whole bird carcass can cause the bag to float in the water bath and result in
uneven cooking. Half chickens, ducks, or game hens or individual breasts,
legs, or thighs work best in the SousVide Supreme
™
water oven.
Vegetables and fruits, which contain a significant amount of fiber, require
higher temperatures than meats (usually 183F/83C to 190F/87.5C) for 1 to 2
hours to become tender. Tender vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli,
cauliflower, cabbage, summer and winter squash varieties, as well as most
fruits including tomatoes may need only 1 hour. Root vegetables, such as
beets, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and turnips will usually require at least 2
hours. Longer cooking times will result in very soft fruit and vegetable textures,
ideal for soups and purees.
Some foods—those for which poaching is an ideal preparation medium, such
as vegetables, fish, shellfish, and skinless poultry—can be plated and served
straight from the cooking pouch.
Foods in which a caramelized or crisp exterior is preferred—such as roasts,
steaks, and chops—require a brief finishing step (on the grill, under the broiler,
in a hot skillet, or using a kitchen torch) to sear the exterior before serving.
Poultry is best cooked skinless. For crispy poultry skin, remove skin carefully
before sous vide cooking. To crisp the skin, cut the skin into strips about
1
/
2
-
inch wide. Lay the strips in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment
paper and season with salt and pepper. Then place another sheet of parch-
ment paper over the skin and another sheet pan atop the parchment paper.
Place the sheet pans in a 350F/176C oven and cook until the skin is very
crispy; check at about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the
skin cool on a wire rack until needed.
The 5 Basic Steps for Cooking in the SousVide Supreme
™
Countertop Gourmet Water Oven
Season
The sous vide cooking method locks in the flavor of foods, bringing out their
particular character more fully. Vacuum-sealing the food and any seasonings
or oils tightly together in the pouch magnifies the flavors of spices and herbs
somewhat. Seasoning can be as simple as a sprinkle of salt and pepper, but
adding fat or oil to herbs and spices can improve flavor quality. Here are some
simple techniques:
Compound butters
—mix fresh or dried herbs, spices, salt, and pepper with
unsalted butter. Use to coat the inside of the empty cooking pouch, then add
the meat or vegetables, and seal.
SousVide Supreme Instructions 9
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