The April showers are coming to an end soon, and the whole block will be returning to their yard to show off their grill skills. What better way to establish yourself as the neighborhood’s best chef than by mastering a method of cooking you’ve never tried before? Sous vide is the ideal method of cooking for a cut of meat that’s juicy all over, and with the help of your grill the results can be magical. From pot to grill-top, this restaurant favored cookstyle will set you miles apart from the competition in your area, so allow us to walk you through what makes this method so beautiful.
Why do both?
While sous vide excels at precision cooking, it's the marriage of this technique with the bold flavors of grilling that truly elevates the dining experience. Grilling adds a charred crust and smoky aroma that cannot be replicated by any other cooking method. By incorporating sous vide before or after grilling, you can achieve the best of both worlds: precise temperature control and irresistible grill flavor.
How does it work?
Sous Vide is a touch more complicated than tossing your food right onto the grill, but the extra preparation is well worth the work. French for "under vacuum," is a cooking technique that involves vacuum-sealing food in a bag and immersing it in a precisely controlled water bath at a consistent low temperature for an extended period. This gentle cooking method ensures that your ingredients are cooked evenly from edge to edge, resulting in perfectly tender and juicy meats, fish, and vegetables every time.
For the best results, an immersion circulator is typically used to keep the temperature of the water consistent throughout. By cooking inside of this bag, all the juices that would normally be lost are retained inside of the meat. This will not only make it tastier, but also cause the cooked food to retain its size more than normally cooked food.
Tips and tricks
The perfect sous vide is easier said than done, but we have a few tricks that might help you as you’re getting started.
1. Decide if pre-sear or post-sear is best for you.
Regardless of when your grill comes into play, your food is guaranteed to be enhanced by the process. If you give your food a light toss on the grill before it goes into the bag, you can infuse the entire piece with a little bit of the delicious charred flavor of the grill. Alternatively, char it after to ensure that the perfect crust is maintained.
2. Dry your food.
Oftentimes when cooking sous vide the initial cook can result in moisture on the outside of the meat. Ensuring it’s completely dry outside can greatly improve the quality of the final sear.
3. Experiment!
Just like any other cookstyle, it’s all in the seasonings. Experiment with your favorite dry rubs, or consider marinating the food before it’s sealed in its bag. Cooking in the bag with the flavoring will infuse it into the food, and is guaranteed to give it flavor so rich you won’t believe it came from your own kitchen.
4. Don’t forget your veggies!
Sous vide meat is delectable, but that’s not all this style is for. Vegetables in particular tend to lose a lot of their natural flavor as they dry during the grilling process, but sous vide is the perfect fix. Consider pairing your protein with asparagus, corn on the cob, or even potatoes for a mouthwatering side dish.
When combined, the beautiful precision of sous vide and the bold flavors infused by a grill can elevate your culinary creations beyond your wildest dreams. Whether you’re the star grill master in your town or a klutz in the kitchen, the incorporation of sous vide opens the door for a world of endless possibilities for unforgettable meals. Fire up the grill, bust out the immersion circulator, and get ready to indulge in a culinary adventure that’s sure to delight your taste buds more than ever before.
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