To achieve a perfect brisket, you generally have had to cook it the heck out of it, at least enough to render out all the fat to make it tender. The result is delicious, but well-done. If you’re looking for a medium-rare solution with all the tenderness and silkiness of a normal brisket, sous vide is the answer. The best part is that the recipe is delightfully hands-off; the worst part is that from the time you read this recipe, you are at least 50 hours away from eating. It’s worth the wait.

Prep is blissfully simple

I’ve previously discussed how briskets are quite large and made up of two parts (the flat and the point), both of which are also quite large. However, most markets sell cross cuts that include a little of both, plus a hefty amount of fat that needs to be trimmed off. This recipe uses a 5-pound cut, but could adjust to any size cut that will fit into the sous vide bag. Regardless of what cut you go with, be sure to trim all the fat down to ¼ inch at most. 

Briskets need seasoning, and in particular, they benefit from some salt. The internet is full of complicated rubs and recipes for brisket, but I find za’atar to be a woefully underutilized choice. I liberally applied this spice mix of marjoram, thyme, cumin, coriander, sumac, salt, and sesame seed, all over the cuts of meat, using 6 or 7 tablespoons of it, and then sprinkled an additional 2 tablespoons of table salt over the meat as well. 

Occasionally top up the water bath

In many cases when sous viding meat, a sear at the start (or a reverse sear at the end) is required. We’re doing neither. Simply place the meat into the sous vide bag once it’s seasoned, set the temperature to 131°F and let it go for 50 hours. Check every 12 hours or so to ensure the water level is sufficient in the container you’re using. 

After 50 hours, take the brisket out and let the bag sit on the counter to rest for 20 minutes. At that point, remove the brisket from the bag and move it to a cutting board. Slice it to ¼-⅜ of an inch, on the bias.  Serve it with your favorite grainy mustard and some pickles; I used pickled green beans, but cornichons or pickled red onions would be perfect. 

Luxuriously silky and melt in your mouth

All brisket made well is tender, but this was the silkiest brisket I’ve ever had, and perfectly pink through and through. Melt-in-your-mouth is the phrase I kept thinking of, and it was all so very simple to make. It reheats beautifully, even in the microwave.

Sous vide brisket seasoned simply with flaky salt, served with grainy mustard, and pickled green beans and red onions
Credit: Amanda Blum

Sous Vide Za’atar Brisket Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 5-pound cut of brisket, well trimmed of fat (ask the butcher to do this if you prefer)

• 6-8 tablespoons za’atar seasoning (or another seasoning mix you enjoy)

• 2 tablespoons table salt

1. Trim the brisket of all but ¼ inch of fat, if not already done. 

2. Season the meat liberally with the seasoning and salt, rubbing it into all surfaces of the meat. 

3. Place the meat in the sous vide bag, and then ensure all air is removed from the bag.

4. Cook at 131°F for 50 hours, checking occasionally that the container has enough water. 

5. Remove the bag from the water and let sit for 20 minutes. 

6. Remove the meat and slice on the bias thinly. Serve with mustard and pickles.

Source: LifeHacker – This Medium-rare Brisket Is a Sous Vide Miracle

Fried chicken is one of those foods that changes me. If it becomes an option for dinner, I’m pretty sure my pupils grow like a cat who’s spotted prey (but probably a dust mote). I usually only enjoy the skin that first night, though, because the leftovers get rubbery and humid. Thankfully, there are two ways to bring fried chicken back to crisp perfection—and these methods actually make fried chicken better than the first day.

Air-fryer-refried chicken

This is the best of the two methods. The crust becomes resoundingly crunchy, the kind where you can hear someone else eat it in another room, and the cooking time is ridiculously fast. Add the cold fried chicken to the air fryer, make sure it’s on a grate or wire rack made for your appliance. Have the machine on the “air fry” setting at 400°F and let it rip for 10 minutes, flipping the chicken half way after five. It is exactly that simple, and better than the original. (I’ll discuss why that is in a moment.)

