We receive many questions about the advantages and disadvantages of using sous vide. Therefore, we have teamed up with a sous vide equipment retailer: Foodfreaks.dk, which provides their input on the technique here.
The French term Sous Vide means “under vacuum” and refers to a cooking method for producing delicious, tender, and juicy meat.
Professional chefs and gourmet restaurants often use this cooking technique, but there is equipment and accessories available on the market for home use, contributing to the growing popularity of Sous Vide in the private kitchen.
Below you can read everything you need to know to get started with Sous Vide.
What are the benefits of Sous Vide?
During traditional cooking methods of meat, either on a pan or in the oven, heat transfer occurs, making it important to remove the food and turn off the stove or oven at a specific time. Otherwise, the meat will become dry and overcooked.
With Sous Vide, the cooking takes place in vacuum-sealed bags where the food is immersed in a water bath, creating optimal conditions for proper cooking.
This allows the food to be kept in the water, or it can be taken out when it’s ready to be served.
The method or technique is simple. Once you have the right Sous Vide equipment, you just need to vacuum seal your food and set the equipment to the correct temperature.
You will find different types of bags, available both with and without ridges.
Here are some of the main advantages:
• Creates flexibility around cooking
• Frees up time and resources for other tasks
• Food retains its flavor, juices, and nutrients optimally when stored in water
• Easy to use
• Ideal for preparing all food that needs to be cooked
• You can easily reheat Sous Vide leftovers.
How should Sous Vide water be treated?
The main idea or technique behind the Sous Vide cooking method is about the water, which is the element that creates the right temperature for optimal cooking of the food.
You can use water directly from the tap, as the Sous Vide equipment is designed to heat it to the desired temperature.
If you want to save time, you can pour warmer water into the Sous Vide container.
There are different versions of Sous Vide equipment, which come with various container sizes, such as 18, 22, or 30 liters.
In terms of maintaining your equipment, it might be a good idea to add 1 tablespoon of vinegar per liter of water you use during cooking. This can help prevent your equipment from scaling.
The most important thing to be aware of is that you should not reuse the water over several days, as this will create a risk of bacterial growth. Although the food is not in direct contact with the water, the bags are not airtight concerning aroma.
Should food be prepared before or after using Sous Vide?
Many people especially use Sous Vide for cooking meat. Whether you want to brown the meat before or after it has been cooked is up to you. However, many prefer to briefly sear the meat on the pan after it has been cooked Sous Vide to give the meat a nice golden and crispy crust.
If you wish to sear your meat afterward, it should be done at high heat on the pan.
Additionally, it can be a good idea to season your food before vacuum sealing it. It is particularly recommended to salt meat, as it provides extra powerful flavor and creates additional tenderness.
As a general rule, you can aim to use 2 grams of salt per kilogram of meat you prepare. This way, you achieve a good balance without risking too much salt drawing the moisture out of the meat.
What type of meat is particularly recommended for Sous Vide?
Both expensive butcher meat is suitable, but also cheaper cuts can be cooked Sous Vide. In both cases, the meat will achieve a more tender character and juicier consistency compared to traditional cooking.
If you have a roast directly from the freezer that needs to be cooked for several hours, this version can also be used with your Sous Vide equipment. Here, you just need to add an extra 20-30 minutes to the original cooking time.
What the best meat will be depends on individual taste preferences.
The particularly practical aspect of Sous Vide is that the method is suitable for reheating leftovers. This means that you can easily prepare your food the day before it is to be served. You just need to reheat the food for 30 minutes in Sous Vide.