoned though.
It’s the only one I’ve used… frankly home sous vide cooking is a bit of a PITA. Don’t use mine very often
I’m kind of afraid of this happening to me as well. We’re also trying to cut back on the amount of meat we eat.
I got the Anova for Christmas and have been loving it. For your budget, you could probably also get a vacuum sealer. So far, I have been using it in my LC Dutch oven.
My experience has been different than @Sgee’s. I don’t find it to be a PITA at all, and the results for things like really thick steaks and chops with a sear at the end are sublime.
I’m still having trouble completely understanding the sous vide concept. Does doing thick cut chops in the sous vide help with tenderizing and not overcooking?
You can heat the water to, say, the exact temperature you want your steak. Seal it and throw it in the water. After enough time the WHOLE steak is that temp, inside and out. And it will stay there as long as the water temp remains constant and it’s sealed up.
Then you heat up a pan super hot, sear each side a few seconds and boom. Perfect steak. Never overlooked. Never under cooked. No burnt outsides and raw middles.
That’s the appeal.
What @lectroid said.
I season the steak first with kosher salt and a few smashed garlic cloves and maybe some thyme and/or rosemary sprigs. I use avocado oil for the sear, throw in the garlic and herbs, and finish with a pat of butter. Best steaks I’ve ever cooked.
Ahhh… that is genius. Thanks.
What time should I come over?
I hope @attran99 doesn’t mind me linking this. But someone mentioned not eating enough meat to justify buying a sous vide machine. I remembered this delectable looking display from DoTM Vegetables.
http://foodtalkcentral.com/t/dish-of-the-month-dotm-april-2016-vegetable-s/3015/13?u=thecookie
I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s also great for soft-to-hard-cooked eggs. Serious Eats has a comprehensive guide.
I made sous vide eggs and pressure cooker eggs. The pressure cooker is way easier.
But I use my Anova non-stop in summer. It holds the meat for grilling and is so easy, especially when you’re feeding people coming in and out, or a crowd. And I’ve made perfect salmon in it. Then again, I do that on the grill pretty perfectly too.
@TheCookie the sous vide is an amazing kitchen tool. I’ve been using it more for vegetables lately than protein. Kohlrabi is a rather spectacular spring vegetable for sous vide.
What do you do to the veggies before you sous vide?
Wonderful!
I live in a house built in 1928. It’s very pretty, but a PITA. The electrical system is a work in progress . So, I try not to pay much attention to the cool new appliances. But this sous vide thing is sooo tempting!
Sous Vide Cooking
@OCSteve started this great thread on the Cooking board. I posted the items I’ve had success with, and I try to keep it pretty simple because I want the vegetable flavor to shine the brightest. Most of the fat I use is butter, but I’ve used bacon fat and duck fat on occasion with great success. Salt and pepper are a must. Fresh herbs if they’re easily accessible. Garlic on occasion, but you want to be careful with the amount of garlic you use because the flavor intensifies in the vacuum seal bags. I use a few thin slices per every pound of vegetable.
I blot dry the bottom, then put it on high on the cooktop. When the water is mostly gone I add some oil, wipe all around with a paper towel and turn the heat off. I leave it on the burner til it’s completely cool.