Sous Vide -- Read all about it!!

Sous vide is a really good way to cook.

I just ran across an article from Bon Appétit (March 20, 2017) titled “The Best way to cook a steak?” Well, now, we’re getting somewhere. I figured they were going to push sous vide! Oh, no, that wasn’t it at all! The “secret” they give you is to oil the meat instead of the pan when frying the meat. (It works for beef, pork chop, and lamb chop.

What the article says about this technique is probably all true; it sounds plausible. If I were frying a steak I’d probably try it. Go ahead … give it a whirl. I’m sure it will make a good eating experience.

However, putting the steak in (say) 130 degree F water (in a sealed cooking bag, of course) for anywhere from 1 to 4 hours gets you a never fail medium rare steak cooked to exactly the same doneness through the entire piece. Look up “sous vide” on the Internet and read all about it (https://anovaculinary.com/what-is-sous-vide/how-to-cook-sous-vide/). Of course it is easier (but not really that much) if you have a controlled heating element that also circulates the water (and items being cooked) in a pot, maintains the temperature you select, and shuts off all by itself after the maximum time you choose.

When you are ready to eat (the window of three hours after the beef is ready is a true convenience when guests arrive late), you just pull it out, brown the beef in a pan if your guests object to eating meat that doesn’t look “cooked” or they want a crisper outer shell on the beef. I usually allow 30 seconds on each side and a little bit on the edges to brown the meat a little without cooking the inside more. Here’s where the technique of “oiling” the meat instead of the pan might be useful.

I don’t oil the pan at this point, actually. I just use a cast iron pan that is really hot and lay the meat in it. 30 seconds and then flip it. At this point I salt, pepper, and lay a bit of butter on the meat, and then get it onto the plate. Done! Simple, quick, and perfectly cooked and served when you want it.

My son gave me my sous vide “tool” (an ANOVA immersion heater) and it’s one of the best kitchen gifts I have ever gotten. While it can be used for eggs and vegetables, I find it most useful for meats and chicken. Because I use a vacuum sealer for freezer items, all my main dish items go into bags, separately, and ready to cook this way. You do have to thaw them out first. Warming them up to room temperature is just as fast as putting them into pot water and using the sous vide heater to warm them until the whole pot comes to the cooking temperature. I just toss them into the sink a couple of hours before I am going to cook them. Hey! They are in vacuum sealed bags!

There are other brands, of course, and lots of techniques to play with until you are comfortable with sous vide. But this is a great way to easily make really good meat and chicken dishes. There are also DIY instructions on the net on how to build your own sous vide tubs and equipment. Some of them are interesting, but not for me!