Sous Vide Machine

A sous vide machine is a device for cooking by the sous vide method (French sous vide — “under vacuum”), in which a product sealed in a vacuum bag is slowly cooked in a water bath at a precisely controlled, usually low, temperature. The device (a thermostatic circulator) heats the water to the set degree with fractional accuracy and holds it unchanged for hours.

The main idea is that the product is heated exactly to the temperature at which it is perfectly done — and not a degree more, so it is far harder to overdry or overcook it than with conventional methods (though holding it too long can still soften the texture, and safe results rely on validated time-and-temperature combinations). A steak comes out evenly pink from edge to edge, fish stays tender, vegetables keep their colour, shape, and vitamins. The vacuum packaging keeps dishes from losing their juices and aromas, concentrating them instead, and also allows the product to be marinated right in the bag. After the water bath the meat is usually quickly seared over strong heat to give it an appetising crust. Precision and repeatability have made sous vide a favourite technique of haute-cuisine restaurants, and compact domestic circulators have brought it into home kitchens too. It is the embodiment of a scientific, controlled approach to cooking.