What is Sous Vide Cooking?
The Sous Vide cooking technique was created by Chef Georges Pralus in the 1970’s. Sous Vide cooking, pronounced (soo-veed), is a technique of cooking your foods in a water bath.
Sous Vide cooking is as simple as you putting your food into pouches or ziplock style bags, with some units, then immerse it into the water that is kept at a precise temperature. Just walk away and let the water oven or immersion circulator do the work of cooking.
Since your food is kept at a precise temperature that does not rise or fall, your foods are cooked to the perfect doneness. With the Sous Vide machines you will always have moist and tender foods without the worry of anything overcooking. You will have the right cooking temperatures for different foods included with the machine you choose.
What is the difference between Sous Vide Cooking & Immersion Circulators?
I have searched many different websites, blogs and Amazon customer reviews about both of these cooking products. Here are some of the main differences that people have said about these products:
- With the water ovens you have the space inside the water oven only. You can only fit a certain amount of food in the ovens at any one time. With the water/immersion circulators, you can use different size pans or bowls with them. Being able to choose the size of the pot or bowl allows you to cook more food at one time and larger pieces of meat.
2. With the Sous Vide Water Ovens, you have to use food grade bags, either the sous vide bags or ones that are sealed with a Foodsaver. You can’t use Ziplock style bags with the water ovens.
With the water/immersion circulators, you can use the ziplock bags because they are clipped to the sides of the pot or bowl that you are using. When using the ziplock bags it’s just important to get as much of the air out of them as possible.
3. The Sous Vide Water Ovens hold in the steam as it cooks, the water/immersion circulators don’t close, you could cover it but still the steam can escape from the open bowls.
The water ovens have tops that close and contain the steam within the units top. This allows for quicker more energy efficient cooking.
4. The Sous Vide Water Ovens take up a bit of space, about the size of a bread maker. They are still very easy to store for most people but if you want or need something more compact and easier to store, then the immersion circulators are probably a better choice for you.
5. Both the Sous Vide Water Ovens and the water/Immersion Circulators maintain temperatures for your foods to be cooked perfectly, when following the cooking guides with your machine.
Some people have said that the water/Immersion Circulators heat up quicker and maintain the perfect temperatures better but, the Water Ovens are also always within a half or one degree of the temperature selected. In other words, both maintain the heat of the water very well so this shouldn’t be an issue when purchasing.
How do you cook using the Sous Vide Technique?
You can cook with your Sous Vide water ovens or immersion circulators in 5 easy steps.
- Season your foods to your liking
- Vacuum seal or put your seasoned foods into a ziplock bag, with some units, removing the air as much as possible
- Drop the sealed foods into the water oven or the bowl your using with the immersion circulators
- Set the temperature on your cooker to the right temperature, based on what you are cooking & walk away
- To brown your meats or anything that you have cooked, remove it from the bag and sear it on your stovetop, grill or oven, to the desired crispiness that you prefer
What Can You Cook With a Sous Vide?
I think the better question is what can’t you cook using a Sous Vide. Below are some of the foods that you will be able to cook:
- Burgers, Steaks, Ribs, Roasts, Chicken, Pork, Turkey, Lamb, Veal, Sausage, Ham, etc. (any meats)
- Fish, Clams, Shrimp, Oysters, Lobster, Crab, etc. (any seafood)
- Eggs, Lentils, Rice, Cheese Curds, Yogurts, Puddings, etc.
- Cakes, Custards, Applesauce, Fruit Sauces, veggies, etc.
You can even make infused oils, purees, fruit fillings and cheese sauces in your Sous Vide cookers or Immersion Circulators.
Anything you can think of that you make in your oven, stovetop, grill and even in your slow cookers, can be cooked in a Sous Vide water cooker.
You can cook full meals in the Sous Vide Water Cookers and the Immersion Circulators, the temperatures that different foods need to be cooked at will be included with the cooking guides in the product you choose.
To cook full meals in the unit you will most likely need to add things at different times. For instance, the meats would go in first to start cooking, then you would add your produce later. Produce cooks at a higher temperature for shorter times, usually.
A Little More About Sous Vide Water Ovens & Immersion Cookers:
Sous Vide cooking machines were originally only available for use in restaurants. In the last few years they have been making there way into residential homes. There are smaller units available, like the immersion circulators, along with the original Sous Vide water ovens.
The immersion circulators are put into a bowl with water and your food, that is in a ziplock bag, and attached to the edge of the bowl. You turn the immersion circulator on and it will heat the water to the right temp for whatever it is you are cooking.
Below you will find the different Sous Vide ovens and immersion circulators so you can have a better idea of which one is best for you. If you have any questions or would like to share your opinions and experiences about the Sous Vide cookers, please leave them below!
Sous Vide Supreme Water Oven
Price: $399.95
Size: 11.4×14.2×11.4 inches
Water Depth: 7 inches
- Features:
Push Button Controls - Holds 3 Gallons-11 Liters of Water
- Capable of Cooking Large Roasts
- Holds Water Temp For Hours or Days
- Can Set From 0 Minutes to 99 Hours
- Must Use Sous Vide Bags or Foodsaver Variety
- Universal Pouch Rack
- Perforated Grill Generates Thermal Turbulence
Sous Vide Supreme Demi Water Oven
Price: $306.11
Size: 11.3″H, 10.96″W,12.99″L
Water Depth: 6 inches
- Features:
Push Button Controls - Holds 2.3 Gallons of Water
- Capable of Cooking Roast etc.
- Can Set From 0 Minutes To 99 Hours
- Must Use Sous Vide Bags or Foodsaver Variety
- Precise Temperature Controls
- Holds Water Temp For Hours or Days
- Stainless Steel Universal Pouch Rack For Easy Positioning
- Perforated Grill Generates Thermal Turbulence
The Sous Vide Supreme Demi Water Oven offers the same capabilities as it’s larger version, the Sous Vide Supreme but in a more compact version that is perfect for your countertop. The sous vide supreme is the size of a large crock pot while the sous vide demi is about the size of a simple bread machine.
The difference between these models are the size of the water bath itself. The water bath holder determines how much can be cooked at one time within the units. There is a 1 inch water capacity difference between the units. The demi holds an inch less of water compared to the supreme model.
Both of these machines keep your water at temps between 1 degree of the set temperature for what you’re cooking. They are both also energy efficient because of the stainless steel lid that contains the steam in it maximizing the controlled temperature.
The Sous Vide Water Ovens have to use either the Sous Vide bags or other food grade bags such as Foodsaver styles.
To read reviews from other customers that have purchased this product or to purchase one yourself, just click on the product you’re interested in and it will take you to Amazon for further information before purchasing.
Sous Vide Supreme Water Oven
Sous Vide Supreme Demi Water Oven
Sous Vide Supreme Professional Water Oven