Sous Vide: Uncle Nate Shows Y'all How Cook 'Sous Vide' Without a Cryovac Machine!
{Editor's Note: It's been brought to our attention that readers want to know who's writing when they start reading an article. (We have, up to this point, just been initialling them at the end.) Now, we thought we were doing that with the fonts. So far, Nate's always in Arial, Jesse's always in Times, but apparently this was too suble. To this end, we will be including bylines, moving forward (and retroactively, if I can remember to do that. So, on that note: Here's Nate Whiting, with his:}
Sous Vide Basics!
But, hold on… what’s sous vide, you ask? Am I getting a little ahead of my readers? Well, friends. gather around and let Uncle Nate tell you how to get to Sesame Street (yeah it's that easy).
Okay, here's the really quick and dirty: any time you want to use this technique, you will most commonly follow this simple process. First, you’ll fill a container with water, then heat the water to a specific and constant temperature, usually with a device called a circulator (more on that below.
Next, you place your ingredient (commonly a protein) in a plastic bag. Then, you place the bagged ingredient in the heated water bath. Then you cook the ingredient for a specific time… and that's all you have to do. Most people pre- or post- sear for some color and additional flavor, but it's not a requirement.
So.. by eliminating traditional high heat methods and drastic temperature swings, the results are remarkably consistent. Producing moist and juicy food that's cooked perfectly from edge to edge. EVERY TIME. Also, because of the controlled environment, the ingredients have improved flavor, and retain their nutrients and natural aromas, unlike with many traditional techniques. Ya dig it so far? Follow me for a little more background.
FANCY FRENCH, oooh la la…
Despite the technique being around for about 50 years, I still get a lot of blank stares when I tell a non-professional how I cooked something. And It’s totally cool, I really enjoy teaching people that want to learn. To be fair, sous vide has only gained traction, largely among professionals, in the last 20 year or so. And while it does sound a bit unappetizing or possibly even goofy to native English speaking folks such as myself, please don't let the name hold you back from trying this technique. Trust me, this is not the elitist or complicated technique it can be perceived as. WIth the right gear, anyone can do this, 100%. In a way, because it removes some of the difficulty, it actually democratizes cooking. Now, if you know what internal temperature you want your steak to be, it really eliminates some guesswork!
Sous vide by the textbook:
The name translates to 'under vacuum' - by definition this can be misleading, because the defining factor of the technique involves accurate temperature control, NOT Vacuum sealing or special packaging, although those are frequently used, so this is a common misunderstanding.
In broader, more mainstream terms, sous vide almost always refers to low-temperature cooking. This is the true magical part that professionals know and love. The vacuum bags have become iconic to the process, but it's the gentle, low heat that makes the difference. Low temperature cooking Is defined as any cooking procedure where the cooking temperature is at, or close to, the desired final internal temperature. This, my friends, is the defining feature to Sous Vide Cooking, Not the Packaging.
The two fundamental requirements for low-temperature cooking:
Precise & maintained temperature control- (Typically, an immersion circulator although professionals occasionally have access to an advasnced combi oven.)
A cooking medium that conducts heat more efficiently and accurately than dry air- (Water and water vapor are typical; oil, stock, or any other liquid will work.)
Thermal Immersion Circulators: What did you call me?
Commonly referred to as circulators, these devices are by far the most common way to heat and maintain the temperature; and yes! they are very easy to use. So what hell are they? For starters, by today's standards, they aren't all that high tech.
All circulators consist of 3 main components:
-a pump to create convection for even cooking
-a heating element to heat the liquid.
-a thermostat to control the temperature, typically with accuracy to within 1/10 of a degree.
The only requirements are an outlet, a container large enough to hold your ingredients, and enough liquid to cover.
There are several circulators currently being marketed to home cooks. Check out PolyScience, Joule, Anova, and Vollrath. Many brands/devices now can even be run from your phone via wireless/bluetooth. Why are they so important?
As my pal Jesse once so poignantly said, “immersion circulators are the biggest step forward in cooking since the inception of the indoor gas range.” I couldn't agree more, and have been using that line for at least a decade! So quit messing around and get one, would ya? If you can charge your Iphone, you can use a circulator! And don't even start with the excuses, I know you’re into making delicious food because you're reading this. And secondly, i'm willing to bet you’ve probably got a drawer full of goofy kitchen gadgets that you've accumulated over the years (I certainly do). {Me too. Why do I own a 40-piece cake decorating tip set? -JS}. So for once, spring for a device that will seriously step up your cooking game. You can order a great circulator for less than $200 bucks, and you could be cooking professional level food in 2 days. (Thanks, Amazon! Amazon is the great equalizer for home cooks!) Unless, that is, you enjoy building a fire every time you wanna boil a pot of water. … in that case, have at it pal.
