James Abraham - Sous Vide: 50 Modern Sous Vide Classic Recipes for Home

Sous vide cooking is not as crazy scary as it might seem. Simply put, sous vide is the practice of preparing and sealing food in an airtight container, then cooking it in temperature-controlled water. The term sous vide , itself, loosely translates to under vacuum in French.

The most fundamental basis for sous vide cooking involves sealing a protein with marinade, herbs, spices, or a special sauce blend, then dropping it into a large pot of water. Theres no contact with any heated metal surfaces in sous vide cooking nor with flames, smoke, or any other direct cooking element. In fact, the water never even boils.

Seem strange? It shouldnt. Youve probably eaten sous vide cooking many times in your life and didnt even realize it.

Sous vide has long been a standard practice for restauranteurs. The method not only saves time but can also promote a healthier and more sterile kitchen environment. It also protects recipes from becoming inconsistent between cooks. Think about the last time you tried a recipe that was so delicious when prepared by the person who gave it to you, but your batch seemed different. This is because no two people will cook exactly the same. When one master chef can prepare all meals via sous vide, leaving his sous chefs to carry them from container to plate, the recipe is much harder to mess up.

In fact, sous vide cooking used to be reserved solely for restaurant cooking because of the expense and large machinery that was once involved in the process. Today, sous vide is gaining popularity as a home cooking method, and there are smaller machines on the market at very reasonable prices. Many people are finding that sous vide is a life-altering way to change up their cooking.

Are you a busy mom? Maybe you live alone and have a hard time preparing a meal that is appropriately sized for just one? Do you have in-laws that often announce they are dropping in for dinner without being invited? Vacuum-sealed meals can make preparing dinner fast and easy, and you never have to worry about how many are coming to eatpackaging single servings means you can pull one meal from the freezer or ten!

Sous Vide machines use heated coils to warm water to a steady temperature without fluctuating too hot or too cold. In doing so, this maintains a gradual and controlled heat from which the food prepared inside of the bag can be cooked to perfection. Once the internal temperature of the food within the bag reaches the same temperature as the outside water, it is done. Since the water never gets any hotter, the food cannot burn, but it does take a little longer to cook. For this reason, many people choose to cook their meals throughout the day while they are working.

This method of cooking also serves another wonderful purpose: It can actually protect as well as improve your grocery purchases. You cant overcook your meals, which is a huge benefit to this type of cooking. It also makes meat more tender because the muscle fibers of the meat dont contract as rapidly as they would with other traditional cooking methods. This means cheaper cuts of steaks like tri-tips or chucks wind up tasting more like T-Bones or Sirloins.

Whether you are cooking proteins, eggs, potatoes, or vegetables, sous vide is a perfectly great way to make their preparation easy and wonderful!

Below, we will outline five amazing things you need to know about sous vide cooking.

You can easily transform a cheap cut of meat into the best steak you have ever put in your mouth. Whether you are cooking brisket, pork shoulder, or a round steak, you will be amazed at how the slow cooking, seasoning absorbing cooking method will transform it into something youve never tried before. The best part? You can prepare these cuts of meat ahead of time, freeze them, and have a mouth-watering meal whenever you want!
Be ready to prepare an amazing feast for your friends and family. Before long, they will be begging you to cook for them, or at least to tell them your secret. Speaking of secretsheres another one. Searing the outside of your cut of meat after cooking it sous vide either on a griddle, frying pan, or the grill will keep your guests guessing as to just how you managed to cook it so flavorful. They wont even know its sous vide!