Kitchen Gadgets: Sous Vide

So just what is sous vide, and is it as complicated to use as it sounds? Translating from French to mean “under vacuum,” using sous vide is incredibly simple. Whenever someone approaches me and asks about buying a new tool for their kitchen, I immediately direct them to a sous vide precision cooker. 

Let's get the basics down for this seemingly complicated-sounding term. When a chef uses sous vide, they are essentially cooking their food in a jacuzzi. A sous vide precision cooker will heat a pot of water to your desired temperature. As your water heats, the cook will vacuum-seal their food, usually meat, in a plastic bag along with aromatics, such as herbs and spices. Once the water is heated to the desired temperature, the meat is dropped in and begins its warm bath, cooking to the same temperature as the water. 

So far, so simple. Drop the food and flavorings in a bag, seal it, and put it in the water bath. Now, sous vide often takes some time to cook because you cook at temperatures much lower than a searing hot pan. Your goal here is to cook your food to the same temperature throughout. After your food cooks, you'd cut open the bag and quickly sear off the food to add color. One of the more unappetizing elements of sous vide cooking is that once your meat is done cooking in its water bath, it will come out as a gray-brown chunk. The simple fix is to sear off the meat, which will give it the golden color you'd get from cooking in a pan. 

I previously mentioned that the piece of food you’re cooking is often cooked at a temperature well below what is taught as "safe." By food safety standards, poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees… safety-wise, that’s perfect, juiciness-wise, it’s overcooked.  Cooking using Sous Vide cooks food to a much lower temperature over long periods and is equally safe.

Advantages

For a home cook who is just learning or for any chef who wants consistent perfection, Sous Vide cooking is hands down the best way to impress your friends and family. These are restaurant-quality results in your home. Professional chefs use these same techniques to achieve perfect results every time.

You also can't overcook the meat. Well, I am sure it’s possible somehow, but it would be incredibly difficult. When cooking over a stove, you almost have to babysit what you are cooking to make sure it's not overcooked. Want a medium-rare steak? Go ahead, poke your temperature probe in it and make a checkerboard from all the holes you made. Cut open your steak and ruin the presentation for your guests later. Or better yet, guess that your steak is ready. I'll be over here with no stress, making the perfect steak. All I have to do is sear it off for a few seconds. This is not to say that grilling or pan-cooking a steak is bad; they are great ways to cook food. However, Sous Vide cooking is near effortless and locks in a level of juiciness unrivaled by any other cooking method.

When pulling out the bag from the water bath, you'll notice a large amount of juice at the bottom, the makings of a fantastic sauce. We’ve talked about how sous vide cooking locks in flavor and juices. This is true, but the meat can only hold so much, as a result, some of the juices will leave the meat and end up in the bottom of the bag. This does not mean the juice is lost. It means that your meat has held as much juice as it can, which now allows you to use the leftovers for a sauce.

This brings me to the next advantage, sauce experimentation! When first learning to cook, you must develop your palette and see what flavorings work in sauces. Try cream, fresh herbs, alcohol, mother sauces, and wait for it all to reduce. The combinations are endless and experimenting with all the amazing juices from your sous vide is the perfect opportunity to gain experience.

Disadvantages

I have none. None. Sure, it takes longer to cook, but you can prepare all your food days ahead and sear it off when you're ready to eat it. You also don't have to babysit hours' worth of cooking. Drop it in the water, read the rest of my blog posts, relax, and come back in a few hours. There is very little active time in sous vide cooking; you can often check the time left on your phone connected to your precision cooker.

Though it takes longer, you simply cannot compromise on flavors. You're giving your food and juices hours to take on the flavors of aromatics. Think an air fryer will get this kind of flavor heaven in 10 minutes? Nope, it'll cook fast, but it is challenging to achieve unique flavors bursting in your mouth later on. One cannot compromise on taste.

My message to you? If you're looking to become a better cook, looking to wow your friends, or want the best and juiciest piece of meat in your life, invest in a precision cooker. You can buy an introductory one for around $150 online. I personally love the Anova precision cooker, but there are many options out there to try. 

Cheers,

Chef Olson

“The Flying Chef”