SOUS VIDE
BY EMILY WILSON
Copyright 2020 - All rights reserved.
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Chapter 1
Essential Kitchen Equipment
In the previous chapter, we went over different Sous Vide machines and appliances and the benefits of each. Lets go into detail about the pieces of equipment youll need for a successful sous vide kitchen.
Vacuum Sealer
Even if youre going the all-in-one route, youll probably need a vacuum sealer; most machines dont include one. You can also use the zip-top freezer bag and water method if youre on a tight budget, but with vacuum sealers going for $15 or less, its just as easy to pick up the machine.
Plastic Bags
A vacuum sealer usually comes with a roll of heavy-duty plastic bags specifically designed for the machine. Youll also need some freezer bags for recipes that use the water seal method (see the DIY Alternatives section above). Its important to use freezer bags instead of your run-of-the-mill sandwich bags because freezer bags have tougher seals that wont degrade in water.
Mason Jars
Some of the recipes in this book use mason jars instead of plastic bags for the cooking vessel. Jars come in handy when youre cooking something that you want to have a specific shape, like a custard or a cake. Make sure to always screw on the lids using the finger-tight method familiar to canners: only screw on the lid as tightly as you can get using two fingers. This ensures that steam can escape during cooking, which prevents cracks.
Immersion Circulator
As detailed in the previous chapter, immersion circulators warm up the water in your basin while moving it around so that everything is heated evenly. You wont need one if you buy sous vide oven, which has a circulator built in.
Water Basin
The best thing about an immersion circulator is that you can use it with any pot you have around the house. For the most precise results, though, youll want to buy a dedicated sous vide container, preferably plastic (which is a better insulator than metal). I suggest a Cambro container, a restaurant-industry favorite that comes in a wide range of sizes. The 4.75-gallon version is best for family cooking. (Naturally, you dont need a separate basin if you have a sous vide oven.)
Cast-iron Skillet or Nonstick Pan
If youd like to give your food a dark, restaurant-worthy char after it comes out of the sous vide, youll need to fire it up in a pan. Hot cast iron or copper skillets are best for this, but a good nonstick skillet will also work.
Saucepan
A few recipes in this book require a few steps to finish the sauce before the meal is complete. Make sure you have a saucepan handy for these recipes.
Cooking Sous Vide Safety
As with all new concepts, people have certain doubts about Sous Vide cooking. Some like to think it is not okay to cook food in plastic bags, while others are concerned about low cooking temperatures.
Cooking in plastic this sounds like a wrong decision, and there are some alarming reports. We get your concern, as most of Sous Vide bags are made polyethylene. But, there are some other things to have in mind. What about clean kitchen surfaces, and clean equipment? We should put all blame on the plastic bags. And what about plastic food containers, arent they bad?
Plastic is not okay, but if you buy plastic bags from certified retailers, you can make your food perfectly safe. In the end, plastic is not safe when used over and over again, or at high temperatures. Sous Vide bags should be used only once, and since this appliance does not cook at high temperatures, you will be perfectly okay. We know we love quality, juice, and well-done meat, seafood, and veggies, and why to avoid this, just because we are afraid. Still, if you have doubts, you can use canning jars instead.
Another concern when it comes to Sous Vide is bacteria, especially salmonella. Salmonella only thrives in a particular range of temperatures, from 40-135F.
This danger zone is the reason why we keep our food in the refrigerator for an hour before we cook them, or cook food to a particular temperature before we serve and eat them.
There is no need to worry about bacteria, as long you keep your food clean, your kitchen counter clean, and refrigerate before cooking. Once you vacuum-seal you fresh steak or fish and cook it for longer periods of time at a steady temperature, there are no worries that any bacteria will grow. The precision temperature control of Sous Vide means that this method is safe than other traditional methods.
Sous Vide is an entirely safe way to cook food, and plastic bags are okay because you are not exposing them to high temperatures. As you see, there is no reason why not to enjoy perfectly cooked and juicy food from the Sous Vide appliance.
Chapter 2 Sous Vide Egg Recipes
Eggs With Roasted Peppers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time:1 hour
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs
- cup grated Gouda cheese
- cup cream cheese
- 3 roasted peppers (peeled and seeded)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
