2014 began almost immediately with an introduction to a new technology: sous vide. Sous Vide technology comes from the restaurant business, from the so-called “haute cuisine.” The bottom line is this: this is a method of long-term low-temperature cooking of products that are placed in water in a sealed vacuum bag. A device designed for preparing such semi-finished products must be able to very accurately maintain the temperature within a fairly wide range with the ability to fine-tune it (usually from 40 °C to 99 °C in 1-degree increments). The first to arrive to us was Steba SV1 sous vide.
Towards the end of the year, we got acquainted with the next model from the same manufacturer - Steba SV2. It is distinguished by the presence of a pump that mixes the water (which, in theory, should ensure more uniform heating of the products) and an even larger tank volume (which was already 6 liters, and now 10). True, among other things, the SV2 model is even more expensive, and the SV1 was also quite expensive.
In this case, it is difficult to separate specific products from the technology, since on the Russian market of household (i.e., home, not restaurant) equipment, sous vide is represented by precisely the two devices described above. Well, that’s what we’ll do for now: consider everything in its entirety.
pros
- New unusual cooking technology
- Lots of opportunities for interesting experiments
- It is extremely difficult to mess up a dish by following instructions
Minuses
- Additionally, you will need to purchase a vacuum sealer
- Sous vide devices cost the same as an expensive multicooker without replacing it
- The occupation requires a lot of free time
Potential audience
One could appeal to the practicality and cost-effectiveness of sous vide - but we’re not writing for restaurant owners, are we? But for the individual Russian “home” user, this cooking technology still remains a funny delicacy, a quirk. Accordingly, the main audience for these devices is either those who already have a couple of culinary hobbies and have developed a passion for collecting them, or those who are wondering whether to get their first one. In this case, sous vide can be safely recommended: training does not require special training and a high level of knowledge, it is almost impossible to spoil the dish following the instructions, but you will be able to surprise guests and relatives.
| Average price Steba SV1 | $149() |
| Average price Steba SV2 | $351() |
Multicooker
programming must be programmable
From the very beginning, as soon as we started writing about such a variety of devices as multicookers, we were surprised by one question: why do manufacturers make so many built-in fixed programs for everything, when it would be much easier to make one freely customizable? Of course, the housewives would have something to say about this, but we are still techies, and it’s unusual for us to be without a customizable program.
As a result, of course, they did it. Not even a year has passed. And one of the first products of this kind that came to us was a multicooker.
As it turned out, the first pancake is by no means always lumpy: the device is remembered for the fact that it can do everything you need and copes with almost everything well.
pros
- Multicook Plus function (flexible multi-stage cooking program)
- Heating element in lid (good for baking)
- Bowl with handles
Minuses
- The display and touch control buttons are located on the lid
- There is no protection against the operation of heaters without a bowl or with an empty bowl
- The condensate container is too small
Potential audience
Anyone who would like to have a multicooker. still remains an “averagely pleasant” universal product - both the price is moderate and the possibilities are wide. Of course, everywhere has its minor shortcomings, but in this case they are just minor ones - they can be tolerated. So unless you need something super exclusive, like smartphone control or cooking brown wild rice, then this product is something that will almost certainly satisfy the typical user.
| Average price Polaris PMC 0523AD | $61() | T-10545160 |
rice cooker
rice and eggs are our food
As we know, modern multicookers are descended from Japanese rice cookers, and sometimes it can be quite difficult to draw the line between these two types of devices - their functions and capabilities are so similar. In the case of C, the shift of this facet towards the ancestors is clearly noticeable, although it is supplied to our market precisely as a multicooker.
