The Sous-vide method of cooking is a technique that uses average temperatures to control the cooking process to produce quality output. Most public restaurants use Sous vide for cooking since it has the desired state of food you want. Recently, most homes decided to use the method for their cooking as it was readily available and had many other benefits.
In French, Sous vide means cooking under a vacuum where you will have to seal food in a vacuum bag and then cook it at a moderate temperature using a water bath. When you use the cooking method, you will get sweet food compared to different kinds of food.
The article below shows Sous vide cooking methods and the benefits of Sous vide cooking. There are the frequently asked questions and lastly, the conclusion.
What is Sous vide cooking?
Sous vide cooking is a process of putting and covering food in airtight bags or jars like the vacuum-sealed bag; after sealing the food, you can cook it within temperature-controlled water. That is why it is called under vacuum or pressure. Sous vide cooking uses a cooking machine that has a coil such that when you heat the ring, it will warm water to a constant temperature that neither goes high nor low.
Sous vide cooking has some advantages like protection and improves the purchases that you are sure of the result of the food you are cooking.
Sous vide cooking equipment
To cook Sous vide, you need some equipment for a more straightforward process. The kit includes a Sous vide cooking device, packaging, and water container.
Equipment needed for cooking Sous vide;
Equipment |
Function |
Essential product |
Sous vide equipment include:
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The machines have the following functions:
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Sous vide packaging container which includes:
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Sealing packaging containers prevents evaporation and allows energy transfer from water to food. |
Check Amazon for silicone bags, canning jars, vacuum sealing bags. |
Water containers which can either be a pot or any vessel with an adjustable clamp like a water bath |
They help in cooking the Sous vide |
Check Amazon for the best water baths. |
Sous vide cooking machines
Sous vide cooking equipment is so expensive and heavy that you cannot quickly move from one place to another. Long ago, the machines were expensive that not all chefs could afford. Therefore, new devices were made that were affordable. Below are some of the devices:
1. Sous vide immersion circulator
The Sous vide immersion circulator is a tool in Sous vide cooking that enables water to circulate as it is heated in the water container since the water containers help maintain the temperatures uniformly when cooking. The circulators are stand-alone in that they do not require any attachments to cook.
2. Advantages of the Sous vide immersion circulator
- They are affordable to any ready chefs
- They are easy to use when cooking since it has fewer attachments
- They occupy less space in the kitchen as they lack the inbuilt water bath
They have a clamp that is adjustable when you are cooking.
3. Sous vide water oven
Sous vide water ovens are water baths that are devices that are fully contained such that they are almost like microwaves and are generally expensive. The Sous vide water ovens work by heating the water but do not circulate in water like the Immersion circulators. The only disadvantage of using the Sous vide water oven is that the texture of the resulting food can be poor since the water is not circulating in the oven.
4. DIY Sous vide hacks
The hacks for Sous vide cooking are good before deciding on the type of device you will use. The hacks only need a cooker, rice cooker, and slow cooker to make it successful.
Sous vide packaging
Sous vide packaging involves sealing foods in certain bags that prevent them from evaporation and give space to transfer energy from water to food. All you need to do is put them in bags or jars. Below are some of the standard packaging methods:
5. Sealed bags or jars
They are the most common for packaging, and you can use the immersion circulator to reduce the air available inside. The common types of resealable bags are the Ziploc freezer bags.
6. Reusable silicone bags.
Just as the name suggests, the silicone bags are made of silicon that when using them the food will get fine day after day when you compare.
7. Vacuum sealing bags
When you have the vacuum sealer, you can use it since it works the same as the vacuum seal bags. However, if you lack the sealer, choose to buy vacuum seal bags for the cooking process.
8. Canning jars
There are different types of foods that you can cook in the canning jars like beans and other grains, desserts like cakes too can cook. The only thing you need to know is how to use the jars.
9. Sous vide containers
The Sous-vide containers are the devices to keep the food after cooking them. The containers can be pots or any device with an adjustable clamp. The size of the pot or vessel depends on the amount of food you are cooking. Choose to visit Amazon for the best Sous vide containers.
Why should you try Sous vide cooking?
Sous vide cooking means cooking food under vacuum or pressure. The method is all about sealing ingredients in food and ensuring the temperature is safe to work with plastic bags to remove the extra air inside the bags. Below are some of the benefits of using the Sous vide method:
- The Sous-vide method prepares food so gently that it’s like poaching except for the food and water with a barrier. The process controls the temperature, for example, when using an immersion circulator that makes the food efficient and safe.
- Sous vide cooking uses less oil, unlike the usual cooking methods that use much oil. Therefore, the technique is suitable for human health.
- The Sous-vide method is straight in that you don’t need to guess what you are doing since you can quickly know if your food is ready and if the temperatures are okay.
- There is consistency in Sous vide cooking because you need to use precise temperatures for cooking your food at a good time where the result is always acceptable.
- It brings a good taste to food that makes it juicy by ensuring it is moist, juicy, and tender.
- It helps in waste reduction, unlike the traditional methods that result in some waste that you cannot use.
- Sous vide cooking method is flexible in that you do not need to stay at the place monitoring the processes taking place, unlike the traditional ways that you need to keep attention to.
Steps of setting up the Sous vide cooking
1. The first step here is identifying the type of food you are cooking and gathering all the requirements you need, including the ingredients, devices to use, and the recipes to use for cooking.
2. Put the Sous vide cooker in the pot or any container you are using to cook and add water up to the minimum fill line of the range.
3. Season the food you are preparing and put them in a bag
4. Press the start button on the Sous vide cooker or app if you are using an app after choosing the recipe to follow and the type of food to cook.
Frequently asked questions:
- Is it safe to cook Sous Vide in plastic?
Cooking Sous vide in plastic is not good as it feels weird that you can feel it is wrong. Therefore, avoid using plastic in cooking Sous vide. However, if you do not have an option, you can still use it so long as you ensure you maintain the plastic by washing it carefully.
Conclusion
The article above shows the Sous vide cooking method, which involves the different machines you can use, the packaging materials, and the containers to use. You can use the steps for the cooking process if you are a first time and the benefits of using the Sous vide method.
The Sous-vide method gives you the quality output of tasty and attractive food for you, customers, or your visitors when cooking at home. Consider checking the Sous vide cooking machines at Amazon to get the best and quality tools to use.