Consider these products:

• Ninja Air Fryer 5.5 Quart

• Instant Digital Air Fryer Combo

• Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

Conventional-oven-revived fried chicken

The wire rack allows the rendered fats to drip out and away from the crust.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

This oven method is a close second to the air fryer if you don’t have one. (You should consider getting one though; I love the darn thing.) The skin returns to the original level of crunchiness—great texture with a bit of flexibility in the thin coated areas—but doesn’t surpass it like it can in the air fryer. It also takes more than twice as long to get to this point, which puts the chicken meat in danger of drying out. That said, it’s still worlds better than microwaving it.

Put a wire rack over a foil lined sheet tray. (The foil makes clean-up easier, but it’s not necessary other than that.) Put the cold fried chicken on the wire rack and bake it at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time.

These methods can save oily fried chicken

Reheating leftover fried chicken in the oven or the air fryer might not blow your mind with innovation, but the real hero is the wire rack or air fryer grate. In the tests I ran, the air fryer wins out because of the high heat and circulating air, but both methods resulted in a quarter cup of discharged fat that had collected in the sheet pan or basket. All of the chicken I had revived with a rack of some sort was still juicy inside, but distinctly less oily in the breading. That’s just better fried chicken. 

The whole point of frying anything from fritters to corndogs is to make a crust that’s cooked through but not oily. It’s often easier said than done. If you have fried chicken that came out way too oily, give the cold leftovers a second spin in the air fryer for 10 minutes. The excess oil will drip right out and give you a perfectly crisp, un-oily crust. It’s one of the only times leftovers reheat better than the original.

Source: LifeHacker – Reheat Fried Chicken Without Losing the Crunch

Safari on the iPhone is fast, convenient—and, admittedly, a bit boring. There are plenty of third-party options on the App Store, but seeing as Apple forces them all to use WebKit, most are essentially Safari. However, that hasn’t stopped one indie developer from trying to make things interesting. 

Greg De J’s Quiche browser is unique, engaging, and fully customizable, down to every button and toolbar you see in the interface. You can take advantage of this to make the browser much more functional, like adding a button dedicated to private mode in the toolbar. Plus, it has many color and layout options to explore for truly fine-tuning your browsing experience. 

How to customize your iPhone browser using Quiche 

You can build the entire UI from scratch, but it’s better to start with one of the presets. Go to the Settings page and you’ll find the Toolbar Gallery option at the top. Here, you have a myriad of options. You can go with the traditional Safari style, with an address bar at the top and buttons below, and customize all parts of it. Or you can choose to hide all the buttons behind a menu, and rock a superbly minimal browser interface. 

Once you’ve picked the starting point, go back to settings to customize the theme color, the toolbar layout, the address bar style, the menu button, and the context menu.

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

In the Address Bar option, you can add the Read Time for articles you open, and in the Layout option, you’re free to switch out buttons to anything you like. Once you’re happy, save your interface, and voila: You now have a custom browser made just for you, by you. 

Interesting features in the Quiche browser

Quiche has some excellent ideas that other browsers should take note of. In the Settings section in the tab switcher, there’s an option to sort all open websites based on read time, with the shortest reads on top. The tab switcher is also quite customizable: You can display tabs as a list, or large previews.

The way Quiche handles both the toolbar menu and the context menu is also really interesting. You can choose to have only the address bar showing, as you can hide all other important buttons in the long-press menu, or behind the Menu button. By default, Quiche uses DuckDuckGo as the search engine, but you’re free to switch to Google, or even Kagi. The browser will even let you change your browser agent, or disable JavaScript entirely. 

Quiche will let you switch out its default icon as well, but this can only be unlocked using a $0.99 per month Quiche+ subscription. Given that the entire browser is available for free, this is a nice way to support the developer if you’re so inclined.

