Cooking with the
Sous Vide
As with any new cooking method, there are some differences in technique that you will want to become familiar with. Here are the basic principles you should understand:
•Length of cooking time depends on the thickness of the food more than the weight. Doubling the thickness of a steak, for instance, increases the time needed for the meat to reach target temperature at its center by as much as four times. Thus if a 1–inch (2.5cm) steak requires a minimum of 1 hour to reach the MEDIUM target temperature of 140˚F/60˚C, a 2” (5cm) steak will require not 2, but 4 hours to reach 140˚F/60˚C.
•Tougher cuts of lean meat require longer cooking times (6 to 8 hours or more)
at desired serving temperature, which will not overcook, but rather tenderize the meat. Typical of this group would be flank steak, eye of round, grass-fed beef, ostrich filets, or buffalo steaks.
•Tough, fatty cuts of meat, such as pot roast, pork ribs, leg of lamb, should be cooked at temperatures hot enough to ‘melt’ the collagen fibers into gelatin, which means at least 140˚F/60˚C and for at least 24 hours. Some very tough cuts, such as beef cheeks or beef spare ribs may require up to 72 hours. The end result is simply succulent, falling-apart- tender meat.
•Very tender meats, such as lamb chops, rack of lamb, or tenderloin of beef or pork, need only to be brought to serving temperature throughout, which requires less time. Leaving tender cuts in the water bath for extended periods (over 4 to 6 hours) can cause some loss of textural quality.
•Poultry is best cooked as the individual parts. Air trapped in the cavity of a whole bird carcass can cause the pouch to float in the water bath and result in uneven cooking. Half chickens, ducks, or game hens or individual breasts, legs, or thighs work best in the sous vide water oven.
•Vegetables and fruits, which contain a significant amount of fibre, require higher temperatures than meats (usually 183˚F/85˚C to 190˚F/87˚C) for
1 to 2 hours to become tender. Tender vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, summer and winter squash varieties, as well as most fruits including tomatoes may need only 45 minutes. Root vegetables, such as beets, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and turnips will usually require 1–2 hours. Longer cooking times will result in very soft fruit and vegetable textures, ideal for soups and purees.
•Some foods—those for which poaching is an ideal preparation medium, such as vegetables, fish, shellfish, and skinless poultry—can be plated and served straight from the cooking pouch.
•Foods in which a caramelized or crisp exterior is preferred—such as roasts, steaks, and chops—require a brief finishing step (on the grill, under the broiler, in a hot skillet, or using a kitchen torch) to sear the exterior before serving. Poultry is best cooked skinless. For crispy poultry skin, remove skin carefully before sous vide cooking.
To crisp the skin, cut the skin into strips about ½”/1.5cm wide. Lay the strips
in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and season with salt and pepper. Then place another sheet of parchment paper over the skin and another sheet pan atop the parchment paper. Place the sheet pans in a 350˚F/176˚C oven and cook until the skin is very crispy; check at about
15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the skin cool on a wire rack until needed.
The 5 Basic Steps for Cooking in the Sous Vide
Season
The sous vide cooking method locks in the flavor of foods, bringing out their particular character more fully. Vacuum-sealing the food and any seasonings or oils tightly together in the pouch magnifies the flavours of spices and herbs somewhat. Seasoning can be as simple as a sprinkle of salt and pepper, but adding fat or oil to herbs and spices can improve flavour quality. Here are some simple techniques:
Compound butters
Mix fresh or dried herbs, spices, salt, and pepper with unsalted butter. Use to coat the inside of the empty cooking pouch, then add the meat or vegetables, and seal.
Herbed broths
Mix fresh or dried herbs, spices, salt, and pepper with vegetable, mushroom, beef, seafood, or chicken broth. Freeze in small portions (in an ice cube tray or a zip-closure bag) and add the frozen seasoned broth to the cooking pouch with the meat, poultry, fish, or vegetable prior to sealing. The broth will melt and envelope the food.
Chilled herbed oil
Mix fresh or dried herbs, spices, salt, and pepper with olive oil (do not use extra virgin olive oil, as it will sometimes develop a bitter metallic flavor.) Chill the oil until it is semi-solid and add by the tablespoon (or more) to the cooking pouch along with the food, then seal.
DO NOT use wine or distilled spirits in the seasoning, without first heating it on the stovetop for a few minutes to drive off the alcohol, leaving only the flavor of the wine or spirit. Alcohol, especially from wine, can impart a peculiar metallic flavour to meals cooked sous vide.
Seal
Use only food-grade cooking pouches to package foods for the sous vide. Seal according to manufacturer’s instructions. Use only pouches certified by the manufacturer as suitable for cooking under vacuum. Do not use standard zip-closure bags meant for food storage.
1.Fold back the opening of the pouch before filling to prevent seasonings or debris from becoming trapped in a zip track, if present. This debris can hamper successful sealing of the pouch.
2.Place food and desired seasonings into the pouch.
3.Do not overfill the pouch. Try to keep food clear of the vacuum membrane area, if present.
