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There are a few items in my kitchen that have become indispensable for me, and the SousVide water oven quickly became one of those. I ditched the ever-popular Crock-Pot (mostly because my meat was always dry) and developed a repertoire of meals made in the water oven.
Top-end restaurants have been using the SousVide for decades. But it hasn’t been till recently that we “lay cooks” have been able to afford this appliance.
I first was introduced to the SousVide when a friend told me about it. He had seen it on a Christmas tech wish list and we both found the idea behind it intriguing. Foods are placed in a vacuum-sealed bag and immersed in the water oven that has heated the water to the exact temperature necessary to cook evenly. (You can find a list of temperature settings and cook times for specific foods here).
Here is the cool part though—the food is cooked from the inside out rather than the outside in.
“Oooookaaaay,” you say. “What’s the big deal about that?”
Well, how many times has this happened to you? You buy a nice steak only to get it home and burn the crap out of it on the outside. The inside is still raw and so tough your jaw muscles get a workout.
Or (and this is the worst) . . .
Dry pork chops. For years I tried to get my pork chops to stay moist and tender to no avail.
Well, I do believe that I have found the answer, an appliance that is far superior to the standard Crock-Pot. My favorite things to cook in the water oven are cow tongue (this recipe alone makes the SousVide worth it), steak, and pork chops. Meat comes out perfect virtually every time, and here is why.
You lightly season the cut of meat with your favorite herbs and spices, then vacuum seal it and stick the bag in the water oven, which has been set to the desired temperature and time for that cut of meat and type of protein. When you get home, just heat up a skillet with some butter or coconut oil and sear the outside. That’s it. Yes, it’s that simple.
And here is the best part!
You can let your food sit in the water and it won’t overcook. The same cannot be said of a Crock-Pot. The SousVide is practically foolproof.
The SousVide is not limited to proteins. I have cooked potatoes and carrots right inside with my roast and it still reminded me of Sunday’s at my grandmothers. You can also cook soft boiled eggs.
The downside
- Sauces or marinades cannot be put into the bag to cook with meat because you can’t vacuum seal with liquid. You can solve this problem by freezing your sauce or marinade in ice cube trays and then sealing the cube in with the meat.
- Food CANNOT be wet. The sealer will not make a proper seal when water or juices are sucked up into it. Make sure you pat your meats and veggies dry with a paper towel before sealing. I have had poor seals on my bags, and when I opened the water oven, I had a mess on my hands.
- It does not come with the vacuum sealer. You can purchase a vacuum sealer along with bags here.
- I actually hesitated to put this as a downside as there is always prepping and planning involved with cooking. But you will have to plan your meals (Need help with meal planning? Click here.) and do a little prep work depending on the recipe. I usually vacuum seal the food the night before and place it in the water oven in the morning.
- I did say practically foolproof, so there is a learning curve. The first time I used the water oven, I cooked thinly sliced chicken and set it for the same temperature and duration as a thick piece of chicken. It turned out mushy. I would not recommend thin pieces of meat cooked in this device. There are temperature and time duration given for specific cuts of meat and types of protein. This will vary depending on the thickness and even the altitude at which you cook. You may need to do some experimentation to figure out what is best. But once you have it, it works virtually every time.
- Grass-fed meats like beef and bison will take longer to cook.
Bottom Line
Ditch the Crock-Pot and upgrade to the SousVide water oven. You won’t be disappointed. The SousVide is designed for both the budding chef and those well acquainted with the kitchen. I have found that SousVide has followed through with their claim of incredible taste, consistent and precise results, convenience, and versatility.
If you are ready to begin a new journey with a new way of cooking, then click 
.
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