Meat that falls apart under the slightest pressure, cooked vegetables that retain their essential taste, marinades that pop with flavour: all are made possible, and incredibly simple, using sous vide. This is slow cooking as an artform, achieved with minimal intervention and producing results that are remarkably consistent – and consistently appealing.
In short, sous vide is the process of vacuum-sealing raw food in a plastic pouch – the term, pronounced ‘sue veed’, means ‘under vacuum’ in French – and placing it into a temperature-controlled water bath, usually set at about 50-60 degrees Celsius, to cook ‘low and slow’. In this way, you can leave any number of items for hours or even days on end, knowing they won’t overcook. Proponents of sous vide cooking point to chicken breast so tender you can cut it with a fork and scrambled eggs the consistency of fine custard.
The benefits are numerous. The hermetic seal created in a sous vide bag traps flavour that would otherwise dissipate, meaning all natural juices and oils remain – perfect when cooking meat and fish. Additionally, the atmospheric pressure created during the vacuum-packing process aids the blending of any seasonings or marinades that have been added prior to cooking, which again helps to elevate flavour and texture.
Sous vide also allows you to gain complete control over cooking times, meaning prep for breakfast, lunch and dinner services can be done well in advance. And that surely makes it a sous-in.
