Step by Step Sous Vide

This post has been on the back burner for awhile (pun intended, hehe). I invested some of last season's earnings into a home Sous Vide machine with high hopes that it will simplify my job this season. Less time in the galley and less stress about meal timing will be a welcome relief. I have been playing with cooking different foods, and it's usually as we are sitting down to eat that I say, "Shoot! I forgot to take pics... again!" This time I remembered.

Step 1: Thaw and season meat as you wish. The only hard part is not using olive oil in the seasoning, because of the long and low cook times it can turn a bit metalic tasting. Other fats I've been using are butter and rendered lard.

Step 2: Bag it up. The picture of the food in the bag did not make the blog because I managed to smear all the seasoning all over the bag and mysef. This is harder than you'd think!

Step 3: Vacuum seal. I've been known to use ziplocks and suck all the air out with a straw to seal meats before I freeze them (yeah for small fridges). I've move up in the world with my new electric vacuum sealer.

Step 4: Sous Vide. For anyone not familiar, sous vide is french for "under vacuum" because you vacuum seal everything before you cook it. It is a process of cooking that brings food to a specified temperature by submerging it in a precisely temperature controlled water bath. (more info here) This meat was in the water bath for 2 hours.

Step 5: Finishing the meat. Yes, this meat is cooked and safe to eat. No, it does not have the crisp outer crush most humans are accustomed to seeing on their cooked meats. Quick fix is the torch I borrowed from the tool locker. My little brulee torch was no match for a rack of lamb. I can also finish the meat with 10 minutes in the oven, or a quick sear on the stove or the grill.

Step 6: Cut. Yummmmm...


Step 7: Plate.