Sous vide
Sous vide cooks vacuum-sealed food in a water bath held at an exact temperature, so meat and fish cook evenly edge to edge and cannot overshoot.
Also called Sous-vide, Water bath cooking.
Sous vide is French for under vacuum. Food is sealed in a plastic bag and cooked in a water bath held at the exact temperature you want the inside of the food to reach. A small device called an immersion circulator heats and moves the water. Because the water never gets hotter than the target, a steak set at 54°C (129°F) comes out medium-rare from edge to edge.
How to do it
- Set the circulator in a pot of water and heat it to your target, for example 54°C (129°F) for medium-rare steak or 63°C (145°F) for a juicy pork chop.
- Season the food and seal it in a food-safe bag. Vacuum-seal it, or use a zip-top bag and lower it into the water to push out the air before closing.
- Clip the bag to the side of the pot so the food stays under water.
- Cook for the time a tested chart gives for the food and its thickness. A 2.5 cm (1 inch) steak takes about 1 to 2 hours. Thicker pieces take longer.
- Take the food out and pat it very dry.
- Sear it in a very hot pan for 30 to 60 seconds per side to brown it.
How to tell it is done
The food has been in the bath long enough to reach the water temperature all the way through, and, for lower temperatures, long enough to be safe. Check the internal temperature with a thermometer if unsure.
Why it works
Heat moves from the water into the food until both are the same temperature, and then stops. Nothing overcooks at the edge. Safety depends on both temperature and time: chicken held at 60°C (140°F) long enough is as safe as chicken cooked briefly to 74°C (165°F). Use a tested time table for anything below standard guidance.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the sear. The meat is gray and soft on the outside.
- A wet surface when searing. Dry it well, or the crust takes too long and overcooks the edge.
- Floating bags. Air pockets stop the heat reaching the food. Weigh them down.
- Holding food for many hours at low temperatures. Below about 54°C (130°F), bacteria can grow. Stay within tested times.
- Cooling bags slowly. Chill cooked bags in ice water before refrigerating.
Sous vide recipes
1 recipe from the sites we collect.
Related terms
- Vacuum sealVacuum sealing removes air from a plastic bag and seals it shut. It slows freezer burn and spoilage but does not make food safe at room temperature.
- SearSearing browns the surface of meat or fish in a very hot pan to build a deep, flavorful crust. It adds flavor but does not seal in juices.
- Internal temperatureInternal temperature is the heat at the center of food, read with a probe thermometer. It is the surest way to know meat, fish and bread are done and safe.
- Medium-rareA medium-rare steak is cooked to 55 to 57°C (130 to 135°F) inside, with a warm red-pink center. Many chefs see it as the best balance of tender and juicy.
- Oil-poachOil-poaching cooks food gently submerged in warm oil, well below frying heat. Fish turns silky and moist, and the oil can be reused for flavor.
- DonenessDoneness is how far food has cooked, from rare to well done for meat. This chart gives steak temperatures and the safe minimum for each meat.