No one forbids cooking borscht in this multicooker (although, frankly, it is still more of a rice cooker) - however, it is hardly reasonable to buy it for this, especially since there are plenty of similar products on the market with much wider capabilities. But if you love properly cooked rice and are seriously ready to discuss how wild brown differs from white, and the phrase “” is not a meaningless set of sounds for you, then why not buy the “correct” rice cooker from a Japanese brand?
pros
- Knows how to properly cook many different varieties of rice
- Makes onsen tamago (Japanese style eggs)
- Quality product with a good thick walled bowl
Minuses
- Limited functionality
- Quite a primitive “classic rice cooker” design
Potential audience
Perhaps it is difficult for us to imagine a domestic user who might like the quality the only one multicookers. Even taking into account how excellently she cooks eggs and rice, these dishes are still not central to us. But if you are a lover of Japanese cuisine and the thought of second slow cooker does not make your hair stand on end when analyzing the free space - then everything is possible. One of our experts couldn’t resist and even claims that he uses it more or less regularly.
| Average price Toshiba RC-18NMFR | $29() | T-8494156 |
Multicooker
...and a little more sous-vide at night
There are products made according to the good old classic patterns and seemingly without any frills or additional inventions - but at the same time neat, high quality and reliable. exactly like that. Although, in general, the most ordinary multicooker.
The bowl immediately inspires respect - thick-walled, massive, with handles. The rest of the structure also slightly exudes majestic monumentality. Free programming options exist, but they are not particularly sophisticated: you can set the temperature and time; no multiplicity of cooking stages is provided. But the ability to arbitrarily set the temperature from 40 °C allows you to cook dishes in this multicooker using the sous vide method. Although, of course, for a completely correct sous vide it would be necessary to make the temperature selection interval smaller: here it is 10 °C, but for sous vide it would be ideal to 1 °C.
pros
- Quality of materials and workmanship
- Heavy thick-walled bowl
- Opportunity to experiment with low temperatures
Minuses
- Simple classic design
- Large step when setting arbitrary temperature
Potential audience
If you carefully read the article, you probably guessed that it is a direct competitor, and it competes with it on its own field, that is, “for everyone at once”: it is exactly the same good and quite versatile multi-cooker. If you approach it from this point of view, it immediately becomes clear who is better at what. U - very flexible programming options (several stages, each with its own temperature) and a heating element in the lid. U is a “monumental” bowl (literate cooks know why thick walls and a bottom are needed) and the ability to work with low temperatures (for example, for sous vide).
| Average price Philips HD3095 | $135() | T-10759168 |
Multicooker-pressure cooker
you can't stop living beautifully
It amazes the imagination with all its facets at once: it has a heating element, and it speaks in a human voice, and it is made in South Korea. In addition, despite the fact that its appearance resembles a spaceship of the Others, its price is quite comparable to our native one on earth.
The collective unconscious demands immediately, without taking the induction multicooker out of the box, to immediately cook pilaf in it. Because: “If not pilaf, then why?!”, the collective unconscious asks us. We did not dare to argue with such a powerful enemy and prepared. The pilaf turned out good, tasty. This probably won’t work on a multicooker with a heating element based on a conventional heating element. Although who knows - this dish has so many varieties... Some say (oh, horror!), even on an ordinary electric stove they manage to create something similar - both in appearance and in taste.
pros
- You can cook almost any dish in this multicooker.
- Very high quality, from a hardware point of view there is literally nothing to complain about
Minuses
- The price for this class of products looks astronomical
Potential audience
In the end, there really are people who not only buy a multicooker, but even buy a car according to the principle: “I passed by, looked in, liked it, bought it.” Some, they say, even football clubs buy this way :) Our case is similar: a poor student definitely won’t buy it, a rational home cook will most likely not buy it either, but a really rich person - why not? After all, it cannot be said that multicookers are not better at a lower price. Of course better. Just not as much as it is more expensive.
| Average price Cuckoo CMC-HE1055F | $439() | T-9280783 |
Multicooker-pressure cooker
now also a pressure cooker
When testing the new top-end Redmond model, we always feel a sense of pity: we sincerely feel sorry for those people who had the hard job of inventing it. Because the RMC-M90 was already a valid product that could satisfy almost everyone; the RMC-M150 that followed it added a few more nice features; The RMC-250 became completely freely programmable... and now comes the RMC-M140. Quite naturally, this is a pressure cooker. Redmond already has enough excellent multicookers.
