Basic Steps of Sous Vide Cooking
Sous vide is a method of cooking that cooks vacuum-packed food by strictly controlling the temperature. Compared with traditional cooking methods, its precise temperature control ensures the perfect doneness and texture of food. And vacuum packaging retains its flavor and nutrition better in the process. In the field of food catering, sous vide cooking is categorized into molecular gastronomy. Modern cooking equipment and instruments are used to produce new dishes to seek the balance and harmony of color, smell, taste, shape and meaning.
Generally, there are two ways to eat sous vide food. One is to eat the food directly after cooking and the other is to refrigerate or freeze the food first, and then reheat it before serving. The processing technology of them is slightly different which includes the following steps.
Prep Food.
Ingredients need to be cut and cleaned before being cooked. For example, old and stale leaves of vegetables ought to be removed and some kinds of meats are boneless. Tough meat, in particular, often need to be marinated or pickled with salts to tenderize the texture. Vinegar, cooking wine and olive oil are usually used for pickling. Saline water is capable of dissolving the structure of muscle fibers and helping retain 10-25% moisture. And some spices and dairy are also added to play the role of flavouring.
Package & Seal.
We should choose food-grade packaging materials featuring high-temperature resistance and low oxygen permeability. And they are generally made of PA/PE. The vacuum degree depends on the food in the vacuum-sealed bag. And the inappropriate operation may destroy the shape and taste of food, or lead to quality problems during the process of heating and storing. Therefore, in the selection of related equipment, we can choose a vacuum packing machine with dry & moist modes or a "Pulse" button to control the vacuum degree and time properly.
Sous Vide.
In this cooking method, sous vide cookers are one of the most commonly used equipment. The heat transfer of them is relatively balanced with small fluctuation in temperature and fast hot-transfer rate of water. Keep the food completely submerged in water during operation and do not overlap it with other bags. In principle, the temperature of cooking needs to be equal to or greater than 65℃ to achieve the purpose of sterilization. But it is best not to exceed 70℃, otherwise the food would lose too much moisture and flavor. The time and temperature for attaining the best quality vary from the types of foods.
Refrigerate or Freeze.
The main potential risk of sous vide products is anaerobes. Compared with refrigeration, freezing can effectively inhibit the growth of anaerobes and prolong the shelf life of food safely. However, it inevitably alters some original qualities of food and softens its structure so that there is more juice leaking when we thaw food. What's more, extending the time of preservation excessively will decrease the tenderness and taste of food, so try not to store food in the fridge too long.
Reheat and Finish.
Ready-to-eat foods that do not need to be refrigerated or frozen after sous vide cooking are generally seasoned fish, shellfish, eggs, etc. While steaks, pork chops and other ingredients ought to be processed again until being served. Their attractive color and flavor are mainly produced by the Maillard Reaction and the thermal degradation of fats. We can, for instance, color the food through frying and roasting. And it should be noted that food refrigerated or frozen needs to be reheated before being eaten.
Generally, there are two ways to eat sous vide food. One is to eat the food directly after cooking and the other is to refrigerate or freeze the food first, and then reheat it before serving. The processing technology of them is slightly different which includes the following steps.
Prep Food.
Ingredients need to be cut and cleaned before being cooked. For example, old and stale leaves of vegetables ought to be removed and some kinds of meats are boneless. Tough meat, in particular, often need to be marinated or pickled with salts to tenderize the texture. Vinegar, cooking wine and olive oil are usually used for pickling. Saline water is capable of dissolving the structure of muscle fibers and helping retain 10-25% moisture. And some spices and dairy are also added to play the role of flavouring.
Package & Seal.
We should choose food-grade packaging materials featuring high-temperature resistance and low oxygen permeability. And they are generally made of PA/PE. The vacuum degree depends on the food in the vacuum-sealed bag. And the inappropriate operation may destroy the shape and taste of food, or lead to quality problems during the process of heating and storing. Therefore, in the selection of related equipment, we can choose a vacuum packing machine with dry & moist modes or a "Pulse" button to control the vacuum degree and time properly.
Sous Vide.
In this cooking method, sous vide cookers are one of the most commonly used equipment. The heat transfer of them is relatively balanced with small fluctuation in temperature and fast hot-transfer rate of water. Keep the food completely submerged in water during operation and do not overlap it with other bags. In principle, the temperature of cooking needs to be equal to or greater than 65℃ to achieve the purpose of sterilization. But it is best not to exceed 70℃, otherwise the food would lose too much moisture and flavor. The time and temperature for attaining the best quality vary from the types of foods.
Refrigerate or Freeze.
The main potential risk of sous vide products is anaerobes. Compared with refrigeration, freezing can effectively inhibit the growth of anaerobes and prolong the shelf life of food safely. However, it inevitably alters some original qualities of food and softens its structure so that there is more juice leaking when we thaw food. What's more, extending the time of preservation excessively will decrease the tenderness and taste of food, so try not to store food in the fridge too long.
Reheat and Finish.
Ready-to-eat foods that do not need to be refrigerated or frozen after sous vide cooking are generally seasoned fish, shellfish, eggs, etc. While steaks, pork chops and other ingredients ought to be processed again until being served. Their attractive color and flavor are mainly produced by the Maillard Reaction and the thermal degradation of fats. We can, for instance, color the food through frying and roasting. And it should be noted that food refrigerated or frozen needs to be reheated before being eaten.