Top 10 Sous Vide Tips brought to you by ZWILLING
Once you dive into the world of sous vide cooking, it won’t take you long to discover the many benefits of this revolutionary cooking method, including:
- It’s so simple!
- It allows you to prep ahead
- Cooking under vacuum locks in flavor and nutrients
- You’ll save space on the stovetop
- And food will always be cooked to the exact doneness you prefer
Just like any other style of cooking, sous vide cooking can be as robust as you choose to make it. To help you on your sous vide journey, we’ve compiled a handy list of our top 10 tips that will make you a sous vide pro in no time flat.
1. Save Even More Time – Start with Warm Water
The Enfinigy Sous Vide Stick heats water very quickly thanks to its powerful 1200-watt heater. But if you’d like to save even more time, a simple trick is to add already heated water to the pot or container. This will help you reach your desired temperature even faster.
2. Marinate in the Same Bag You Sous Vide In
Marinating before sous vide cooking is a great way to lock even more flavor into your food. Add flavorings to the vacuum bag before vacuum sealing. Be sure to use the Fresh & Save liquid barrier with your bag so that liquids aren’t sucked into the vacuum pump. You can then conveniently sous vide in the same bag.
3. Choose Your Flavorings Wisely
Remember, flavorings under vacuum will intensify, so it’s probably best to use strong herbs such as rosemary sparingly. Spice rubs and dried spices are a great addition to sous vide, but again, make sure you don’t overdo it as the flavor will amp up under vacuum.
4. Stop Bags from Floating to the Top
To ensure that your vacuum bags don’t float to the top, we highly recommend using the Sous Vide Rack. Keeping the bags fully submerged will ensure that your food cooks evenly throughout.
5. Place Your Pot on a Trivet
One of the great things about sous vide cooking is that it frees up space on the stovetop. You can place your sous vide pot or container on any kitchen countertop. However, we do recommend using a trivet under the pot. It will heat up over the course of the cooking time and you want to be sure to protect the countertop.
6. Don’t Forget About Vegetables!
Even though sous vide cooking is most associated with cooking meat and fish, it also happens to be an excellent way to cook vegetables. With sous vide, vegetables will be cooked perfectly crisp-tender and will retain their bright color. And, without direct water contact, more vitamins and nutrients are preserved in the vegetable itself than when prepared using conventional cooking methods.
7. For Long Slow Sous Vide Cooking, Keep it Covered
If you are working on a long, slow sous vide dish, such as a whole roast turkey or short ribs, it’s always best to cover the sous vide pot or container with plastic wrap or a lid that has a hole for the sous vide stick. This will help stop water evaporation and will save energy.
8. Clean Food and a Clean Bag are Key
Always wash and pat dry food before vacuum sealing. This is especially important for fish and meat to remove any germs before cooking. The vacuum bags should also be completely clean inside and at the sealing strip.
9. Sear in the Right Pan
After you sous vide, you can finish your meat or fish by searing it in a very hot pan. This way you can develop a beautiful crust and build even more flavor. You want to make sure you don’t continue cooking your food when you finish it as it will have already been brought to the perfect temperature. To achieve this, be sure to use a stainless steel or cast iron pan. Add a little oil or butter to almost smoking point and cook no more than 1 or 2 minutes a side, depending on the thickness of your meat or fish.
10. Foods You Probably Didn’t Know You Could Sous Vide
Meat, fish, and vegetables are the obvious choices for sous vide cooking, but did you know you can also sous vide eggs to perfection? Soft boiled and poached eggs are particularly ideal choices for sous vide cooking. You can also make yogurt, creamy custards, and deep, intensely flavored stocks. Truly, the only limit to sous vide cooking is your imagination in the kitchen!