So if you don't need a vacuum sealer, why is the technique named sous vide?….
My best explanation is simply because cryovac bags and chamber vacuum machines are the original (still the ideal) way to package ingredients to be cooked at low temperature. These expensive machines remove all the air out of the specially designed bags, then seal them off into tidy, ready to use packages. Yeah, they kick ass, nothing does what they do as well as they do. But they are wickedly expensive! And, restaurant people, let's not forget that they really annoy DHEC. But don't worry, my friends, you DO NOT NEED a Cryovac machine! And you're not missing out on much by not having one at your house. A lot of the techniques used by professional chefs can be approximated using a method developed by Dave Arnold, Founder of the Museum of Food and Drink and host of the radio show Cooking Issues. He's awesome, you should check him out, and his sous-vide method is the great equalizer.
I always name check Ziploc Bags, as opposed to generic re-sealable bags, because many off-brands don’t work. The seals fail, the bags come apart when cooking, etc.
Do not purchase the Ziploc bags with the sliding do-dad, those things suck out loud.
Do purchase: Ziploc freezer storage bags, with the regular double seal.
They are excellent cook-chill storage tools, and they act as a better vapor/gas barrier than the regular type, and they're rated by the manufacturer for reheating.
How? Here, the Water Displacement Method. Don't sweat it! It’s really easy.
The Technique:
1) Fill a container with water deep enough to easily submerge your food and bag.
6) Just as the open part of the seal is about to go under the water, close it up.
One more hint, I often save a step and use the same container that I'm going to use to set up my circulator.
The advantages of this method are as follows: you don’t need to buy a vacuum sealer (that's the big one), you won't crush or inadvertently disfigure your food by crushing them in the cryovac machine, food can be removed from the bag and re-sealed easily, ingredients can be bagged hot/warm, the process is very gentle on foods and doesn’t change food textures the way vacuum bagging can, it's just as effective as a cryovac, for cooking for over 90% of items and it doesn't create an anaerobic environment. That last one is the one that keeps DHEC off your back.
The disadvantages of the Ziploc are as follows: they're not as convenient for bagging and storing a lot of items as the vacuum machine, Ziplocs usually cost more than vacuum bags, Ziplock branded bags might fail at or above temperatures of 75C/167F, and non-brand bags will fail at these temperatures or slightly below, so don't be tempted by the initial savings because you’ll only make this mistake once.
If anyone is interested in learning more about the technique, for whatever the reason, please don’t hesitate to reach out. While I am not an authority on this by any stretch, I do have a certain level of expertise, and I’m happy to answer any general or specific questions you may have.
Also, there are hundreds of fantastic resources available to learn more about the technique. As with everything on the internet, you must consider the source. For this reason I always recommend that beginners (and chefs) start with https://www.chefsteps.com. It's almost entirely free. And they, unlike me, are authorities on the sous vide and do an outstanding job demystifying and simplifying all and more than you’ll ever need to know… seriously go sign up.
Sous Vide Basics!
Modern chefs (and modern cookbooks, and modern menus) are always talking about sous vide. In fact, I'm currently working on an article outlining some more unusual applications of the process, tentatively called 'Yeah, You Can Sous Vide That.'
But, hold on… what’s sous vide, you ask? Am I getting a little ahead of my readers? Well, friends. gather around and let Uncle Nate tell you how to get to Sesame Street (yeah it's that easy).
Okay, here's the really quick and dirty: any time you want to use this technique, you will most commonly follow this simple process. First, you’ll fill a container with water, then heat the water to a specific and constant temperature, usually with a device called a circulator (more on that below.
Next, you place your ingredient (commonly a protein) in a plastic bag. Then, you place the bagged ingredient in the heated water bath. Then you cook the ingredient for a specific time… and that's all you have to do. Most people pre- or post- sear for some color and additional flavor, but it's not a requirement.
So.. by eliminating traditional high heat methods and drastic temperature swings, the results are remarkably consistent. Producing moist and juicy food that's cooked perfectly from edge to edge. EVERY TIME. Also, because of the controlled environment, the ingredients have improved flavor, and retain their nutrients and natural aromas, unlike with many traditional techniques. Ya dig it so far? Follow me for a little more background.
FANCY FRENCH, oooh la la…
Despite the technique being around for about 50 years, I still get a lot of blank stares when I tell a non-professional how I cooked something. And It’s totally cool, I really enjoy teaching people that want to learn. To be fair, sous vide has only gained traction, largely among professionals, in the last 20 year or so. And while it does sound a bit unappetizing or possibly even goofy to native English speaking folks such as myself, please don't let the name hold you back from trying this technique. Trust me, this is not the elitist or complicated technique it can be perceived as. WIth the right gear, anyone can do this, 100%. In a way, because it removes some of the difficulty, it actually democratizes cooking. Now, if you know what internal temperature you want your steak to be, it really eliminates some guesswork!
