What Is Sous Vide?

Beef, chicken, salmon vacuum plastic bag sous-vide

What is Sous Vide?

You may have heard lately about this mysterious cooking technique called sous vide, but what does it actually mean?

Sous vide is a method of cooking which has gained a significant immense increase in popularity in the last few years. Sous vide (from French “under vacuum“, pronounced “Soo veed”) is a culinary technique that allows you to precisely control all the necessary cooking conditions. This is done by sealing the food hermetically into a plastic bag and submerging it in hot water while maintaining exact temperature for specific time. This fool-proof yet scientific technique allows you to secure surprisingly consistent and professional results even though you are not a professional chef.

What is needed, when you want to cook something sous vide?

  • Sous vide cooker – This is a device which can heat up water to an exact temperature and maintain set level precisely
  • Vacuum sealer or sealable plastic bags (e.g. Ziploc)
  • Large pot or container filled with water
  • Pan or skillet for searing

Why would you need sous vide when you can cook everything traditionally?

Sous vide comes handy when you want to be 100% sure of the outcome. Let’s imagine that you are planning a date and you want to cook something unforgettable for your loved one. Nothing can ruin your date more than an undercooked piece of meat or fish which tastes like rubber. Sous vide could be also useful when you are about to hold a big party and want to be prepared in advance. You can keep your perfectly cooked food in a water bath for a long time. The food will be ready when each of the guests arrives and you do not have to worry about overcooking it. What people using sous vide appreciate the most is the pleasant fact that you can simply achieve the quality of fine-dining restaurant dishes with near to zero cooking experience.

Visit our Beginner’s Guide to Sous Vide Cooking which provides you with all the necessary information about the first steps with sous vide and also answers most of the questions you may currently have.

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