WHAT IS SOUS VIDE?

Sous vide is a French term that translates to “under vacuum” which is also known as reduced oxygen packaging (ROP). Food is vacuum-sealed and cooked in water at a low-temperature; typically, 130–160°F/ 55–71°C. Sous vide cooking can be used for many types of food including meats, poultry, fish, and shellfish as well as vegetables, fruits, and even sauces. Because of the low temperature, cooking times can be an hour for tender proteins like chicken breast, or 24-72 hours for tough cuts, like beef brisket.

Cooking at low temperatures is a gentle process that is less disruptive to food textures, whether it is meat, fish, or vegetables. Proteins in meats don’t denature and toughen as they would in traditional high-heat cooking methods, so they retain more volume and moisture, resulting in a juicy product with greater yield. Moisture loss and shrinkage can be reduced to as little as 5%, compared to traditional cooking methods of 30% or more.

Sous vide cooking doesn’t generate the layered degrees of doneness, like conventional methods, instead creating uniformity from the edge to the center. This is especially important when cooking proteins because it eliminates overcooked or dry edges.