Redmond's recipe book is one of the best, but we've already gotten used to it. Experience using the device has shown that everything is exactly as we expected: the M140 differs from the RMC-250 in a different body shape and the presence of an additional locking lock on the lid, and, by and large, does not differ in anything else. And this is great, because we had no complaints about the RMC-250. Well, this is also the first Redmond pressure cooker with the “Multi-cook” function (programmable temperature and time with the ability to combine several different stages in one program).
pros
- a large book with good recipes - ideal for a beginner
- high-quality assembly, reliable design
- pressure cooker
Minuses
- the price, traditionally for Redmond, is higher than that of its analogues
- time savings from pressure cooking cannot always be felt
Potential audience
Another universal product, this time a pressure cooker (at its price, it’s hard to call it “universal”). The audience is, accordingly, the widest. In fact, everyone who needs not only a multicooker, but also a pressure cooker, all in one bottle.
| Average price Redmond RMC-M140 | $192() | T-10893032 |
Multicooker-pressure cooker
for an incendiary IT party
When we started testing kitchen appliances, the joke about the “multi-cooker with Wi-Fi” was quite popular, but quickly became boring. And now, the section is not even two years old, and we’ve already finished the joke: it really is controlled via Wi-Fi using software for iOS and Android.
The main consoling news is that for the sake of the high-tech nature of the new product, the user will not have to make serious compromises: it is also quite successful as a regular pressure cooker.
pros
- control and programming from a smartphone
- the ability to download ready-made recipe programs from a special website
- Convenient steamer and yogurt cups included
Minuses
- if you connect directly and not through a router, the multicooker sometimes “loses” the smartphone and loops the program
- condensate partially falls past the container for collecting it
Potential audience
Considering the price, we would say that if the words “controlling a multicooker from a smartphone or tablet via Wi-Fi” don’t make your heart beat faster, then we see no reason to buy it - otherwise, it’s just a good pressure cooker, one of many. Well, if your heart is beating faster and the words are pronounced with a special aspiration, then you don’t have any alternatives yet.
| Average price Polaris Evo EPMC 0125 | $130() | T-10965715 |
Multi-cooker bread maker
Oddly enough, it works!
Does the title seem a bit offbeat? But the thing is that we already had one experience testing a multi-cooker-bread maker, and not to say it was successful. However, apparently, the idea to order a design from Vitek in France was not in vain: if anyone was able to instill baking skills in a multicooker, it was the French.
We understand that nothing is free, right? Therefore, the discussion was about whether it is possible to put up with a multicooker because it can bake bread, and whether it is possible to put up with it as a bread maker because it can cook borscht. The verdict of our experts is yes! And without even straining!
pros
- combining a multicooker and a bread maker in one device
- flexible programming, including multi-stage “Multi-cook”
- convection and 3D heating
- stylish and unusual design
Minuses
- average build quality
- complex design
Potential audience
In this case, it is divided into two parts. The first is people who are sure that they need both a multicooker and a bread maker, but there is physically no place to place 2 devices. As a rule, they are ready to put up with a lot in advance, so the amount of inconvenience that will cause them will be even less than they imagined.
The second is for those who need a multicooker, but are wondering: maybe they should try a bread maker? For this group, our conclusion is this: if you don’t like baking bread, then you will have a good, but still expensive multicooker for its capabilities. Well, if you like it, you’ll also get a bread machine for the same money. Again: not fabulous, but it copes with simple recipes decently.
| Average price Vitek VT-4209BW | $122() | T-10722552 |
Multicooker-pressure cooker-slow cooker
both fast and slow, but always environmentally friendly
Another universal competitor to the pressure cooker. The model has a long history: it is the heir to the no less famous Steba DD 1 Eco, which managed to receive the affectionate nickname “Little Red Riding Hood” on culinary multi-cooker forums.
