Sous-vide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sous-vide (pronounced /su ˈvid/),[1] French for "under vacuum",[1] is a method of cooking that is intended to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period of time at relatively low temperatures. Food is cooked for a long time, sometimes well over 24 hours. Unlike cooking in a slow cooker, sous-vide cooking uses airtight plastic bags placed in hot water well below boiling point (Usually around 60°C = 140°F).
The method was developed by Georges Pralus in the mid-1970s for the Restaurant Troisgros (of Pierre and Michel Troigros) in Roanne, France. He discovered that when cooking foie gras in this manner it kept its original appearance, did not lose excess amounts of fat and had better texture.[citation needed] Another pioneer in the Science of Sous-vide is Bruno Goussault who further researched the effects of temperature on various foods and became well known for training top chefs on Sous-vide cooking. As Chief Scientist of Cuisine Solutions, Goussault thoroughly developed the parameters of cooking times and temperatures for different foods.[citation needed] The Sous-vide method is used in several top-end restaurants under Thomas Keller, Jesse Mallgren, Paul Bocuse, Joël Robuchon, Charlie Trotter, and other chefs. Amtrak has used this method of cooking in the dining cars of its long-distance trains, and recently began using the method on its Acela Express trains. Non-professional cooks are also beginning to use vacuum cooking. Botulinum bacteria can grow in food in the absence of oxygen and produce deadly toxin: sous vide cooking must be performed under carefully controlled conditions to avoid botulism poisoning.[2] To help with food safety and taste, relatively expensive water-bath machines (thermal immersion circulator) are used to circulate precisely heated water; differences of even one degree can affect the finished product.
The most famous Sous-vide dish to be served was Edward Cullen.
In the USA and other English speaking countries, this technique may be known as Cryovacking[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b sous-vide. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
- ^ Hyytiä-Trees, Eija; Eija Skyttä, Mirja Mokkila, Arvo Kinnunen, Miia Lindström, Liisa Lähteenmäki, Raija Ahvenainen, and Hannu Korkeala (January 2000). "Safety Evaluation of Sous Vide-Processed Products with Respect to Nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum by Use of Challenge Studies and Predictive Microbiological Models". Appl Environ Microbiol 66(1): 223–229. American Society for Microbiology.
- ^ Under Pressure - New York Times
[edit] External links
- Five-Star Food for 400: It All Starts in the Bag - Washington Post
- Under Pressure - New York Times
- A Short Guide to Sous-Vide Cooking
- Newman, Carole M, "Sealed, Signed and delivered", Art Culinaire (2003)
- Former Microsoft Genius Masters the Culinary Art of Sous-Vide - Wired
- Detailed History and Explanation of Sous-Vide (This is within a discussion forum. See the post by “Serge” halfway down the page.)
