Benefits of Sous Vide Cooking

source : Clifton Food Range

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Taste/texture benefits

The exclusion of air in the vacuum bag greatly reduces the growth of aerobic bacteria, which delays the contents from spoiling.

Cooking at lower temperatures for extended periods of time results in:

• Minimal loss of moisture and weight
• Preserves flavour and aroma as water soluble substances especially aromatics are not lost
• Flavours are enhanced, colours retained and less salt is required
• Nutrients are preserved as water-soluble minerals are leached into cooking water but cooking in a vacuum bag eliminates this.
• Research has shown that sous vide gives the highest retention of vitamins vs. steaming and boiling.
• Little additional fat required during cooking
• Consistent results every time a dish is cooked.

Operational benefits

Cost reduction:

• Minimise wastage by advance preparation of portions
• Minimum shrinkage of contents during cooking process typically from 30% to less that 5%.
• Cheaper cuts of meat can be used as tenderness is improved dramatically with sous vide technique
• Extra demand can be drawn from cold store or less used in quieter periods.
• Low energy consumption as opposed to oven/gas range
• Non-use of gas reduces ambient temperature in kitchen, and fire risk
• Several meals from starter to dessert can be regenerated simultaneously in the same bath reducing clean up time.
• Unskilled staff can use product especially useful for nighttime room service.
• With indirect cooking: Shelf life is extended
  • Simplifies and facilitates servic
  • Improves work planning, preparation and cooking outside of service times, anticipation of banquet preparation
  • Time saving: garnishing plates/mis en place work can take place whilst service items are poaching.

Creativity:

• Through time saving there is an opportunity to do more development work. leading to improved job satisfaction
• Extending menu content and planning.

Operational procedures:

It is important to establish procedures and policies to demonstrate that all efforts have been taken to minimise the risk from anaerobic bacteria eg clostridium botulinum. This bacterium thrives in areas where oxygen is eliminated and so it is important to cook at minimum established temperatures for each type of meat to kill the bacteria.

Establish a Food Safety Policy:

• Source only the highest quality ingredients from known suppliers and have a system of traceability in place.
• Separate food areas for raw and cooked, including separate vacuum machines
• Establish minimum cooking temperatures for meat and fish
• Adhere to maximum storage temperatures and times
• Strict labelling of contents with date, identification of contents and name of the person who prepared.

Put in place HACCP – Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Point Programme

This covers the movement of food from delivery to service to client.

Procedures will include:

Identifying points of risk

E.g.

Potential breaks in the ‘cold chain’

Potential contamination points with other foods/ items in the kitchen environment.

Cooking temperatures:

According to Joan Roca the cooking temperature should be greater than 65°C to ensure pasteurisation. Time however has to be long enough to ensure that the core temperature has reached this. This can be done at trial stage by using the accessory probe and digital thermometer.

Temperatures should ideally not exceed 70°C to ensure that the juiciness is not lost.

Cooking in this way is ideal for mis en place (indirect) as the foods may then be safely stored below 3°C.

Joan Roca also states that direct cooking can be done at lower temperatures as long as the food is consumed immediately. The risk of bacterial multiplication is small as the length of time the ingredients stay in the risk zone is minimal. It is vital however that the ingredients are as fresh as possible and of the highest quality.