It is possible to use sous vide in a slow cooker, but you must be careful that the water in the slow cooker does not become excessively hot. Most slow cooker manufacturers do not produce slow cookers suited for use with sous vide cooking techniques. As a result, the water temperature reaches approximately 175°F, which is the maximum bound for sous vide meals and will not provide you with the flawless, even cooking that sous vide does.
Although sous vide cooking is a low-maintenance method of cooking on its own, it does necessitate the purchase of an additional device, sous vide bags, and the preparation of the proper size vessel and any other equipment that will aid in the process of cooking.
As you’ll see from the information in this post, it’s entirely feasible. However, you should be aware that you will not adjust the temperature in the same way as the sous vide cooker. You’ll learn more if you keep reading.
Using a slow cooker when cooking sous vide
With airtight bags, sous vide cooking preserves the flavor and moisture of the food, which is no surprise given your enthusiasm for the procedure. Even the cheapest cuts of beef can be transformed into delectable dishes using this technique.
And, fortunately, it is not essential to purchase all of the necessary professional equipment to prepare such food at home. All you need now is a slow cooker that can be converted into a sous vide cooker in a matter of minutes. It is possible to utilize a crockpot, one of the most regularly used slow cookers, to do this task.
The main drawback is that it takes longer for a slow cooker to heat the water to the appropriate temperature. That’s why some people prefer using a rice cooker because they can heat it more quickly and maintain an equal temperature across the entire cooker. Choose an analog dial instead of digital controls if you decide to use a crockpot for your meal preparation.
So, the bottom line is that a slow cooker may be used to sous vide the food, provided that you purchase an external temperature regulator. This is crucial not just for cooking your meat and vegetables, but also for heating them once they have been cooked.
Turning the slow cooker to a sous vide pot
If you’re comfortable working with wires, you might want to give this little hack a shot. When in doubt about whether or not anything will work, I strongly advise you to forego this step. If you don’t know the way around wires, it could be quite dangerous. An extension wire and a thermocouple are also required in addition to a thermostatic controller for this project. The slow cooker with a mechanical knob is the most convenient option.
Following a power failure, a prototype will immediately shut down and will not restart on its own. Crockpots with physical knobs, on the other hand, will continue to operate even if the power is turned off. Sous vide cooking is preparing food packed in airtight plastic bags and afterward placed in a water bath to finish cooking.
Cooking in its organic fluids allows the flavor to be locked in and the essence to be intensified, resulting in more flavorful meals. In addition to cooking gently and accurately at the right serving temperature, it prevents meals from overcooking even if you become sidetracked or run behind schedule. Using a vacuum sealer to salt and vacuum-seal meals saves time because it only requires a few seconds of hands-on work.
Steps on turning a slow cooker to a sous vide cooker
Step 1; gather all the tools needed
Tools you will need are;
- A vacuum food sealer
- A slow cooker
- A temperature controller
- A Chinagraph pencil
- A Dremel with a cutting disk and a sanding drum
Step 2; cut the box by making a hole to display the temperature
When you receive your temperature controller, the instructions will tell you how much a hole you will need to drill for the display to be mounted properly. To position the display, cut a card to these measurements and place it where you want it to go. Using a Chinagraph pencil, trace a circle all-around the card at the specified place. To cut out the profile, use the Dremel and a cutting disk. Smooth off the ragged edges with the sanding drum attachment on your Dremel to allow for a flush fit.
Step 3; cut a cut-out for your gang switch from the box
Place the Gang face down on the table and trace a circle around with the chinagraph pencil. Turn the Gang over and indicate the location of the mounting holes on the right side. Cut out the necessary space so that the Gang would sit level with the box, taking care not to cut out any of the mounting holes in the process. Test fit the Gang, and if it is a good fit, drill out the mounting holes (3.5mm Drill usually).
Step 4; drill cable holes on the box
The hole size is determined by the cable or grommet used.
Step 5; prepare the cables and wires
Step 6; assemble the parts
Start with the temperature controller, then by mounting your controller. Then, you wire the Gang plug and assemble all the other parts correctly.
Step 7; start cooking
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Is it possible to use a crockpot as a slow cooker?
Answer; the crock pot is a fantastic cooking tool, but because it is a SLOW cooker, it will take a while to bring the water to cooking temperature. So you will give it a head start by heating enough water to fill the crockpot to the temperatures you want it to cook at.
Conclusion
The most often used slow cooker is a crockpot, which may be easily adapted to work as a sous vide cooker with a little effort. Using a sous vide cooker or a slow cooker modified to function as a sous vide cooker has only one disadvantage: it takes longer to heat the water than using other types of the cooker.
A slow cooker with an external temp controller is the most effective way to sous vide the food. This is vital for cooking the veggies or meat and for reheating the food once it has been cooked sous vide.