The differences between Steba DD1 and DD2 are minimal: minor changes in one program and the addition of yogurt cups. The pressure cooker continues to be equipped with a steel bowl without a non-stick coating, which allows the manufacturer to proudly add “Eco” to its name, and users to traditionally buy an additional bowl with a non-stick coating, because in the first - you will be surprised!.. - sometimes something burns;)
However, this minor feature is not able to spoil the pleasure of communicating with this unit for lovers of “real German style.” It is here: it seems that the pressure cooker was developed in the same design bureaus as the German military equipment of the Second World War and at about the same time: everything is as simple as possible, thoroughly, iron-clad and indestructible. You either like this at first sight, or it’s just not your style.
pros
- long-known, proven and reliable model
- By maintaining low temperatures, you can indulge in sous vide
- rich equipment - and no plastic, with the exception of the blade
Minuses
- Some engineering solutions take some getting used to
- no container for collecting condensate
- You will most likely have to buy a non-stick bowl
Potential audience
Like any generalist, the audience is anyone who needs a pressure cooker. It is distinguished by the presence of support for low-temperature cooking (sous vide), reliable and solid design, rich and solid equipment (ceramic yogurt cups, steel stands for steamers). The main competitor from this review is,. There is an integrated approach.
True, all devices, except the set-top box, are controlled from smartphones via Bluetooth, which makes true remote control (for example, not from home) problematic - however, it is the TV set-top box that is promised to be made into a kind of “common control center” for all Ready for Sky devices in a single apartment .
A good multicooker from the top segment. On the other hand, the same RMC-M150 is also a good multicooker from the top segment. Thirdly, apparently, the list of obvious properties that can be endowed with a multicooker, even a top-end one, is quite finite.
Today Redmond offers us Bluetooth control. This is a little less convenient than via Wi-Fi, but, on the other hand, let's see what happens with the concept of a TV set-top box as a control center for all devices. So far, the software for controlling a multicooker is constantly being improved (software for iOS, as our tests have shown, has gone further along this path than the version for Android), and what will happen in the end depends only on the desire and perseverance of the manufacturer.
pros
- control from mobile devices via Bluetooth
- still a good multicooker with a full set of features of the top model
Minuses
- the software is under development
- not the most convenient communication interface due to range limitations
Potential audience
Of course, this is a product for enthusiasts - you would think that today controlling kitchen appliances from a smartphone might seriously interest someone else. However, in this case, you don’t have to choose between a good device without Bluetooth support and a bad one with its support - the multicooker is also very good. True, you can simply find a good multicooker much cheaper. Even Redmond.
| Average price Redmond SkyCooker RMC-M800S | $137() | T-11757403 |
Instead of a conclusion
Of the 11 models reviewed, only 4 can claim to be truly universal, while the rest are distinguished by some unique “trick” that does not necessarily provide an advantage in solving the main task - cooking. This situation reflects a general trend: selling, in fact, “high-tech pots with an LCD display,” multicooker manufacturers are forced to constantly search for new advantages (or “advantages”) that should convince a potential client that their products are worthy purchases. On the one hand, this leads to the emergence of a certain number of oddities - both funny and not so funny, on the other - even the most unusual wishes of users are realized with impressive speed. After all, when constant modernization of the model range is the main way of survival, the idea of asking the buyer what he needs comes to mind very quickly.
I learned how to cook chicken using the sous vide technique in a slow cooker thanks to the breakdown of my old “multi-horse”, which went through fire, water, and chocolate cupcakes with me. Precisely “thanks”, because a few days later the untimely deceased appliance was replaced by a more modern and functional one, which had a wonderful program - “Cooking in a vacuum”. And I quickly decided to try it out by cooking chicken breast using the sous-vide technique in a slow cooker. What came out of this, see below.
