Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Vacuum-Sealed Food Is Perfect For Sous Vide Style Cooking

Vacuum-Sealed Food Is Perfect For Sous Vide Style Cooking


by Stephen Daniels

Word Count: 408

Keywords: vacuum sealer, vacuum packer, home vacuum packers



Cooking vacuum-sealed foods sous vide style is not a new method, but it's increasingly catching on as an in-home alternative to using the oven. Sous vide means "under vacuum," the essence of it being that raw food is prepared precisely at the temperature it will be served. The process starts by sealing a cut of meat, seafood or even vegetables in a plastic pouch with a vacuum packer. The pouch is submerged into hot water heated to the desired temperature, letting the contents cook slowly and thoroughly.



Sous vide preparation takes much longer than traditional methods - 30 to 40 hours in some cases. While this amount of preparation is untenable in the short term, it allows one to start cooking a day or more before the meal. Among the benefits, less liquid is required to marinade foods, and none of the flavor is lost during the process. In terms of texture and flavor, the sous vide method is unsurpassed.



A medium-rare steak prepared sous vide isn't just medium rare on the inside, while remaining tougher on the outside - it is medium rare throughout. This method gives food a silky, smooth texture that is impossible with oven cooking. Even tough cuts of meat stay tender, with each bite melting in the mouth. Besides meats, all types of fish and seafood, vegetables and even eggs may be prepared sous vide.



This style of cooking requires a vacuum sealer to enclose foods in a sealed, airtight bag, as well as an even-heating pot. Sous vide has traditionally been limited to restaurants that have access to expensive equipment. However, many consumer-grade sealers and slow-cooking vessels are available to amateur gourmet chefs for far less money.



Besides preparing food for "under vacuum" cooking, home vacuum packers can be used for other purposes. Quickly seal freshly-blanched vegetables or uneaten portions of meals; or save money by buying in bulk, and vacuum sealing the majority for long-term storage. Home vacuum-packed foods also save a tremendous amount of space when stored. After sealing, they must be frozen, but they will store far longer and not suffer from freezer burn.



Sous vide is catching on with home gourmets, but it's been used by the world's top chefs for decades. One may even see demonstrations on TV cooking shows. While it takes many hours to prepare food in this style, the results are outstanding in terms of tenderness, texture and flavor, as well as nutrient retention.



Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.



Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed internet marketing strategist. If you need vacuum sealers or retort pouches for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends Professional Marketing Group. Specializing in food packaging since 1984, they offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.

13 comments:

jason said...

sous vide sounds very cool. do you have some examples of restaurants that use this method? thanks.

VacUpack PMG Inc. = Vacuum Packers said...

It is very big in NY City and several here in Seattle, as well as most major cities that are 5 star restaurants. The chefs like to keep their secrets so we can not say exact places. Ask when you order next time at a 5 star resaurant if they Sous Vide the meals. It is also becoming popular at cafeterias as they can prep many meals and reheat them fast to have ready for a lunch line. You may get this method of prep at your local lunch counter, hospital cafeteria or college school lunch lines. Thank you for your question.

Jennifer Greene said...

In the past you had to specialized equipment to do sous vide. However with a good quality vacuum sealer, it is now easy enough to do at home.

Robin Underwood said...

I love sous vide. Had a steak in New York that was cooked this way. Best steak I have ever eaten. The meat was tender and almost delicate. I am getting hungry thinking about it.

Jon Shipman said...

Sous vide sounds cool. I need to find a restaurant in my area that does it to sample what it is like. But now that I know I can do it with my vacuum sealer, I am putting it a the top of my to-do list.

Robin Underwood said...

@Jon once you try it you will be floored. That is why I came to this site. I was looking for a high quality vacuum sealer, so I could try and prepare food as good as that steak.

Jon Shipman said...

Robin, you are at the right site. PMG is the go to guys for getting a high quality vacuum sealer. They really know their stuff.

lisa sahoo said...

This is great.
vacuum packing , which will help me a lot.
Visit: http://orved.it/

commercial food vacuum said...

As, sous vide has become more popular and moved to the home kitchen, the term, now, encompasses traditional vacuum sous vide and also, low temperature cooking.

Manoj Singal said...
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Manoj Singal said...
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Cryovac Shrink Films said...

Wow! great style of cooking. Thanks for that.

Sue Sheriff said...

I sure that Vacuum Sealers Are Worth because I have a foodsaver V3860 vacuum Sealer for sous vide. I didn't believe that a product at the low price can help me a lot when keep food fresh, but I got a mistake. Now I totally trust the quality of this machine.