Which sous vide products do I need?

Sous vide cooking sometimes sounds more complicated than it actually is. We'll explain exactly which items you need to get started.

Sous vide device

The most important thing: the sous vide appliance , also called a sous vide stick or circulator. Without this appliance, there's no sous vide. Why can't you achieve the same results with a regular pan? Consistency. No stovetop can cook your food with such precision, but a sous vide appliance can. Thanks to the circulation, the temperature is always consistent, exactly how you want it.

Many sous vide appliances have come onto the market in recent years, with varying prices and quality.

What should I pay attention to when buying a sous vide device?

1. The power of the appliance: Cheaper appliances often have less power than, for example, the Sous Vide Stick 30. As a result, the appliance can only keep small amounts of water at the right temperature.
2. Size: There are also many sous vide water baths on the market. These are larger than sous vide sticks. This is convenient for some home cooks, but others prefer a stick because it fits more easily in the kitchen cupboard.
3. The temperature: Sous vide cooking is generally done at lower temperatures, but it's still nice if the appliance can cook up to 95 degrees Celsius. It would be a shame if you couldn't create recipes because the appliance couldn't cook at a high enough temperature.
4. The warranty: unfortunately, we see it happen often enough with cheaper providers: a device breaks and is no longer covered by the warranty. Fortunately, we've rarely experienced any problems with our products.

Sous vide accessories for the best results

If you strive for perfection in the kitchen and are always looking for the best end result, then sous vide is the way to go. There's no doubt about it, because only with sous vide can you achieve that perfect cooking every time.

Have you decided? To immerse yourself in the world of sous vide cooking, a good sous vide appliance is the absolute minimum you need. The sous vide stick is necessary to heat the water to the required temperature to achieve perfect doneness.

There are several accessories available that can help you, as an amateur chef, deliver chef-worthy dishes. Consider the following sous vide products:

• Vacuum bags
• Vacuum device
• Sous vide baking
• Thermal insulation balls
• Smoking gun
• Sous vide cleaning powder

These sous vide accessories aren't all necessary, but when used, they can make a huge difference in the final result. We'll go over each of these tools one by one, so you know what they do and what they're used for, and you're well-prepared to start your first sous vide dish.

Vacuum bags and vacuum device

Sous vide and vacuum sealing are inextricably linked. Sous vide is French for "under vacuum." Sous vide always ensures the best results. By vacuum-sealing the meat, fish, poultry, or even vegetables without air, and then cooking them in a warm water bath, you can achieve the desired doneness. The core temperature of the food will never exceed the temperature of the water. Your cooking will be perfect.

Of course, you can try sealing an ingredient in a ziplock bag without air by partially submerging the bag and its contents to press the air out. If you're getting started with sous-vide, you'll quickly want to purchase a good vacuum sealer and quality vacuum bags . Only then will you achieve the best end result.

The quality of the sous vide bags and the vacuum sealer are crucial. A poor-quality vacuum sealer might not vacuum seal the bags properly or seal them tightly. This can cause water to leak into the bag, inevitably ruining your dish.

There Vacuum bags are sold that are not suitable for use in hot water. The bags can then leak or even release harmful substances into the food being cooked in them. In either case, your preparation can fail. Therefore, for sous vide, buy a good vacuum sealer with vacuum bags.

Sous vide baking

While a sous vide stick can also be attached to the rim of a large pan, it's wise to choose a dedicated sous vide container. The sous vide appliance will fit better in a sous vide container, but the biggest advantage is that there's more than enough space to cook your dish. Especially when cooking multiple vacuum-sealed bags simultaneously, a spacious sous vide container ensures better water circulation and therefore even cooking of your dish.

An added bonus is that the container is made of crystal-clear polycarbonate, so you can see the food cooking live.

Thermal insulation balls

Sous vide is a cooking technique used to cook ingredients in hot water for extended periods. To achieve perfect doneness for certain ingredients, it may be necessary to keep them submerged in the sous vide bath for extended periods, sometimes even more than 24 hours. Using thermal insulation balls in the hot water bath can minimize water evaporation. These balls also retain heat better, which has a positive effect on your energy bill.

thermal insulation balls
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Thermal insulation cover

While the thermal insulation balls insulate the top of the container, the insulating sleeve prevents heat from escaping from the sides. Made of neoprene, the sleeve is very soft and insulating.

Smoking gun

The smoking gun is a relatively new culinary innovation and has become an indispensable part of gourmet cuisine. This smoking gun lets you add smoky flavor to your dish. It's also incredibly easy to use. Simply place some wood chips or herbs in the smoking gun. Pressing the button starts a small fan inside the device. Light the wood chips with a lighter, and the fan inside the smoking gun creates the necessary smoke and circulation. It's recommended to use the smoking gun with a smoking dome .

In the past, you had to use smokers to add smoky flavor, which could sometimes be quite cumbersome. With the smoking gun, adding smoky flavor is a breeze. You'll find you'll use the smoking gun more often as a result. The smoking gun is therefore an excellent alternative to a smoker.

Sous vide cleaning powder

Just like a kettle or espresso machine, you'll need to descale your sous vide stick occasionally. The appliance uses tap water, which contains limescale. Depending on your region, the hardness of your water also varies, so you'll need to descale your sous vide stick more or less often than usual. You can use our sous vide cleaning powder for descaling. Occasionally soaking your sous vide stick in a bowl of water with some of the powder dissolved in it can prevent limescale buildup.

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Sous vide rack

With sous vide cooking, your goal is to ensure cooking in a water bath at a constant (low) temperature. The sous vide appliance heats and circulates the water, ensuring the water in the container maintains the same temperature throughout. This is the only way to ensure even cooking. The last thing you want is for your vacuum bag to rub against the sous vide appliance or the side of the container due to the water flow. This prevents proper circulation and even cooking, potentially negatively impacting the final result.

The sous vide rack is placed inside a sous vide container. You can then easily and neatly arrange your vacuum-sealed dishes in the rack. This way, even with multiple vacuum bags in the water container, you maintain optimal water circulation, maintaining a consistent temperature and ensuring more even cooking.

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Finally

Sous vide is a cooking technique that revolves around precision. By adjusting the water bath temperature to the correct temperature, your dish will reach the perfect core temperature, optimal flavor, and perfect texture after a certain amount of time. As a chef, you have complete control over the final result.

It would be a shame if you were missing important accessories, and your final result would be inferior. So, think carefully about what you want to achieve and choose your sous vide accessories accordingly.