What is Sous Vide?

Don’t be intimidated by the French words. The literal meaning of sous vide is “under vacuum.”  According to Bon Appetit:

“At its most fundamental level, sous vide cooking is the process of sealing food in an airtight container—usually a vacuum sealed bag—and then cooking that food in temperature-controlled water. …The water never comes to a boil. Yeah, it’s pretty low-key.

A sous vide machine uses a heated metal coil to warm water to a constant temperature, never fluctuating to high or low extremes. This means that the cooking progress is gradual and controlled. Proteins like steak, pork, chicken, and fish cook for elongated periods of time, slowly heating up until the entire piece of protein reaches the temperature of the water. Since the water never goes past the desired temperature of doneness, the meat takes significantly longer to cook (A 12 oz. NY strip takes a little over two hours), but it also means that you’ll never have an overcooked piece of protein.”

Looking for that interesting gift for that special someone?

Personally, I love cooking gifts and I ask for them all the time. When Chip gave me a sous vide, I was ecstatic. With the holidays quickly approaching, a sous vide kit makes a great gift. Prices range upwards of $45 dollars. You can use basic Ziploc bags and you are in business. I have the Joule by Breville. It works in conjunction with an app on my phone. I answer a few questions to get started and I walk away.

Side bar:  I do love cooking gifts and by the way, if my husband bought me Peloton for Christmas, I would be elated!

Not a great cook?

Hmm…but you can be! Monday night I placed a boneless strip steak into a silicone bag. I seasoned it and added garlic cloves and a few herbs. Carefully placed in the water bath, the steak began to cook ever so slowly. In just over 90 minutes, I had a perfect medium rare steak. The consistent temperature of the water ensures the steak with not be overdone. You can also leave it in the bath for an additional hour. A timer will remind you.

Standing by, I had a cast iron skillet hot as the devil. I seared that steak for a minute on each side watching carefully not to destroy that medium rare status. The sear caramelizes the outside without compromising the degree of doneness. Sweet potato fries were baking in the oven and wilted spinach was ready to go. Done.

C’mon, give sous vide a chance…

Step outside of your cooking comfort zone. Look at it this way: you cannot burn it or start a smokey fire. I promise the sous vide will not disappoint. You can make eggs, salmon, veggies…the options are endless. Bon Appetit states, “Chefs love sous vide eggs, for perfectly-set whites and runny yolks. Potatoes cook especially well (sous vide potato salad is amazing), and tender vegetables like asparagus are easily cooked for salads or sides. The sous vide doesn’t discriminate.”

I sincerely make this offer: Contact me if you want help selecting a sous vide, or if you want me to cook with you. You pour the Prosecco and I am there, either virtually or in person!

Happy Holidays.

Karen