The Everything Guide to Cooking Sous Vide (7 page)

The General Setup

While sous vide cooking is quite the simple method, there are still a number of things to consider when getting started. Knowing is half the battle, and this chapter gives you the knowledge and tools you need, so that any anxiety or questions you may have along the way are easily answered. There are a few things to do prior to dropping a bag of food into the water bath. Nothing is arduous or tough, but following these few simple steps will make sure that you are ready to go.

Location for the Sous Vide

So, you have a sous vide and are ready to use it to cook something delicious. Where do you plan to set it up? There are some factors to consider when deciding the best place in the kitchen to set up the water bath. Obviously the size of the pot or container that will be filled with water needs to be taken into consideration. Put the water bath in a place that will not be in the way of, or interfere with, other kitchen tasks. Also, be well aware that the container will get hot as the water is heated to cook the food, except in the case of water ovens, like that of the SousVide Supreme, as they have an insulated outer shell. In most other situations, especially with immersion circulators, water will be filled in pots or polycarbonate tanks. These will get very hot and need to be resting on something that can handle prolonged heat exposure. Granite or marble countertops, stainless steel counters, and even the stovetop can all work as a good place to set the water bath. One thing to consider is to place a towel and trivet underneath the tank, as this can absorb some of the heat as it transfers through the bottom of the water bath. Make sure anything placed under the water bath is stable and does not cause rocking or movement of the tank.

Does water evaporate during the sous vide cooking session?

It depends on the machine. Water ovens or polycarbonate tanks with precut lids lose almost no water if the lid is on. Pots or other tanks without a lid will experience evaporation over time during a long cooking session. Simply pour in additional water to keep the level above the minimum line.

Fill Up the Tank

Filling up the tank or pot with water is one of the first things that you will need to do when getting started. With almost every sous vide machine there is a minimum and a maximum water line. The water bath needs to be within that level before turning on the machine and before placing the food bags in the bath. Water ovens, like the SousVide Supreme, have minimum and maximum indicator lines on the inside of the water tank. For immersion circulators, the indicator lines are found on the machine itself, and once the circulator is clamped on to the pot or tank, it is easy to see the required water level.

Getting Prepped

Before the food goes into the food-safe bag, it is best to make sure that everything is ready to go. Whether it is simply washing hands or chopping vegetables, it is important to get everything prepped.

Here is a list of things to do to get ready:

• Wash hands and make sure that you are using sanitary tools and environment. Rinse vegetables and anything else necessary to ensure things are clean.
  
• Get out the food-safe bags. This puts them within reach and also makes sure that you have enough.
  
• Get out all the ingredients to make sure that you have enough of everything and to ensure that all the ingredients are within reach. There is nothing more frustrating than being unable to find an ingredient in the pantry or fridge while you are in the middle of cooking.
  
• Trim the meat of any extra fat, membrane, and tissue. If desired or necessary, cut the meat into chunks or serving portions (this can be particularly helpful for large cuts of meat or whole salmon fillets).
  
• If vegetables are used in the recipe, peel, chop, or slice them so that they are ready to go.
  
• Measure out and mix up any marinades or spice blends for seasoning the meat or other vegetables.
  

The Basic Steps for Sous Vide

After you are ready to go and have all the food prepped, there are some standard steps that apply to almost every sous vide cooking session. These steps are simple, and following them will help you in the journey of sous vide.

Season

One of the most important steps in cooking is properly seasoning the food. Poorly seasoned meat or vegetables can result in food that is both bland and completely forgettable. Knowing how much to season and when to properly season can seem tricky, as there is not much worse than a piece of perfectly cooked pork that is way too salty.

In some cases, meat is seared prior to being placed in the food-safe bag and vacuum sealed. This searing can enhance the flavor and mimic braising. It is important that the meat be cooled completely after it is seared because when hot meat is vacuum sealed it has a steaming effect on the meat when added to the sous vide water bath.

When it comes to sous vide cooking there will be times that you will want to season the meat or vegetables prior to them being vacuum sealed in a food-safe bag. Other times, you will want to vacuum seal them without any seasoning, knowing that there will be a sauce, glaze, or other seasoning added after the food comes out of the water bath. The recipes in this book include times when food is seasoned first and examples when it is seasoned after. Both can work well depending on the dish.

Here are a few tips regarding seasoning meat:

• Some seasoning includes a spice blend that is rubbed all over the meat. To maximize flavor, make sure that every part of the meat is rubbed down with the spices.
  
• Fresh herbs are wonderful and they can have a strong impact on the meat. A small sprig of thyme or rosemary can really enhance a chicken breast, pork chop, or other cut of meat.
  
• Marinades can be an excellent way to season the meat. Adding a little bit of honey garlic sauce, homemade marinade, or even a few squirts of barbecue sauce with the meat can provide enhanced flavor.
  
• Not much liquid is needed for a marinade and it is best to minimize how much is used. A lot of liquid can make sealing the bag difficult, particularly if using an edge vacuum sealer. Also, if a lot of liquid is surrounding the meat in the bag, it can impact the actual cooking, requiring more time for the meat to cook through.
  
• Although adding alcohol like beer or wine can infuse a wonderful flavor to the meat, it can also cause a bitter taste in the meat. To solve this, simply boil off the alcohol from the beer, wine, or other liquor in a saucepan. Then let it cool completely before pouring it into the food-safe bag with the meat.
  

Marinades are great ways to season meat and add moisture and flavor during the sous vide cooking process.

Now, while there may not be scientific proof for this, it seems that less seasoning is needed when vacuum sealing meat. It could be that the pressured environment enhances the flavor and improves how it infuses into the meat. So, the “less is more” philosophy is sometimes helpful, and don’t forget, more seasoning can always be added later.

Meat is not the only food that can be seasoned before it is sealed in the food-safe bag. Vegetables are amazing cooked in the sous vide and one of the impressive aspects of this cooking technique is that aromatics are easily infused into the cooked vegetables.

Seal

Once the meat or vegetables have been seasoned, they are ready to be bagged and sealed. Typically, a special food-safe bag is used, and then a vacuum sealer removes the air and seals the bag with a heat bar on the vacuum sealer. Remember, sous vide is French for “under vacuum,” and this vacuum sealing of the food is standard to the sous vide practice. It is essential that the air be removed from the bag, as air will lift the bag out of the water. Air also prevents the temperature-controlled water from being pressed up against the meat or other food, which is necessary for proper sous vide cooking.

Does all the air need to be removed from the bag?

It may be impossible to remove all the air with certain foods. When vacuum sealing carrots it is pretty much impossible to get all the air out because the carrots will not all be perfectly flush side by side. That is okay, as long as most of the air is gone. It is more important for meat to have as much of the air removed as possible.

Here are a few tips for bagging and sealing the food:

• Make sure that everything is clean and sanitary. This includes your hands and any tongs or other utensils that will be transferring food into the bag.
  
• Folding over the top of the bag is helpful when adding meat or other food to the bag. It means that the tongs or spatula do not have to reach into the bag as far. Also, folding the top of the bag can keep it clean from any marinade or other bits of food, which is extremely helpful for ensuring that the vacuum sealer makes a clean seal.
  
• Make sure that the food is in one layer and as close to an even thickness as possible. Meat that is piled in the bag or stacked will not cook evenly or properly. Line pork chops, beef steaks, or chicken breasts side by side or use smaller bags and package them separately.