The Everything Guide to Cooking Sous Vide (4 page)

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 oven is the size of a small microwave, so it will take up a lot of space on the countertop.

Immersion Circulators

Over the past couple of years, as sous vide has grown significantly in popularity, a number of new machines have hit the market. Of these units, the most common type is the sous vide immersion circulator. Specifically designed for the home kitchen, immersion circulators have been developed by both established companies and brand-new entrepreneurs. PolyScience is one company that has been in the sous vide market for years, providing machines for restaurants and commercial kitchens. Recently, PolyScience has released models of its immersion circulators made for the home kitchen. In addition there have been some other companies that have used crowdfunding methods, like Kickstarter, to raise the initial investment to launch its product. Nomiku and Anova are two such companies, and they each have popular immersion circulators on the market.

A PolyScience immersion circulator

The control panel for a PolyScience immersion circulator

A PolyScience immersion circulator at water level. Be sure to fill the pot to the minimum water line, and do no overfill past the maximum water line.

An Anova immersion circulator

Immersion circulators are different from water ovens in that they are not an all-in-one unit. The immersion circulator clamps on to a large pot, polycarbonate tank, cooler, or other container holding the water. Part of the immersion circulator rests inside the water bath and within this section of the machine there are a few internal parts. There is a thermometer continually measuring the temperature of the water. Along with that there is a heating unit that warms up the water to the designated temperature. There is also a pump or impeller that circulates the water. This pump is an important part of these machines, as a constant movement of water throughout the tank ensures that there is a steady temperature throughout the water bath and that there are no cold pockets.

While many new immersion circulator home units have hit the market over the past few years, it is by no means a new style of machine. Restaurants and other commercial kitchens have been using immersion circulators for years and, in many cases, these machines have been an integral part of their cooking equipment.

The entire immersion circulator is not immersed; usually more than half the machine is above the water. This section holds the electrical components, on/off switch, control panel, and display. From here, the user can set and monitor the desired temperature of the water bath. Typically, immersion circulators also include a timer that can be set for how long you want the machine to stay on. Some newer immersion circulators are even Wi-Fi enabled, utilizing mobile apps for greater control.

Immersion circulators are an excellent choice when looking to invest in a sous vide system. They can be more economical than a water oven and they are perfect for cooking enough food for the average family or even for a dinner party. On top of that, one of the great aspects of an immersion circulator is its size. It will not take up a lot of space on the countertop and can be stored when not in use. The fact that an immersion circulator can turn a large stockpot into a water oven is advantageous for the person with a small kitchen who does not want another big appliance.

A close-up of multiple immersion circulators. Note that the maximum and minimum water levels vary by brand.

DIY Machines

Early on, when foodies started to discover the culinary benefits of sous vide cooking, they tried to create ways to cook this way at home. A quick search online will reveal many different do-it-yourself methods for building a home sous vide machine.

Some designs use rice cookers or slow cookers as the water bath and to heat the water. In these cases, an external thermostat is built in or attached to the cooker to monitor and regulate the temperature. Since sous vide cooking requires precise temperature control, a digital PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controller is used to tell the rice cooker or slow cooker when to heat and when to stop. There are a number of PID controllers available online that can be used for these types of sous vide systems. Also, there are some detailed instructions online that show how to build a temperature controller from cheap parts.

One other way that engineer savvy foodies have created sous vide machines is by designing and building their own immersion circulator. From a collection of cheap parts available online, people have built devices that heat water to a certain temperature and circulate the water with aquarium pumps. These machines are clever designs and can be quite effective.