Overall, Quiche makes for a nice, custom alternative to Safari. For me, this level of customization improves the overall browsing experience, and I imagine for most users, it has enough going for it to serve as a default browser. That said, the lack of extension support, content blocker, and a dedicated reading mode might deter some. 

[Macstories]

Source: LifeHacker – You Can Create Your Own Custom iPhone Browser With Quiche

Google Gemini is the latest (and greatest) AI language model from Google, and it stands to offer solid capabilities that rival that of OpenAI’s GPT-4. With all the recent releases of AI chatbots and systems, though, understanding exactly what Gemini is and how you can use it might be a bit difficult.

What is Google Gemini?

The simple answer here is that Gemini is Google’s answer to GPT-4, the large language model (LLM) that powers ChatGPT Plus and Microsoft’s Copilot. It’s the most up-to-date and capable model that the search giant has created thus far, and it plans to use it in a myriad of ways.

Who can use Gemini?

Anyone can use Gemini, however, you won’t use it like ChatGPT. As I noted above, Gemini is the language model that will run Google’s AI chatbot, similarly to how GPT runs things behind the scenes in ChatGPT. As such, you won’t be able to go to Google’s website and start talking to Gemini. Instead, you’ll need to utilize one of its three different versions to create an application that harnesses the power Gemini offers. Alternatively, you can just wait for someone else to make one—or utilize Bard, Google’s chatbot, to see what Gemini has to offer once it gets updated.

Gemini has three tiers

Google designed Gemini 1.0 to offer three different sizes, or tiers. These sizes are designed to help the model make the most of its capabilities for complex tasks, everyday tasks, and on-device tasks.

Gemini Ultra is the largest and most capable version of Google Gemini and it will be utilized to complete the most complex tasks that Gemini can handle. This will likely be one of the primary versions seen behind Bard Advanced and other AI chatbots that utilize Gemini for extensive and complex tasks and it’ll offer the most next-generation performance out of the three.

Gemini Pro is what Google considers the “best model for scaling” and the company says that it will be able to handle a wide range of tasks while delivering state-of-the-art performance. It’s the middle-ground plan, which will probably be the most widely utilized and is currently available to try in Bard.

Gemini Nano is the smallest and most efficient version of the model and Google says it was designed to run off devices as small as smartphones. The company already plans to utilize Gemini Nano in the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones, where it hopes to let AI expand how we use our devices going forward.

How does Gemini compare to GPT-4?

As I noted above, Google wants Gemini to be its answer to OpenAI’s GPT-4. According to some of the stats that Google shared in its official announcement, the new model stands up really well to GPT-4V (GPT-4 with vision) and other models, as well. Google says Gemini can achieve 59.4% when benchmarked in MMMU (Multi-discipline college-level reasoning problems), whereas GPT-4V reaches 56.8%.

Benchmarks showing how Gemini compares to GPT-4V and other models.
Credit: Google

The differences between the two are not staggering, by any means, but Gemini’s performance should hopefully push OpenAI to make GPT-4 even better. This kind of competition is exceptionally useful for consumers, as it ensures that both models will continue to improve going forward as they try to keep up with and surpass the other.

Google says that Gemini was trained to recognize and understand text, audio, images, and more, all at the same time. This more sophisticated reasoning should allow the model to handle whatever you throw at it, though time will tell exactly how good it does in real-world applications.

Is Gemini accurate?

Like any AI language model, Gemini will be susceptible to hallucinating and generating bad information. While the company hasn’t shared any specifics about how accurate Gemini is comparatively, it will always be important to double-check any information the model returns to you before publishing it anywhere. That said, these AI systems will undoubtedly continue to become more accurate over time, though the risk of hallucinations will likely always be there.

When can I develop with Gemini?

If you’re interested in developing with Gemini, Google says it will release developer access for the Gemini Pro and Gemini API starting on Dec. 13. Gemini Ultra is still slated as “coming soon,” as Google says it is working through extensive trust and safety checks at the moment. Google has yet to share any pricing-related information about Gemini at this time. Google also hasn’t shared what kind of character or context limits Gemini will work with, though I expect that information to come out once users have open access to the model. We know that ChatGPT’s character limit is around 4,000 characters (based on community research), so it is likely we’ll see a similar approach with Gemini.

