The Everything Guide to Cooking Sous Vide Read Free Page A

of these tools are just gimmicks and nothing more. That is not the case with sous vide, as it is so much more than some gizmo to fill up your kitchen. Sous vide is truly an innovation in the way that you cook, and it is a culinary trend that will be here for years to come.

Chapter 2
    The Necessary Equipment
    Starting the adventure of sous vide cooking is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. This culinary technique is not only a new way to cook, but it also requires specific equipment. Some equipment is essential, while there are a few optional tools that can be helpful for the home cook.
    Sous Vide Machines
    The first thing that a sous vide newbie needs is some way to heat and control the temperature of a water bath. Sous vide cooking is all about precision. When food is placed in a water bath, it is essential that there is very little swing above or below the set temperature. Temperature swing is not as critical when cooking on the stovetop, oven, or grill, but in sous vide cooking, it is crucial because the temperature of the water is set to be the target temperature of the meat.

What kind of sous vide machine should I buy?
A water oven is a great choice if you will use it often and have room on the counter. These are quiet and typically can cook a lot of food at once. Immersion circulators are lower in price, smaller in size, a great choice for smaller kitchens or portability option, and just as effective at heating and maintaining water temperature.
    A number of years ago, if someone wanted to get into sous vide cooking at home, there were few options. It was either spend lots of money for a commercial unit or build your own contraption. Today, there are many different choices that range in price, quality, design, and functionality.
    Water Ovens
    One type of sous vide machine available for the home cook is a water oven. These all-in-one machines are convenient and ideal for someone wanting a unit that both holds and heats water. These units contain a large water reservoir for cooking sous vide. The control panel on a water oven allows you to set the water temperature, and some models have timers on them as well. There are not a lot of different companies that sell sous vide water ovens designed for the home kitchen. By far, the most popular and well known is by SousVide Supreme.

    A SousVide Supreme water oven

    Setting temperature on a SousVide Supreme water oven

    SousVide Supreme water-level line

    SousVide Supreme water tank
    Typically, the heating element in water ovens is underneath the reservoir, which allows for even and steady heating. As the water is heated at the bottom of the reservoir, it rises to ensure consistent and level temperatures throughout the water bath. Vacuum-sealed bags of food are placed in the reservoir either horizontally or vertically and the water surrounds the bags to provide even heating. Some water ovens come with a rack that is ideal for ensuring that the bags of food are evenly placed and never touching. A rack also maximizes the space in the water bath, since many bags of food can be lined up side by side.
    Water ovens have some significant advantages over the other sous vide models and methods. For example, water ovens come with all that you need to get started cooking sous vide, as they hold the water and also heat the water. Most of the other sous vide machine options require additional tools or devices, and some other sous vide methods actually require the modification of equipment. Since this can be a bit overwhelming, the water oven is a great choice for anyone entering into this new culinary adventure of sous vide.
    The design of a water oven is typically quite simple and there are little to no moving parts, so there is not much externally that can either break or require maintenance. Most water ovens use very little energy compared to some of the other sous vide options available. The water oven is an ideal choice if you plan to cook sous vide regularly. A typical water