Sous-vide

[Bakemehappy]

I came across a recipe yesterday that requires the cooking procedure or technique sous-vide. I do not know where to get those plastics I think they looked like ziplocks. I need help where to find them and does a regular plastic ziplock work or is it safe? I am more worried on the safety I need your advice guys

 

[Shadow]

I'm surprised you've come across a recipe requiring sous-vide, unless it was from a professional cookbook/person.
As far as I'm aware, sous-vide requires the plastic bags to be vacuum packed, which a basic ziplock could not do.
I would have thought that depending on the ingredients and recipe, a similar method may be possible.
Where is @Berties when you need him?!

 

[Morning Glory]

I'm surprised you've come across a recipe requiring sous-vide, unless it was from a professional cookbook/person.
As far as I'm aware, sous-vide requires the plastic bags to be vacuum packed, which a basic ziplock could not do.
I would have thought that depending on the ingredients and recipe, a similar method may be possible.
Where is @Berties when you need him?!

Its not just the vacuum packing machine you need but a sous-vide machine as well. This cooks at an extremely accurate temperature for long periods of time. They don't come cheap!!! You can buy a domestic sized version but you are talking about a few hundred quid. So unless you are going to be sous-vide-ing on a regular basis...
If you post the recipe I'm sure some of us here could suggest an alternative method.

 

[Berties]

Just remember some plastics do deteriate at heat and may not be food grade ,
A vacuum packer is needed and a water bath is easy to control ,I know we had this in a thread earlier in the year

 

[Bakemehappy]

Yes they are chef actually. Almost every food I see in their site is being cooked sous-vide style. I do agree that the machine does not come cheap. Any alternative that you can suggest guys when it comes to cooking using this technique? I thought I might start asking about the plastic because I do not have the one you mentioned which is the vacuum pack thing

 

[Berties]

Yes they are chef actually. Almost every food I see in their site is being cooked sous-vide style. I do agree that the machine does not come cheap. Any alternative that you can suggest guys when it comes to cooking using this technique? I thought I might start asking about the plastic because I do not have the one you mentioned which is the vacuum pack thing

A vac packing machine is method of storing ,marinating ,and cooking foods,it withdraws all the it but it is a skill with fish not to over vacuum it
it enables you to keep red meats pink s to cook it slowly in the water bath ,then sear in a hot pan or ,and it is a system for just reheating pre cooked foods ,that was its initial use

 

[Bakemehappy]

@Berties is it necessary for regular home cooking to use a packing machine considering its price? From the looks of it this could be helpful when you are into restaurant business because it can save you time. I am thinking now that the food prepared this way would contain more flavor because of the air tight sealing on the plastic that holds the food.

 

[Berties]

The whole emphasis of sous vide is the way the food is packed as sous vide is French for under vacuum ,so if you intend to do any sous vide dishes yes a vacuum packer would be imperative

 

[lizzief79]

Unless you are willing to buy a sous vide machine, the proper equipment and the proper plastic bags, don't attempt this recipe. Zip lock bags are not designed for the same function as sous-vide bags. I'm nnot sure what the recipe is for, but perhaps you can adapt it to use an alternative cooking method?

 

[Technotrucker]

I'm sure you sorted the recipe out, you do indeed need a water bath....but you can use ziplock bags, as long as they are food grade. Most top name brands are food safe.
We've only just started down the sous vide road, we bought our cooker last month for £110....but we think it's worth every penny, and we love it.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi-tyQvRgJw

 

[Morning Glory]

I'm sure you sorted the recipe out, you do indeed need a water bath....but you can use ziplock bags, as long as they are food grade. Most top name brands are food safe.
We've only just started down the sous vide road, we bought our cooker last month for £110....but we think it's worth every penny, and we love it.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi-tyQvRgJw

I've toyed with the idea of buying one but didn't feel I could justify the expense - although my real reason was complete lack of anywhere to put it. I thought the food had to be vacuum packed using, well, a vacuum packing device that would take up even more space! As I understand it, the thing about sous-vide (as opposed to poaching, 'boil in the bag' style), is the ability to cook the food at a constant regulated temperature in its own juices with no air surrounding it. Anyway, you are the expert here! I'd love to know what you have been cooking!

 

[Technotrucker]

Anyway, you are the expert here! I'd love to know what you have been cooking!

Expert???? don't put me up on a pedestal yet.. I'm likely to fall off...I've only used it four times. Started off with prime beef steak, then 12 hour belly pork, beef steak again last week, and 24 hour pork on crimbo day.....and it was .

We did buy a load of beef last Thursday, that's all been sealed and is now sitting in the freezer. The small joint of beef I'm going to have a go at Pastrami, got to wait until the pink salt that I've ordered to arrive before starting it.

 

[Morning Glory]

Expert???? don't put me up on a pedestal yet.. I'm likely to fall off...I've only used it four times. Started off with prime beef steak, then 12 hour belly pork, beef steak again last week, and 24 hour pork on crimbo day.....and it was .

We did buy a load of beef last Thursday, that's all been sealed and is now sitting in the freezer. The small joint of beef I'm going to have a go at Pastrami, got to wait until the pink salt that I've ordered to arrive before starting it.

Well you're four times more experienced than me!

 

[epicuric]

Agree with all of the above, but you can cook sous vide without a vacuum packer using the immersion method. Simply put food in zip lock back and slowly immerse it in water until almost at the top then seal it. This expels most of the air from the bag. Even though I have a vacuum packer I still use this method for more delicate items that would be deformed by vacuum packing.

 

[Morning Glory]

Agree with all of the above, but you can cook sous vide without a vacuum packer using the immersion method. Simply put food in zip lock back and slowly immerse it in water until almost at the top then seal it. This expels most of the air from the bag. Even though I have a vacuum packer I still use this method for more delicate items that would be deformed by vacuum packing.

So are you using a sous-vide to cook with the the zip lock?