Ingredients:
You will also need:
How to cook chicken using the sous vide technique in a slow cooker:
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If the breast is bone-in, divide it into 2 equal fillets, leaving the skin on but discarding the fat. Wash well and pat dry with a paper towel. |
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Rub the chicken with salt and spices on all sides. You can choose a bouquet of spices yourself. In addition to the popular black pepper (a mixture of peppers), turmeric, curry, hot pepper, marjoram, sage, Provençal herbs, thyme, basil, paprika, ginger, coriander, dried garlic and nutmeg go well with chicken. |
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Place the flavorful chicken in special sous vide bags and use a vacuum sealer or do it yourself to remove all the air from them. How to create a vacuum if there is no packer? Easily! But it is advisable to have Zip-lock packaging on hand. Place the fillet in a bag without sealing it and place it in a container of water. The pressure of the liquid will force all the air out, and you can close the bag, while creating ideal conditions for cooking chicken using the sous vide technique in a slow cooker. |
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Place the packaged fillet in a bowl, pour in water so that it completely covers it, but not more than the maximum mark. Set the mode “Cooking in vacuum” - “Chicken” (if you have a preset program) or select the “Multi-cook” mode and set the temperature to 70-75 degrees, time – 20 minutes. |
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When the multicooker beeps, rings or melodiously chirps about the end of its work, take out the bags and take out the meat from them, dry with napkins. Empty the water from the appliance bowl and wipe it well. Set the “Frying” mode for 5-6 minutes (no longer needed) and pour in the vegetable oil. Without closing the lid, fry the chicken on both sides until crispy. |
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Now you can cut it and admire how tender, juicy and, of course, delicious the chicken breast is. |
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Enjoy the result!
Let's cook pork using the sous vide technique in a slow cooker. Probably, “a la” is even superfluous here. But since it falls short of true sous vide, so be it.
What is sous vide? I'll try to explain briefly. This is a method of cooking food in vacuum packaging and at low temperatures. For this purpose, special devices are used - a sous vide maker and a vacuum sealer. Actually, the cooking method itself gets its name from the name of this cooking device. The sous vide maker has low temperatures that are constantly maintained throughout the entire cooking time. We can easily replace this device with a multi-cooker with “Multi-cook”. But with a vacuum sealer it’s more difficult. Only with its help can you “squeeze out” all the air from the special bag in which the product was previously placed. And only with its help this package is then hermetically sealed.
Ingredients
Pork packaging in vacuum packaging from Miratorg - 1 pc.1. So, go to the store and buy Miratorg pork for baking. This could be a ham, shoulder or neck. I prefer the neck, as it is more tender. The meat is already marinated and vacuum packed. By the way, the marinade, for me personally, is the only drawback. I'd rather make my own. But in fairness, I’ll say that their marinade is not that bad.
2. Without violating the integrity of the packaging (do not open, do not cut, do not tear off labels), place the meat in the multicooker bowl. Fill with cold water. Close the multicooker with a lid and turn it on. First we need to bring it to a boil. To do this, set any program where boiling occurs faster. Most often this mode is “Steam”. But I have a “Paste” in the Redmond M170, where the water also boils quickly enough and at the same time I don’t need to monitor this moment, since a sound signal is heard. After this I disable the program. Next, I select “Multi-cook” on the display, temperature 85 degrees and time 2 hours. It is advisable to turn off “heating”. 
3. After cooking, turn off the multicooker. We carefully take out the package of meat (DO NOT open it!!!) and place it in some container. We leave it on the table to cool, and when it cools down we put it in the refrigerator for a day or at least overnight. 
4. After exposure to the cold, the long-awaited moment comes - cutting the vacuum packaging, removing the meat, slicing and taking a sample. 
5. How you decide the future fate of the meat is yours to decide. I make it for holidays and often for breakfast sandwiches or snacks. 
Greetings! How often do you have to use a multicooker in your life? Or maybe you are a big connoisseur of meat and vegetable dishes? Then the amazing, unique and innovative technology of sous vide in a slow cooker will make preparing your favorite dishes much more convenient. And, most importantly, all the nutrients, vitamins, micro and macroelements of the dish will be preserved almost 100%.
If we consider this type of cooking in detail, it is important to note in the literal sense that sous vide is a sauce in a vacuum. Simply put, in order to cook food, you will need to place all the ingredients in vacuum bags and start cooking at a temperature range of 50 to 80.
Advantages and disadvantages of using sous vide technique
Before we begin a detailed examination of this technique from the negative side, we will tell you about the features that can definitely be considered real advantages and positive indicators.
Features of sous vide
In fact, cooking in a slow cooker occurs at low temperatures, the so-called simmering of the dish.
An important factor in this technique is to constantly maintain the temperature at the same level, and therefore, you will absolutely need to have a special thermostat.
