25 Sous Vide Recipes to Try ASAP (2024)

FAQs

What is the best thing to make in a sous vide? ›

For example; in a 10 to 15-liter bath, you should be able to accommodate 15-20, 6-ounce portions. For at 20 to 30-liter bath, you can accommodate 30 to 40 6-ounce portions.

Stay Out of the Danger Zone

The biggest concern, especially with sous vide, is food shouldn't be out of the refrigerator at temperatures below 127°F (52.8°C) for more than 3 or 4 hours.

If you're not careful about cooking times (as specified by the product manufacturer), your food can become contaminated. In addition, if your food is not properly vacuum sealed, or your food becomes contaminated during prep, cooking sous-vide poses an additional threat.

Produce that no longer looks completely fresh or already smells strange is, of course, no longer suitable for the sous vide procedure. This particularly applies to fish and meat that is cooked at relatively low temperatures.

Sous vide is a great cooking method but it's a one trick pony. If you want to cook a piece of meat to an exact internal temperature, perfectly, sous vide is the best method. A long slow soak in a sous vide bath will transform a tough piece of meat into a hunk of tenderness as well, but that's all sous vide is good for.

These sous vide eggs have a perfectly set white with a runny yolk. Poached eggs are normally cooked directly in simmering water, but that can be tricky and lead to rubbery, messy eggs. I have tried different variations of times and temps, and this is the best method I have found.

The Precision

This is where sous vide really comes into its own, allowing chefs an unparalleled level of control over their dishes. With a traditional oven or grill, the temperature will invariably vary by a couple of degrees throughout the cooking process.

The number of items you're cooking will not increase cook time as long as the pieces are all separate (not necessarily in separate bags, but in bags that aren't too crowded). Make sure the pieces of food have plenty of room to move around in the bag—if it's jam packed, it's too crowded.

While many will tell you that it's impossible to overcook with sous vide (and this isn't far from the truth), do bear in mind though that if you leave the food in the water bath for an extended period of time it won't 'overcook', but it could start to take on a mushy texture, so don't forget about it!

Can you leave food in sous vide all day? ›

For optimal outcomes, we recommend the following rules of thumb: Don't hold foods longer at cooking temperature for double of their minimum cooking time (see Typhur Sous Vide Station guide for time and temperature). Keep the total cooking duration (including the hold time) under 72 hours.

Ziplock and Glad brand bags are made from polyethylene plastic, and are free of BPAs and dioxins. A good rule of thumb is that when a bag is rated as microwave safe (which requires FDA approval) you can use it for sous vide. Even Dr. Schaffner agrees.

For example, many chefs recommend that sous vide steak should not be cooked for longer than four hours because the connective tissue begins to break down and the steak can become mushy.

Rare sous vide steak (120°F/49°C): Your meat is still nearly raw. Muscle proteins have not started to contract much and will have a slippery, wet texture. Chewier cuts, like hanger or flap meat, will be particularly tough at this stage. Fat has not yet started to render, so fattier cuts will have a waxy texture.

We should sear the steak after. Searing it prior would take you much longer time to get the char compared to 1–2 minutes right after sous vide. It's also more practical because you would not want to put hot steak in sous vide pouch, which might melt.

This is why we sear the meat before cooking sous vide. During the cooking process, the flavors are enhanced and reach the core of the steak. Finally, the flavor is secured in the meat during the chilling process. Searing the meat before cooking sous vide, of course, raises the core temperature of the meat.

So long as you're cooking at above 130°F, there are no real health risks associated with prolonged sous-vide cooking. You will, however, eventually notice a difference in texture. At 130°F, steak cooked for 1 to 4 hours will have a traditional texture with plenty of meaty chew.