Source: LifeHacker – Gemini Is Google’s Answer to GPT-4

In the middle of winter, many of us risk life and limb to climb across our roofs putting up and taking down holiday lights. Govee, a company that specializes in smart home technology, thinks its new permanent lights might be the answer. The idea is you put up its smart LED lights once (preferably when it’s not icy and cold out) and then adjust how they look from within the Govee app to change things up throughout the year.

As with all things Govee, the results are a little chaotic. Overall, there is a lot of potential with these lights, and the user is given an enormous amount of control over how the lights look and act, from dancing green lights in sixty shades of green for St. Patrick’s, to a simple warm white glow for the rest of the year. With sound reactivity, millions of colors, and the ability to individually control each “bulb,” the possibilities are limitless.

Professional level build and flexibility

First, it’s worth noting these lights are getting a lot of support from actual professional installers, who share plenty of tips and tricks on Reddit. The permanent lights come in cord colors of black or white, and kits of 100 and 200 feet, so you can pick the kit that works best for your home.

A few notable things distinguish these from regular holiday lights. These lights require connection to a hefty power base, so you can’t break the strings of lights into multiple sets. In fact, string more than five lines together (and kits include far more than five, so you will) and you’ll have to attach a chunky driver they include inline. 

Credit: Amanda Blum

What is nice about this kit is that Govee expects you to cut and splice the lights as you need, and provides connectors for that purpose. However, the company doesn’t provide wyes or tees for branching the lights in different directions, as they expect you to always string the lights in succession. I found a workaround on YouTube, but it makes sense they want the lights in a line. These smart lights use all kinds of logic for their patterns, so when you split them, the system doesn’t realize there are different branches of lights.

Completely different from other holiday lights

The lights themselves are set about 12 inches apart and aren’t shaped like any other holiday lights. You can ditch the plastic clips you buy online, as the set includes all the clips you’ll need specifically for these lights. The lights are small squares of LED color, and they come with sticky 3m tape attached to each that, so far, has been surprisingly resilient through a Pacific Northwest winter. The strings themselves are IP67 waterproof with an IP65 power base. You also don’t place them where normal lights go: These are meant to go under eaves or your gutters, aiming down. Think of each as a tiny 50-lumen downlight, meant to shine a cone of color onto the house wall. 

Your kit comes with a few components: The lights themselves, broken into multiple strings, each with waterproof, screw-on connections. There are a few extension pieces, so you can jump from one floor to another without lights, if need be. Each of the lights has a 3m sticker already, but they include a substantial number of extras, so you can move them if need be. However, treat these like a permanent installation. I was able to get the stickers off using a metal edge, but those buggers had moved in for life.

You can, of course, space the lights as far apart as the wire will allow, but I spaced them closer since it’s a small house. I also followed a popular tip, which was to cover the cord with either wood or a cord cover for a nice, clean look. We also ran the lights up onto the roof out of curiosity how they’d look. In darkness, the result ranges from breathtaking to outrageous, based on the scene I choose. Over the last two weeks, I’ve had endless neighbors stop to gush about the lights. 

Matter, wifi, and Bluetooth support

Govee has the edge on a lot of smart tech companies by being very Matter-forward in their products, which makes adding new devices to the app a breeze. Changes to the lights take place via Bluetooth, so you need to be in range, but I haven’t experienced any issues connecting, even in situations where other devices in the same area have failed.

A million app options allow for great control but a confusing UI

The app experience with Govee products is always a struggle. I found it difficult to navigate the app, specifically when I was looking to affect specific aspects of the lights. There are so many (almost too many) possibilities to choose from, plus more options hidden in sub-menus and tabs I didn’t expect. Govee offers a plethora of ways to affect the lights, so the best advice is to start hitting buttons and trying things out. It took a week or so before I really started to understand how the app works. Since you’ll never be replacing a bulb again, you can focus on throwing creativity at the color, motion, brightness and reactivity. 