Thanks to the bags and the lack of contact with air, contact with the heating element occurs, and the dish is cooked exclusively in its own juice.
This cooking method makes heating even, which makes cooking meat or vegetables much faster, unlike the classic method. Thanks to this, the final dish itself will turn out very juicy, soft, tender and, most importantly, such a dish will never burn in this dish.
Disadvantages of sous vide technology in a slow cooker
We won't talk about how the technology is flawless. It is worth noting that any cooking method has two sides: positive and negative. Even sous vide in a slow cooker did not escape this fate.
Let's say you like roasted meats, such as chicken fillet, chicken breasts, turkey, pork neck, tenderloin, etc. And if you want such meat to have an appetizing fried crust, then before using the sous vide technology you will need to fry the meat in a frying pan.
The use of plastic bags is also very doubtful, which, unfortunately, when exposed to high temperatures, release a variety of toxic and harmful substances that destroy our body with their negative effects. In order to avoid such negative aspects, it is best to use food-grade plastic that has all the necessary certificates.
Another minor, but still a minus, is the cooking time. After all, in order to get a truly tasty, healthy, juicy, aromatic meat or vegetable dish using an innovative cooking system, you need to prepare and set up the multicooker itself.
Sous vide technology: results
Since this cooking method appeared relatively recently, unfortunately, there are few recipes for preparing dishes using sous vide technology.
But this does not mean that you cannot invent your own signature dish, which in the future may become very popular and in demand among the population.
The main thing is that you can prepare completely new and delicious dishes using a multicooker.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that you can program this technique for a specific time. This is very convenient, especially when you get up early in the morning and a ready-made and flavorful dish is already waiting for you!
We have collected the most popular questions related to SOUSVIDE sous vide technology and tried to provide comprehensive answers.
If among this array of information you did not find what you were looking for, ask questions in the comments - we will not leave you unanswered.
What is SousVide?
"Sous vide" means "under vacuum" in French.
The essence of the technology:
The food is packaged in a vacuum bag and cooked at a very precise, gentle temperature in a water bath for a long time.
Cooking using SousVide technology provides results that cannot be achieved using any other cooking method. Sous vide relies on precise control of temperature and time, which virtually eliminates human error, allowing for perfect, easily repeatable results every time. The world's greatest restaurants have been using this technology for over 10 years - now is your time! Time to Cook Five Stars with Vac-Star ®
How safe is it to cook in a bag?
Vacuum bags from Vac-Star ® meet all international requirements and are certified to the most stringent standards. There are quite a few Asian manufacturers on the market who present their bags as suitable for sous vide. However, they do not provide certificates confirming temperature characteristics. Vacuum bags from Vac-Star are designed specifically for sous vide, this is confirmed by European and Russian certificates. (You can read more about packages).
What is the difference between sous vide and slow cooker?
Those who like to cook at home often ask this reasonable question: why buy new equipment if a multicooker will do just fine?
This is not entirely true. If you are going to cook knuckle or pork ribs, then a slow cooker will do just fine (provided you can fit such a large piece of meat into it). And if the timer allows you to set it to 20-40 hours. But if you want to cook a medium-rare steak, or for example RARE, then with a 99% probability the multicooker will not cope, since it is not adapted to maintaining an ultra-precise temperature. And in sous vide cooking, temperature accuracy is critical.
BOTTOM LINE: The SousVideBath Immersion or Water Bath is superior to any slow cooker in the following areas:
Level of control and temperature accuracy
Variability, i.e. the ability to cook 1 or 50 steaks at the same time thanks to the circulation pump and powerful heating element. You are not limited to the multicooker bowl and can use a pot or container with a capacity of up to 40 liters. (more about the water bath and thermostat in our article)
How safe is it to cook meat and fish at low temperatures?
If sous vide cooking takes place at a temperature below 54 degrees and takes more than 4 hours, there is a risk of botulism pathogens multiplying. Choose a higher temperature if you plan to cook for 4 hours or longer.
Is it possible to pasteurize using sous vide?
