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How to cook vegetables sous vide
Cooking vegetables sous vide has a number of advantages to the traditional
methods of steaming or boiling. Because the vegetables cook in a sealed bag, they
retain all of their nutrients and, more importantly, all of their flavor. The natural
sugars in vegetables are water-soluble, and in a boiling or steaming pot, these
sugars will be whisked away into the surrounding water, leaving your vegetables
dull and bland. When cooked sous vide, however, those flavors stay where they
belong. And, as you’d expect, there’s no guesswork or fork probing required to know
when your vegetables are properly cooked.
Unlike meats, which typically cook between 50°C / 122°F and 65°C / 149°F,
vegetables require much higher heat to soften. With a few specific exceptions,
like corn and zucchini, most vegetables soften at temperatures between
80°C / 176°F and 88°C / 190°F. As with proteins, the minimum cooking
time depends on thickness.
COOKING TEMPERATURES
Vegetable
°C
°F
Asparagus
85
185
Beets
85
185
Carrots
85
185
Cauliflower
85
185
Corn*
60
140
Fennel
85
185
Leeks
85
185
Mushrooms
90
194
Onion
85
185
Potatoes, cubed
85
185
Squash**
85
185
Turnips
85
185
Zucchini
65
149
COOKING TIMES
1:45
1 :00
30
mins
15
mins
* kernels or whole cob, only 15 of minutes cooking time required
** butternut, acorn, delicata, spaghetti
Temperatures adapted from
Modernist Cuisine,
Vol. 3, Chapter 12
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Using the Searing Kit: After
patting your meat dry, place it
on the searing rack, ensuring a
clear working area. Light your
torch and hold it 3-5” inches
from your food, moving in slow
passes over the surface until
a deep, golden crust develops.
Fatty areas may flare up, which
adds to the drama (and flavor)
of the incredible sear you’re
creating.
Using a skillet: Preheat a
heavy-bottomed skillet (we
love cast iron) until it is rocket
hot. After patting your meat dry,
add your steaks to the skillet,
being sure not to overcrowd the
pan. They’ll sizzle and smoke,
signaling that our plan is
working perfectly. Check them
after 30-60 seconds to see how
searing is progressing. Once it
meets your standards, flip and
repeat on the other side.
Searing your food
You’ve taken care to cook your meat perfectly on the inside, but
it’s not complete without a golden-brown crust on the outside.
Our favorite way to do this is with the Sansaire Searing Kit, but
you can use a hot skillet as well.
Visit our website for more info
on the Sansaire Searing Kit.
Summary of Contents for SA15
Page 1: ...Sous Vide Cooking Guide...
