In today's restaurant industry, creating great, tasty and appealing dishes is no longer a matter of chance. Especially in many high-end restaurants, chefs widely use a cooking technology called "Sous Vide". This method not only ensures the deliciousness and texture of the ingredients, but also brings lasting perfection to the cooking. . Where does this technology come from, what characteristics does it have, and why can it be so precise and perfect?
This technique has been widely used in fine restaurants since it was invented by French chef Georges Pralus in 1974. Sous vide means "under vacuum". Simply put, ingredients are placed in plastic bags and then cooked at low temperatures in a precisely controlled water bath. The long cooking time of this method, usually between 55 and 60 degrees Celsius (130 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit), ensures that the inside of the food is well cooked but the outside is not overcooked.
"Through sous vide cooking, the moisture and flavor of the ingredients can be well preserved."
The core feature of Sous vide is the control of time and temperature during the production process. The water temperature in the pot won't go above your set final cooking temperature, so there's no danger of overcooking. Additionally, since the water bath provides even heat distribution, this allows a variety of irregularly shaped ingredients to maintain their mouth-watering condition for a longer period of time.
"Traditional cooking often destroys delicious ingredients due to excessive heat."
Precise temperature control is particularly important in Sous vide technology. For example, it only takes 18 minutes to cook fish fillets, and the temperature can vary between 44°C and 61°C; in contrast, the cooking process of eggs must be treated with caution because the protein denatures at different temperatures. To varying degrees. Through this precise time and temperature control, ingredients can achieve perfect doneness even if they have different thicknesses.
Another advantage of using Sous vide technology is that it can promote the development of food flavor and texture. Under precise low-temperature cooking, the collagen in the meat can not only be converted into gelatin, but the meat and vegetables can also maintain their tenderness, which is difficult to achieve during traditional high-temperature cooking.
"This cooking technique not only improves the taste and flavor of food, but also contributes to the freshness of ingredients."
Although Sous vide can preserve the flavor and texture of ingredients, one limitation is that it cannot directly achieve the golden crust required in traditional cooking. Most chefs choose to quickly roast or fry the meat before or after sous vide cooking to achieve a rounded crust and aroma.
Safety is an important topic in Sous vide cooking. By ensuring adequate time and temperature control, food can be kept in a safe condition. However, for people with weakened immune systems, sharing food that has not been well sterilized poses potential risks. Additionally, some bacteria, such as Clostridium botulinum, can grow in an oxygen-free environment, requiring special care when cooking sous vide.
With the changes in cooking equipment, Sous vide technology is gradually accepted by ordinary home cooks. Many kitchen product manufacturers have also launched Sous vide cooking machines designed specifically for home use. These devices are easy to use and reasonably priced, allowing your cooking at home to be as perfect as in a high-end restaurant.
"This cooking method is gradually becoming a popular trend in families."
When we taste delicious food in high-end restaurants, is there any unknown technological support behind it? This technology makes every adventure possible in the kitchen, but where will the future of cooking go?