When pasteurizing, the temperature of the water bath is of great importance; for example, when pasteurizing beef at 54.4°C, it will take 4 times longer than at a temperature of 60°C. The lower the pasteurization temperature, the longer the time. For example, Salmonella will die within 30 seconds at 65.5°C, but at 55°C it will take 15 minutes
Why doesn't sous vide have a delayed start function?
Serve or cool immediately. Prepared food should be served immediately after removing it from the package. Do not allow the workpiece to cool gradually, as this poses a risk of bacterial growth. In the food industry, a blast freezer is ideal for rapid cooling. How to cool in an ice bath, which is easy to build at home, and then store in the refrigerator ours.
What to do if unpackaged food gets into the water bath?
Stop the thermostat, remove it from the container and drain the contents. Next, pour fresh water and add about 100 ml of vinegar per 10 liters of water and set the thermostat to 90°C for 30 minutes. Also, do not forget to remove limescale from the heating element once a month - using anti-scale or citric acid.
Do you have to cook sous vide in water and a bag?
The translation of the word sous vide literally means “IN VACUUM.” We met craftsmen who wrapped meat in a bunch of packaging film and cooked it in the dishwasher. Foreign sites often demonstrate cooking in ZIP bags packed by hand. However, the canonical method is vacuum packaging in a bag designed for long-term temperature treatment, and a water bath, which transfers heat to the product as quickly as possible without air bubbles.
Only eggs in the shell do not need an additional bag.
The packaged product floats, what should I do?
When packing blanks using the VacStar EasyPro vacuum sealer, you practically get rid of this problem, because there are absolutely no air bubbles left in the bag due to the high level of vacuum. If the problem still arises from a weaker home packer or when using ZIP bags, you can press the packaged product using any stainless steel or porcelain kitchen appliances. For example, a colander or a small salad bowl.
Can I use a combi oven for sous vide?
Can. However, there are three factors to consider.
- The airflow in the combi oven chamber is not as good as a water bath and the semi-finished product in it will not be heated evenly.
- Are you ready to occupy a three-wheel oven for 2 days? And spend more electricity than you earn from driving?
- The temperature correlation will be more than 1°C, as we said above, this is not always acceptable.
If these details didn’t confuse you, then YES! This is a great idea, you can also use a two-ton armored safe for cracking nuts.
Can I sous vide with frozen food?
Yes, this is one of the big advantages. Since heating occurs evenly and slowly, and the temperature is quite low, not only the outer part, but also the center of the product is heated. Just multiply the cooking time by 1.5 and feel free to add meat or chicken to the ice cream bag (a large article on this topic is here).
*Don't forget to evenly coat with spices - a thin layer of vegetable oil will help you with this.
** Large pieces that require a multi-hour sous vide marathon do not require multiplying the time by 1.5 - an extra hour is enough.
How to properly defrost a sous vide dish?
Once you get comfortable with the basic principles of sous vide cooking, you'll realize that cooking A LOT at once is a great idea!
You can, after cooling the workpiece, put it in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, or you can put it in the freezer for a couple of months. You can reheat in several ways
- Classic in a frying pan or grill- suitable only for thin pieces
- In the oven or wood stove, until crispy, if the recipe calls for it
- Microwave. Quickly conveniently understandable. Second place in our ranking.
- Sous vide. We consider this result to be the best, but in terms of time you should be prepared to wait more than 5 minutes. But it's worth it (more about this in our article)
What is the difference between a thermostat sous vide and sous vide bathroom?
– the thermostat is compact, designed for a larger volume and has a motor that allows liquid to circulate. Suitable for a cafe restaurant or for a large family where they love to cook and eat
– the bath is more economical, heat losses are minimized, but it is not compact and is limited by the volume of the inner bowl. Suitable for a small family or as a second sous vide in a restaurant kitchen (sauces, desserts, drinks)
However, both of these devices from Vac-Star will demonstrate excellent results in temperature accuracy, and this is the most important thing in sous vide! ()
Why Vac-Star costs less than similar devices made in Europe, and why are Chinese sous vides so cheap?