Sous vide by the textbook:
The name translates to 'under vacuum' - by definition this can be misleading, because the defining factor of the technique involves accurate temperature control, NOT Vacuum sealing or special packaging, although those are frequently used, so this is a common misunderstanding.
In broader, more mainstream terms, sous vide almost always refers to low-temperature cooking. This is the true magical part that professionals know and love. The vacuum bags have become iconic to the process, but it's the gentle, low heat that makes the difference. Low temperature cooking Is defined as any cooking procedure where the cooking temperature is at, or close to, the desired final internal temperature. This, my friends, is the defining feature to Sous Vide Cooking, Not the Packaging.
The two fundamental requirements for low-temperature cooking:
Precise & maintained temperature control- (Typically, an immersion circulator although professionals occasionally have access to an advasnced combi oven.)
A cooking medium that conducts heat more efficiently and accurately than dry air- (Water and water vapor are typical; oil, stock, or any other liquid will work.)
Thermal Immersion Circulators: What did you call me?
Commonly referred to as circulators, these devices are by far the most common way to heat and maintain the temperature; and yes! they are very easy to use. So what hell are they? For starters, by today's standards, they aren't all that high tech.
All circulators consist of 3 main components:
-a pump to create convection for even cooking
-a heating element to heat the liquid.
-a thermostat to control the temperature, typically with accuracy to within 1/10 of a degree.
The only requirements are an outlet, a container large enough to hold your ingredients, and enough liquid to cover.
There are several circulators currently being marketed to home cooks. Check out PolyScience, Joule, Anova, and Vollrath. Many brands/devices now can even be run from your phone via wireless/bluetooth. Why are they so important?
As my pal Jesse once so poignantly said, “immersion circulators are the biggest step forward in cooking since the inception of the indoor gas range.” I couldn't agree more, and have been using that line for at least a decade! So quit messing around and get one, would ya? If you can charge your Iphone, you can use a circulator! And don't even start with the excuses, I know you’re into making delicious food because you're reading this. And secondly, i'm willing to bet you’ve probably got a drawer full of goofy kitchen gadgets that you've accumulated over the years (I certainly do). {Me too. Why do I own a 40-piece cake decorating tip set? -JS}. So for once, spring for a device that will seriously step up your cooking game. You can order a great circulator for less than $200 bucks, and you could be cooking professional level food in 2 days. (Thanks, Amazon! Amazon is the great equalizer for home cooks!) Unless, that is, you enjoy building a fire every time you wanna boil a pot of water. … in that case, have at it pal.
So if you don't need a vacuum sealer, why is the technique named sous vide?….
My best explanation is simply because cryovac bags and chamber vacuum machines are the original (still the ideal) way to package ingredients to be cooked at low temperature. These expensive machines remove all the air out of the specially designed bags, then seal them off into tidy, ready to use packages. Yeah, they kick ass, nothing does what they do as well as they do. But they are wickedly expensive! And, restaurant people, let's not forget that they really annoy DHEC. But don't worry, my friends, you DO NOT NEED a Cryovac machine! And you're not missing out on much by not having one at your house. A lot of the techniques used by professional chefs can be approximated using a method developed by Dave Arnold, Founder of the Museum of Food and Drink and host of the radio show Cooking Issues. He's awesome, you should check him out, and his sous-vide method is the great equalizer.
{Seriously, I've tried it, it's awesome. Keep reading. And DHEC won't say 'boo.' -JS}
You can still weaponize your culinary repertoire by using the Water Displacement Method and Ziplock bags.
The Water Displacement Method of packaging without the vacuum:
Ziploc Freezer Bags, the one and only:
You can still weaponize your culinary repertoire by using the Water Displacement Method and Ziplock bags.
The Water Displacement Method of packaging without the vacuum:
Ziploc Freezer Bags, the one and only:
I always name check Ziploc Bags, as opposed to generic re-sealable bags, because many off-brands don’t work. The seals fail, the bags come apart when cooking, etc.
Do not purchase the Ziploc bags with the sliding do-dad, those things suck out loud.
Do purchase: Ziploc freezer storage bags, with the regular double seal.
They are excellent cook-chill storage tools, and they act as a better vapor/gas barrier than the regular type, and they're rated by the manufacturer for reheating.
If you learn the proper technique for bagging, Ziploc bags can get almost as tight as a vacuumed bag.
How? Here, the Water Displacement Method. Don't sweat it! It’s really easy.
The Technique:
1) Fill a container with water deep enough to easily submerge your food and bag.
