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Sous vide (you pronounce it sue-veed) means under vacuum in French, and it is a pro-level cooking process that yields restaurant-quality results. Learn how to do sous vide in instant pot.
This cooking technique traces its origin in France by a chef named Georges Pralus. From 1974 when Pralus adopted sous vide, this cooking technique has continued to gain traction, with high-end restaurants serving some foods cooked with way.
But you don’t need to be a top chef to prepare food using this cooking technique.
Besides, you can invest in affordable kitchen appliances like Anova’s Sous Vide Cooker and Instant Pot and experience the same precision-cooking style that you only find in high-end restaurants.
With a guide that takes you through every step, you can also achieve the exact doneness of the sous vide cooking technique for restaurant-quality results.
This article will take you through the steps for cooking food using the sous vide cooking technique. So, be sure to read on and follow the procedures for more information.
Using An Instant Pot to Cook Using The Sous Vide Cooking Method
- 10-in-1 pressure cooker, slow cooker, sous vide, sauté pan, sterilizer, yogurt maker, food warmer, cake baker and steamer
- 11+ SAFETY FEATURES: including Overheat Protection and safe locking lid
- CUSTOMIZABLE COOKING: the 28 program settings are perfect for a selection of essential meals
You have a few kitchen appliances to choose from and cook your meals using the sous vide cooking method, but our choice today is the Instant Pot.
If you have this kitchen appliance in your kitchen, you have two ways of cooking your meals using the sous vide cooking method:
Immersion Circulators
Perhaps this is the easiest way to cook your meal using the sous vide cooking method. You will only have to clip the sous vide immersion circulator onto a large container with a water bath.
Of course, you will open the lid of your preferred water container so that the immersion circulator can heat the water bath to a precise temperature and circulate it.
For example, when cooking meat, you will place it inside a plastic bag and seal the bag. And this creates a vacuum inside the plastic bag, which is essential for cooking your meal using the sous vide cooking method for a restaurant-standard result.
Instant Pot also makes these immersion circulators, although you can find immersion circulators from other brands.
But since we are talking about Instant Pot, it could be better to pick an Instant Pot immersion circulator for this method of cooking your meal using sous vide.
Other excellent brands with efficient immersion circulators include Breville Joule and Anova.
Sous Vide Smart Cooking Program
Instant Pot is a smart kitchen appliance that you could rely on to cook your meal using the sous vide cooking process.
That is because this appliance has a cooking program, the smart Sous Vide, for cooking your meal.
This cooking method is an excellent alternative to the immersion circulator sous vide cooking method, especially if you don’t want to buy an immersion circulator.
Instant Pots With Sous Vide Cooking Programs
Instant Pot is an essential kitchen appliance for cooking your meals using the sous vide cooking method. And only a handful of Instant Pot models feature the sous vide smart program. And they include the following:
| Instant Pot | Product Information | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
Top | Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11 in 1, Electric Pressure Cooker with Air Fryer | Check Price |
Top | Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker, Rice Cooker, Slow Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Sous Vide, Sauté, Food Warmer, Bake, Stock Pot, Steamer | Check Price |
Top | Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, Sterilizer, and Warmer | Check Price |
Top | Instant Pot Viva 6Qt 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker, Silver | Check Price |
Top | Instant Pot Max 6 Quart Multi-use Electric Pressure Cooker with 15psi Pressure Cooking, Sous Vide, Auto Steam Release Control and Touch Screen | Check Price |
Equipment You Will Need to Cook Using Sous Vide
| Equipments | Product Information | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
Top
Top | Vacuum Sealer Bags,Food Vacuum Saver Bags 50 of Each Size 8"x12" Quart and 11"x16" Gallon Sous Vide Bags(Total 100 Bags) | Check Price |
Top
Top | Kizen Digital Meat Thermometers for Cooking | Check Price |
Top
Top | Silicone Oven Mitts Heat Resistant to 500 Degrees | Check Price |
Top
Top | Kitchen Tongs, ASIYUN Set of 5–7 & 9inch Stainless Steel Silicone Cooking Tongs with Non-Stick Silicone Tips | Check Price |
How To Use Sous Vide To Cook Your Meal
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Add Water to Your Instant Pot
You want to ensure your meal will submerge below the water level. As such, add water and keep filling the inner Pot until it is ½-full. If you are cooking a large meal, add more water.
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Set Instant Pot Sous Vide Program
Selecting the sous vide program differs from one Instant Pot model to another model. But it is never a challenge to select this program no matter the Instant Pot appliance you are using.
For example, you will follow the steps below to select the sous vide program for Instant Pot Duo Crisp:
- Locate the Sous Vide button and press it.
- Adjust the temperature by pressing the + or – Temp button.
- Adjust the time by pressing the + or – Time buttons
- Press the start button.
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Place Your Meal Inside the Ziploc Bag
Place your meal inside a freezer bag and remove as much air from the freezer bag as you can. Then seal the freezer bag to keep air from getting inside.
Ensure you leave a 1-inch space unsealed because you will need this opening later. Do all these while the Instant Pot pressure cooker is heating the water.
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Place The Sous Vide Bag in The Water Bath
Once the Instant Pot has achieved the sous vide temperature, use silicone tongs to lower the sous vide bag in the water bath gently. Also, you want to lower the sous vide bag gradually.
Air will escape through the 1-inch space you left unsealed through the displacement method. Keep the tiny unsealed space above the water for air to escape.
Once the air has escaped completely, seal the 1-inch space. Lower the sous vide bag entirely and close the lid.
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Remove Your Meal When the Countdown Has Stopped
Your Instant Pot will beep when the countdown has stopped to alert you that your food is cooked. After hearing the beep, press the Cancel button and open the lid.
Use your silicon-made tongs to remove the food Instant Pot. Unseal the sous vide bag and place the food on a cutting board or a plate you have lined with paper towels.
Let your meal rest on the cutting board for 10 minutes or thereabout. Since dangerous bacteria thrive in temperatures ranging from 4.4°C (40°F) to 54.4°C (130°F), you want to ensure your food is out of these temperatures as fast as possible.
Be sure to use an ice bath to cool your food. The food will cool to about 3°C very fast, leaving the bacteria no time to thrive. You can then refrigerate the food, especially if you are looking to eat it later.
Sous Vide Recipes
You can spice up cooking sous vide food if you have recipes that improve your cooking technique. You can find plenty of sous vide recipes on blogs by America’s Test Kitchen.
You will be sure to learn the different cook times for sous vide recipes. You will also know the right temperature for pressure cooking your desired sous vide meal.
Conclusion
Sous vide is a cooking technique that was exclusive to the pro chefs. But with the right kitchen appliance and equipment, you can achieve the same level of precision and doneness for restaurant-quality sous vide foods.
This guide could help you prepare any meal using the sous vide cooking process. But you might need a recipe to cook your favorite foods using this cooking technique.
If you were looking for the basics for cooking a meal using the sous vide technique, we hope you have found the help you needed.
