Sous Vide
Sous vide (French for "under vacuum") is a cooking method where food is sealed in a bag and cooked in a water bath held at a precise temperature. Because the water never gets hotter than your target, food cooks evenly from edge to centre and can't overshoot. A steak in a 55 °C / 131 °F bath comes out medium-rare all the way through.
Why it works
In a pan or oven, the heat source is far hotter than the doneness you want. A 230 °C / 450 °F oven cooks the outside far past medium-rare long before the centre catches up, leaving a band of grey meat.
With sous vide, the heat source is the target. Water transfers heat much more efficiently than air, and a circulator holds it within about 0.1–0.5 °C. Once the centre matches the bath, it stays there, which also means almost no carryover cooking.
The sealed bag also keeps juices and aromatics in contact with the food instead of evaporating.
Common temperatures
| Food | Bath temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Steak, medium-rare | 54–56 °C / 129–133 °F | 1–4 h |
| Pork chop | 58–62 °C / 136–144 °F | 1–4 h |
| Chicken breast | 60–65 °C / 140–149 °F | 1.5–3 h |
| Salmon | 45–52 °C / 113–126 °F | 30–60 min |
| Eggs (soft, jammy) | 63–64 °C / 145–147 °F | 45–60 min |
| Short ribs | 57–68 °C / 135–155 °F | 24–72 h |
Food safety
Health Canada and USDA give minimum internal temperatures for conventional cooking, such as 74 °C / 165 °F for poultry, which kill bacteria almost instantly. Sous vide relies on pasteurization over time: lower temperatures kill the same bacteria if held long enough, which is why chicken at 60–63 °C / 140–145 °F needs time at temperature, not just to reach it.
Basic rules:
- Use a trusted time-and-temperature table for your thickness.
- Don't let food spend more than about 4 hours in total below 54 °C / 130 °F; long cooks must run hotter than that.
- Chill cooked bags in ice water before refrigerating, and eat within a few days.
- Fish at low temperatures isn't pasteurized; use very fresh, high-quality fish.
Finish with a sear
Sous vide can't brown. Pat food very dry and sear it hard in a smoking-hot pan for 45–60 seconds per side for that Maillard crust. A quick chill in cold water before searing gives you more time to brown without overcooking.
Chef Fizz says: Sous vide is like a babysitter for your steak. Set the temperature, walk away, then sear when you're ready.
Questions
Is sous vide cooking safe?
Yes, when done correctly. Safety depends on both temperature and time, so follow a reliable time-and-temperature table, start with cold food, and chill anything you aren't eating right away in an ice bath.
Do you need a vacuum sealer for sous vide?
No. Zip-top freezer bags work well using the water displacement method: lower the bag into water so the pressure pushes air out, then seal it just above the waterline.
What temperature for sous vide steak?
About 52 °C / 126 °F for rare, 55 °C / 131 °F for medium-rare, 60 °C / 140 °F for medium. Cook 1–4 hours for steaks 2.5–5 cm thick, then sear.
Can you overcook food sous vide?
Not in temperature, but in texture. Meat held far too long, often beyond 4–6 hours for tender cuts, can turn soft and mushy even though it never gets hotter than the bath.