Great expectations for peptides

2024-12-16

Sous-vide – what is it about?

Sous-vide (fr. – vacuum) is a method of cooking. Food preparation involves sealing food in a plastic vacuum bag and cooking it in a water or steam bath at a precisely controlled temperature, which is lower than traditional cooking methods. This method of food preparation allows you to bring out the maximum of natural flavors and aromas of dishes.

How did it start?

American and French engineers rediscovered the sous vide method, first described in 1799, in the mid-1960s as an industrial food preservation technique. In 1974, French chef Georges Pralus introduced it to fine dining at the renowned Troisgros Restaurant, led by Pierre and Michel Troisgros, in Roanne, France. In the 1970s, the chef discovered that foie gras cooked in this way retains its original appearance, does not lose excess fat and has a better texture.

It used to be thought that cooking in bags and at low temperatures could lead to the formation of botulism. However, this is a myth. A long cooking time and proper cooling will kill any batteries, just like cooking at a high temperature.

For a long time, sous-vide was a method used only in expensive restaurants. Thanks to the development of technology, this method has entered the home kitchen.

Step by step vacuum

Use a vacuum sealer to seal the food in an airtight package. Pasteurize it using the sous vide method by applying high temperature for a short time. Ensure you select heat-resistant packaging, as you cook the food in hot water just below the boiling point (100ºC). The exact temperature depends on what you want to cook. It is shaped as follows:

How does sous vide cooking affect food?

Dishes prepared with the sous vide method have a rich taste and a unique structure. The vacuum retains the natural juices in the ingredients (limiting the volume reduction of the products to 10%) and preserves their valuable properties, which typically “escape” into the water during traditional cooking. The nutritional value of meals also remains unchanged, thanks to which we can take full advantage of the macro- and micronutrients contained in them.

Cooking in a vacuum and low temperatures are gaining many supporters due to the numerous benefits regarding both the quality of meals and the very process of their preparation. Thanks to the sous vide method:

– dishes retain their natural taste and aroma, nutritional values, vitamins, and other beneficial microelements do not “escape” during cooking.

– the dishes are more delicate and juicier than in the case of traditional methods

– marinating food before cooking requires only ¼ of the standard time (in a vacuum this process is much faster).

Cooking in a vacuum and low temperature is gaining many supporters due to the numerous benefits regarding both the quality of meals and the very process of their preparation.