A more spring-appropriate color palette
Credit: Amanda Blum

Although you will not lack for pre-programmed color and motion schemes, none of them are that tasteful, so you’ll likely want to create your own. Remember: instead of one light color or even four or five light colors, you can now create an entire rainbow ombre across one string with gradients. These lights support RGBWW, which means in addition to the RGB spectrum, you get two true whites at the same time—a warm and cool. You can choose pastels versus vivids, or choose from 60 different purples. You can customize every single light on a string. While you can do some limited editing of pre-existing scenes, the best way to create your own is to go to the “DIY” tab and create a brand new scene. Here, you can assign a color to every single light and add in motion effects. 

Sound reactivity, motion, and brightness

These lights have a built in microphone, so they can be sound reactive. Pre-programmed reactive scenes were fun, but garish and migraine-inducing to my neighbors. Using the DIY function, I was able to create a few scenes using sound reactivity that were quite soothing and beautiful. A soft white that just lightly twinkled occasionally, and a pastel rainbow that color shifted. It turns out that Govee has a massive community building more usable scenes, which anyone can explore in the Discover menu.

Credit: Amanda Blum

You don’t have to use the sound reactivity, of course. If you prefer, you can leave the lights on a soft motion of your choosing or simply leave them static. You can affect the overall brightness and even the brightness of the lights relative to each other. You can tell the house which “bulbs” sit on the corner of the house so they’re designated different colors or motion—the theme here is that you can really do almost anything, it just takes some dedication to finding the right solution in the Govee app. 

It is worth mentioning that there are a variety of tools Govee offers in the app, from AI bots that will take color schemes from a picture, or generate a scene based on a phrase you give it. I found most of them to be unhelpful, but I may not have tapped into the right tool yet. 

Smart features like automation and scheduling

Govee has tons of integrations with other smart home technologies, so you can use the Govee app or your preferred home assistant (Google or Alexa, anyways) to schedule the lights, involve them in automations, etc. You can also group these bulbs with other Govee bulbs so they all use the same scene automatically, in time with each other. 

Govee also offers the permanent lights in a standard version, which only lacks a few key features of the Pro version. Notably, the lights can’t be cut and spliced, and they only support RGB, so you’re not getting as many shades of white. You also can’t get black wires (just white), they’re about half as bright, and they lack Matter support. What they have going for them is price: The Govee Permanent Lights Pro are $399.99 for 100 feet, vs. $299.99 for the standard version. 

Bottom line: reliable strings you never have to install again

I do not celebrate Christmas, and have always enjoyed being able to avoid putting up lights. However, I have discovered through testing these lights how absurdly happy they make people—my neighbors, kids, even me, a qualified Grinch. I’d feel very differently about static bulbs, but these are like turning your whole house into an interactive game.  I quite enjoy standing in my driveway playing around with the colors on the fly, and have been playing music outside for the lights to dance to. The immediate neighbors are all in love with them.

Sure, the Govee app is subpar, but it still offers tons of way to create interactive scenes. The lights are solid, beefy, and seem up to the task of surviving winter, plus they’re backed by a 3-year warranty. In the past, I’ve found Govee customer service to be nimble and helpful.

These lights installed with two people in less than an hour. While decidedly not cheap, I think these are worth the investment if you routinely set up holiday lights and consider the price of your time installing, uninstalling, and untangling every year. They’ll serve you year-round, you’ll find reasons to celebrate all kinds of holidays (I honestly cannot wait for Pride) and in the grand scheme of absurd expenditures on holiday decor, these will stand the test of time much better than an inflatable reindeer. 

Source: LifeHacker – These Smart Holiday Lights Are Designed to Stay up All Year Long