For the founders of the Progurman company, this is not just a business; we love and use technology regularly. And we want to introduce our country to this wonderful device. That's why we have the best prices in Russia for thermostats made in Europe, and only we have a Home Thermostat made in Europe. Everything else that they pass off to us as “European brands” is actually made in China and costs $40-50, but is offered in Russia for $150-200, not bad, right? We advise you to check the availability of spare parts and their prices before purchasing Chinese sous vide. You can read more about the sous vide business in the Russian Federation.
What is the difference between a tube packer and a tubeless packer?
- the chamber packer creates a vacuum close to 99.9%, easily packs liquids, and uses smooth bags. It costs more and takes up more space.
- a tubeless vacuum sealer usually creates less vacuum, costs less, but uses more expensive bags (smooth bags are not suitable). However, Vac-Star's EasyPro is a rare exception where a tubeless sealer creates a vacuum that can surprise seasoned chefs. Up to 96%. An important feature is the inconvenience of packaging liquid and highly moist products. This cannot be done in automatic mode - but the pulse mode will come to the rescue.
Where can I get a guide to cooking temperatures and times? sous vide?
Especially for you, we have collected all the world experience on sous vide temperature and time into one table, which we give to each of our customers. A convenient laminated sheet of A3 format is attached with magnets to the refrigerator and the table is always at your fingertips. And if you want an electronic version, follow the link and we will definitely send it to you.
Remember that all these values are advisory in nature and you still have room for improvisation! The author of these lines loves tender meat and always keeps steaks a little longer, but many famous Chefs cook for a minimum time, preferring the dense consistency of ready-made dishes.
What are the BENEFITS of sous vide cooking?
HEALTHY EATING.
Cooking in a vacuum makes food healthier and more nutritious. Cooking food in a vacuum bag ensures that all natural juices and vitamins are preserved. Cook without oil, food in its own juice tastes much better. Meat overcooked in boiling broth and limp, watery vegetables will be a thing of the past.
SAVING ELECTRICITY.
A SousVide thermostat or water bath will use very little electricity compared to most of your kitchen appliances. On a hot day, while your thermostat is cooking a treat, your kitchen won't feel as hot as it does with the oven on.
Sous vide is preparations for the whole week. Whether you're cooking steak, chicken breast or salmon sous vide, why not make a dozen servings that will last your whole family all week. Simply cool the finished portions in ice water and place in the refrigerator. With this thermostat, you can cook like a pro, and your guests will appreciate the exquisite taste of your dishes, as if they came straight from the restaurant to your table. You will feel like a professional Chef. You will never get tired of telling your friends about the wonderful transformations of ordinary food into masterpieces.
LESS WORK IN COOKING.
Sous vide means less dirty dishes. For cooking you will need a thermostat, a saucepan and a vacuum bag. Prepare the chicken breast by removing it from the bag and cutting it into the salad. All you have to do is throw away the used bag and rinse the cutting board. No greasy pots and pans with burnt food.
Does sous vide make a difference in a restaurant or is it just delicious food?
- When cooking expensive products (for example, premium cuts) sous vide, you practically do not lose weight. Packaged in a bag and ready to eat, the steak loses 3-5% in weight.
- The speed of return increases significantly when you use highly prepared semi-finished products.
- You can cook an "alternative" using tough, inexpensive cuts of meat to make great dishes.
- Your steak, chicken breast or piece of salmon will taste the same EVERY time, regardless of the qualifications of the staff.
- And finally, you can SURPRISE your guests by offering them finger-licking dishes.
What are the advantages of Sous Vide cooking over traditional methods?
The sous vide method is distinguished from conventional cooking by two circumstances. Firstly, there is a barrier between water and the product, which retains all the juices and all the taste inside. Secondly, the cooking temperature is low, due to which more nutrients are retained in the products and they soften without drying out.
The fats in meat and fish, which can be easily damaged by high temperatures and the presence of oxygen, do not oxidize or become damaged - which benefits the integrity and nutritional properties of the food.
Vegetables and fruits retain their color. Crispy texture and vitamins! This cooking method cannot be compared to steaming, boiling or baking. Sous vide vegetables will surprise you with their taste and freshness.
