An Introduction to Sous Vide

Sous vide cooking is rapidly increasing in popularity, growing beyond a simple trend. What exactly is it? A simplified explanation is low-temperature cooking over a long period of time, but there is much more to this cooking method.  

The first notable difference is water. No, you’re not boiling food for hours on end, and the water doesn’t come into direct contact with the food. Sous Vide is a French term that translates to “under vacuum”.  Food is tightly sealed in a vacuum-packaging bag and slowly brought to the desired finished internal temperature over an extended period of time. A sous vide circulating machine holds the water at a near-exact temperature and circulates water to keep it and the food evenly heated, without creating hot spots. 

Why choose this method over more familiar cooking techniques? The list of benefits is shockingly long, but most pertain to either increased food quality or saving money. Here are a few compelling reasons to incorporate sous vide cooking into your kitchen process.

PERFECT RESULTS

First place in reasons to cook sous vide is easily-achievable, consistent perfection. Because the process of sous vide cooking prevents exceeding a set temperature, it’s nearly impossible to overcook the food and the margin of error is extremely wide. What does that mean? Simply put, a ribeye can be cooked in 129°F water anywhere from 1-½ to 4 hours or more. Not only can restaurants cook and hold products for hours on end, but the results are consistently fantastic. Sous vide steaks are the exact doneness at the thickest and thinnest parts, and there’s no gradation of brown to pink from the outside, in. Chefs can offer the perfect medium-rare steak minutes after an order is placed by keeping ready steaks at temperature and quickly adding a beautiful sear on a high-temp grill.  

ENHANCED FLAVOR

Another notable advantage is the preservation of a food product’s organoleptic properties. All the flavor and aroma stay infused during the cooking process rather than being lost or diluted. The most flavorful, savory and delicious food is achieved through literally sealing in the flavor. With the preservation of flavor, less salt and fat is needed to make food delicious, meaning sous vide offers healthier food without sacrificing satisfaction. Sealing food for cooking also prevents product shrinkage through the slow-and-low cooking combined with the absence of evaporation. Juices stay in the food product instead of escaping, keeping the product at it's original size.

KITCHEN EFFICIENCY

Cooking food for hours may sound like a disadvantage when it comes to workflow, but sous vide offers increased workflow through early batch prepping. Individual portions are prepped, sealed, cooked and stored well in advance, and when orders come in, it take a few short minutes to sear and serve. Orders are processed faster and the remaining prepped food at the end of the night is still perfect for the next service. Cooking portions sous vide and refrigerating or freezing in vacuum sealed bags extends shelf life even up to 4 weeks! More efficient kitchen workflow and less food waste means more savings. 

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