SOUS - VIDE
Sous-vide is a method of cooking
- Food is sealed in airtight plastic bags
- Then placed in a water bath or in a temperature controlled steam environment
for
longer
than normal cooking times
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The Difference Between A Slow Cooker & A Sous-Vide Cooker
- When you use a slow cooker, you are cooking your food at a ‘simmer’ for an extended period
of time - While slow cookers vary from brand to brand, you’re likely cooking between 175 F& 212
- It’s difficult to know the exact temperature because of how a slow cooker heats up
- Like a Dutch oven on your stovetop, your slow cooker is heated from the bottom up, so the temperature at the bottom of the cooker will be slightly different than the temperature at the top
- A sous vide cooker, on the other hand, heats food at a much lower temperature, usually closer to 140 F
- This low temperature is precisely maintained by an immersion heater
- Cooking with an immersion heater allows for an even temperature throughout the sous vide bath, so you always know exactly what temperature your food is being exposed to
- The differences in how slow cookers & sous vide reach & maintain their temperature is what sets the two cooking techniques apart the most
- When you cook with a slow cooker, you run the risk of heating your food too much, resulting
in a meal that is overcooked, dry, or even burned - Sous vide, on the other hand, never reaches a temperature that is high enough to overcook a piece of food, leaving your meal evenly cooked throughout
Taste & Texture
- Slow cooking & sous vide are also definitely different in how they approach food preparation
- When slow cooking, all of your meats, vegetables, seasonings & sauces are spread out in a
big pot - When cooking sous vide, on the other hand, your meats & vegetables are vacuumed sealed
in a bag with their marinade, sauce or other seasonings - This keeps the flavor concentrated & consistent
- The texture of slow cooked food & sous vide food also varies
1. Sous vide cooks meats & vegetables evenly throughout & without reaching temperatures
high enough to damage their texture
2. Meats stay tender & juicy, while vegetables stay crisp
3. Meats cooked in a slow cooker are also juicy, but they have a tendency to fall apart or shred
& vegetables can easily become overcooked & mushy using this method
Know What Method to Use
- Sous vide cookers & slow cookers offer two very different results & both have a place in your kitchen
- Crock pots are a solid choice if your goal is to create a shredded meat like a pot roast
- They are also a great alternative to stovetop cooking for making soups & stews
- If your goal is a perfectly cooked cut of meat, however, there is simply no alternative to the precise, even cooking that sous vide provides
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