Over here at Wafuken, we cook our meats and fish using Sous-vide to ensure the cuts of meat and fish remain both juicy and tender. What exactly is this magical method of cooking delicious and nutritious food? Let us demystify this for you!
What Exactly is Sous-Vide?
Sous-vide (French for "under vacuum”) is a method of cooking in which food is sealed in airtight plastic bags then placed in a water bath for longer than normal cooking times (95 hours or more in some cases) at an accurately regulated temperature much lower than normally used for cooking, typically around 55 to 60 °C (131 to 140 °F) for meat and higher for vegetables. The intent is to cook the item evenly, ensuring that the inside is properly cooked without overcooking the outside, and retain moisture.
Traditional cooking methods yield a succulent and tender result only within a very narrow range of temperature. As the food cooks, the pan or pot that it is cooked in has a higher temperature than the ideal temperature for the food to be cooked. Remove your food from heat too late or too early and you will end up with a overcooked or undercooked dish instead.
Sealing in Flavours
Sous-vide cooks the food in airtight plastic food-safe bags and this ensures the food is in a fully humid environment and this effectively braises the food. Food cooked using sous vide tend to end up juicy and tender because of this! However, because because food never reach temperatures high enough to brown it, food cooked using sous-vide are usually finished off with just a quick sear to give it a best of both worlds. During the cooking process, herbs and flavourings can be sealed together in the bag to infuse into the food.
Sous-vide is gaining popularity in recent times and most homecooking options for this delicious method of cooking is getting increasingly affordable. Do give it a try but be prepared to wait for a while and plan ahead while cooking using sous-vide. Can’t wait that long? No worries! Just head down to wafuken today for a healthy delicious meal cooked using sous-vide.
