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Let's be honest, with our busy schedules and hectic life, whip a large meal on the same option is daily No. Fortunately, we live in a completed worldslow cooks,Instant pots,air fryers, And other clever cooking gadgets that have made life in the cooking much easier. And just when you thought your house was well equipped with the most culinary technology updated and you tried every game-it-and-forget-it method there, we bet under vacuum is still everything to does a novelty. Under vacuum is a cooking method that has been around for a long time in restaurant kitchens, but it has recently been rendered accessible to home cooks. So, what exactly is in vacuo? We chatted with Nate Call, a leader atHello Fresh, discover.

What is vacuum?

Under vacuum comes from the French word "under vacuum", which is perfectly logical. In vacuo is a cooking process in which the food is sealed under vacuum in a plastic bag and cooked in controlled temperature water. As a call called "in vacuo is a circulating water bath pointing process with amazing temperature and moisture control due to vacuum sealing. »

Usually, the air-tight container is placed in a stainless steel jar with water and accompanied by a vacuumcirculator immersion (You can buy one of the many kitchen tool suppliers), which works to slowly cook the meat while preserving his tenderness and the flavor. The circulator is usually fixed on the side of the pot and immersed in boiling water.

And although this method may seem complicated, it's not. Under vacuum can be considered another set-it-and-forget-it method, as shown in the circulator screen the cooking time and temperature, so that you can easily follow the progress of your meal .

What can you cook using the vacuum method of?

The vacuum method of is ideal for cooking meat, poultry, fish and seafood and vegetables. In fact, vacuum cooking will give tenderness that is almost impossible to get otherwise. With regard to meat and poultry, try baking different sections of steak, pork, duck, turkey, chicken or lamb, but also pastrami, salted beef, beef chest or other cold cuts. For seafood, salmon test on, lobster, tilapia, tuna, branzino or red snapper.

With regard to vegetables under vacuum-ing, root vegetables like carrots are common, as well as green vegetables such as asparagus or curly cabbage. And believe it or not, many people eggs cooking under vacuum as well (that you have probably seen the eggs of under vacuum at Starbucks as well).

What can not you cook using the vacuum method of?

It is important to know that just like other methods, under vacuum are not for everything. For example, do not try to cook soups or pasta in this way, because the method is really intended to help and tenderize Poach. Another under vacuum is common Fail Dutch sauce.

How do you prepare for vacuum meat?

When consulting with appeal, we focused on how to safely and efficiently with vacuum meat. First of all, he explained how to prepare the meat for the vacuum process. "In general, the best way for vacuum preparation is to dry, then under vacuum seal. If you do not have a vacuum sealant, a rugged zip plastic bag will work, "he shared. "Simply add the protein to the bag and gently lower in the water to remove as much air as possible. When the zip at the top is just above the flotation line, seal closed. »

We were also curious about the process for seasoning meat for the vacuum method of. Call says it's a little different than other cooking methods. "Mix and match whatever the flavor components you like for different results, but remember that this is a vacuum sealed cooking method. The flavors will not dissipate or absorb at the same rate, and will not have the same effect as traditional cooking methods, "he noted." Fresh or herbs dried, Alliums, and citrus fruits will all share. "

That's why it offers the season the meat after cooking is done in the water. "For most proteins, the best suggestion I can do is stay simple with salt and pepper and add additional flavor drivers after the fact," he added. "In my experience, I prefer to season generously with salt, pepper and dry spices before grabbing the protein in the pan after vacuum cooking. »

And try to stay away from butter and oils while placing the meat in the vacuum seals. "Fat such as butter or oil will dilute natural greases in the protein. And will probably be scrapped anyway. But it depends on what type of protein is used, "Call noted.

RELATED: Easy, healthy, 350 calorie recipe ideas you can do at home.

How long does it take to cook different proteins?

A delicate portion of under vacuum is to know exactly how long each meat cook. It is difficult to give a direct answer because so many of them depend on the size and type of meat with which you work. Of course, the bigger the room, the longer the cooking time. "Most meat will take between 1 and 4 hours," said Call. "The ribs, the pastrami, the chest of the chest and others will take a lot more time. Some recipes for these cups call cooking times from 12 to 72 hours!"

Do not let the wave intimidate you however. "Virtually all home software machines have applications and / or online reference materials in which the user can enter the specific information of the desired protein, size and temperature, and will provide the recommended cooking time. and the temperature of the desired cooking ", underlined, while adding that it is by defaultFree eats the hat of food For reference times and temperatures for different vacuum proteins.

In vacuo is a slow and very different process of rapid cooking methods like cooking. "Vacuum cooking gives the user a much larger time window in which you can get excellent results," Shared Call. "When using a steak on the grill or the hob, the minutes are gasoline. A few minutes of each meaning and the steak is too rare or too well done. Vacuum cooking offers you the opportunity to 'Stretch these minutes in hours. "

You also want the crisp?

After under vacuum-ing, either cooking at the cooking of your meat, it is a good idea that the vacuum sealed cooking method will unfortunately not be brown or crude the meat. "Food is not exposed to direct heat and proteins are not caramelized and do not produce theMaillard reaction"Call noted". In many cases, you will want to get up the protein to create the ideal exterior of gold brown gold ".

However, it added that "for a real vacuum poaching method, you can ignore this step."

Our last verdict on under vacuum

Call loves the method of several different reasons. As a rule, vacuum cooking takes most, if not all, from the guitar of cooking meat. Once done correctly, under vacuum is virtually infallible and will produce great results every time. It's a passive way to cook, releasing the stove to work on other aspects of the meal. And finally, he likes this technique for large format cooking (like cooking for a crowd). The cook can produce cooked proteins and perfectly identical worn with minimal effort.

One of our main tasks with this method is that creativity need and fun of cooking. Calls that too, "I like to think of under vacuum as a much more scientific way of cooking. It is reduced art and experience and made much more cut and dry scientist (like cooking chemistry). In In addition, when cooking under vacuum, you miss the traditional sensory experience of cooking in the kitchen. The sounds of the kitchen, the aromas of the roasting of meat and vegetables, and other aspects of the experience sensory are all missing. "

Like most new techniques, it will take time and experience to get used to vacuum cooking. For starters, consult our TOP Choose for a vacuum machine .