2) Always add some sort of liquid to the bag –fat, stock, sauce, etc. (If you don't have anything else, use a little water.) The liquid is necessary to fill the gaps around your food and expel the air from the bag. you’ll only need a little bit.
3) Add your ingredients to the bag. A significant advantage of Ziplocs over vacuum bags is that the food can be added to the bag warm. (Cheaper bags might melt, or develop weak spots.).
4) Close the seal of the bag almost completely to the edge, leaving the last portion of the seal open. Make sure you have correctly sealed 90% of the bag.
5) Here's the trick: Hold the open corner to make sure that part of the seal is open. Carefully immerse the bag in the water starting with the closed corner, not the open one. Make sure you do this step carefully, allowing air to escape up and out of the open corner.
3) Add your ingredients to the bag. A significant advantage of Ziplocs over vacuum bags is that the food can be added to the bag warm. (Cheaper bags might melt, or develop weak spots.).
4) Close the seal of the bag almost completely to the edge, leaving the last portion of the seal open. Make sure you have correctly sealed 90% of the bag.
5) Here's the trick: Hold the open corner to make sure that part of the seal is open. Carefully immerse the bag in the water starting with the closed corner, not the open one. Make sure you do this step carefully, allowing air to escape up and out of the open corner.
6) Just as the open part of the seal is about to go under the water, close it up.
One more hint, I often save a step and use the same container that I'm going to use to set up my circulator.
The advantages of this method are as follows: you don’t need to buy a vacuum sealer (that's the big one), you won't crush or inadvertently disfigure your food by crushing them in the cryovac machine, food can be removed from the bag and re-sealed easily, ingredients can be bagged hot/warm, the process is very gentle on foods and doesn’t change food textures the way vacuum bagging can, it's just as effective as a cryovac, for cooking for over 90% of items and it doesn't create an anaerobic environment. That last one is the one that keeps DHEC off your back.
Why is that? Zero oxygen in the bag can be a great thing, but if you’re not careful, in anaerobic conditions some very dangerous pathogens can still spawn, which could lead to some serious food borne illness. The Ziploc Displacement method sidesteps this danger. Regardless of the bag, you still need to follow basic food safety principles. Make sure things are fully cooked. Avoid cross-contamination. Wash hands, tools, and surfaces. You know all this. Also, regardless of the bag you use, NEVER REUSE any bag when cooking at a low temperature. No exceptions. Bags are cheap.
The disadvantages of the Ziploc are as follows: they're not as convenient for bagging and storing a lot of items as the vacuum machine, Ziplocs usually cost more than vacuum bags, Ziplock branded bags might fail at or above temperatures of 75C/167F, and non-brand bags will fail at these temperatures or slightly below, so don't be tempted by the initial savings because you’ll only make this mistake once.
Also, I must acknowledge that there are some benefits that true sous vide cooking provides that this method does not. Ziplocs don't speed a marinade along they way true cryovac bags do, and they lack the extended storage benefits that come with oxygen removal.
If it seems strange to you that a technique that increases storage potential can also increase pathogens, think about this: the problems that DHEC is on the lookout when it comes to reduced-oxygen packing are the same ones that plagued the early canning industry. Sometimes, attempts at preservation have unintended consequences. So we aren't complaining about DHEC, they are just trying to make sure idiots don't kill each other... But this method gets 80% of the benefits of sous vide cooking, while sidestepping that issue entirely.
In closing, I'm a fan of sous-vide cooking, and I think it's something all of you should try. If you do get a circulator, you're going to get a lot more use out if it than you do with that bread maker or the fondue set you got for your wedding. It brings convenience, consistence, and ease. It's hard to overcook things, it's easy to learn, and it gets you that illusive medium-rare-from-edge-to-edge look that nice restaurants tease you with.
We are trying to buck the thinking that this kind of cooking is elitist, difficult, fussy, or expensive. In fact, it's easy, simple, cost-effective, and can be done by anyone.
If anyone is interested in learning more about the technique, for whatever the reason, please don’t hesitate to reach out. While I am not an authority on this by any stretch, I do have a certain level of expertise, and I’m happy to answer any general or specific questions you may have.
Also, there are hundreds of fantastic resources available to learn more about the technique. As with everything on the internet, you must consider the source. For this reason I always recommend that beginners (and chefs) start with https://www.chefsteps.com. It's almost entirely free. And they, unlike me, are authorities on the sous vide and do an outstanding job demystifying and simplifying all and more than you’ll ever need to know… seriously go sign up.
If you're more interested in something on hard copy, Thomas Keller's Under Pressure is a pretty great work on sous-vide cooking, although it's a French Laundry cookbook, so the recipes are going to be difficult, and probably expensive. Still, it's a great repository of information, for those nerdy enough to want to sift through it. And, it's great food porn, besides.
-NW
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