What is sous vide?

We’ve just launched a brand-new collection of slow-cooked cuts that are perfect for speedy midweek meals. Some cuts are just made to be cooked low and slow, but it can be hard to find the time to give them the attention they deserve. That’s why we’ve combined some of our favourite cuts with a selection of fresh herbs and slow-cooked them for over 12 hours. Once they arrive on your doorstep all you have to do is pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes to crisp them up. That way you get all of the flavour with none of the fuss. We use sous vide cooking methods to slow-cook these cuts to perfection.

But what exactly is sous vide?
Sous vide, pronounced ‘soo veed’, is a very precise method of slow-cooking. It involves vacuum-sealing raw meat or fish in a bag, then submerging it in a water bath for several hours. The water temperature is monitored and regulated by a piece of kit which sits in the pan. It ensures the water is kept at a consistent temperature. It’s easy to see where the name comes from, as sous vide is French for “under vacuum”. For a long time this method has been a favourite of high-end chefs as it ensures a perfectly even cook.

How does it work?
While sous vide cooking might sound a little complicated at first, more people are starting to bring this method into their own kitchens. All you need is a sous vide precision cooker (to heat the water and control temperature), strong sealable bags and a large saucepan.

The first step is to fill a very large pan with water and attach the precision cooker to it. This sous vide machine uses a heated metal coil to warm the water to a high temperature and ensures there are no temperature changes while the food is cooking, unlike traditional methods. The next step is to seal the chosen cut of meat or fish in a vacuum pack bag, or a strong sealable bag, pop it in the water and clip it to the side of the pan. It’s important that there is no air in the bag as it needs to be completely submerged in the water.

The meat or fish is then left to cook for several hours. It takes much longer to cook-through than with traditional methods as the entire cut needs to reach the temperature of the water, but it’s worth the wait! We slow-cook our three new cuts in this way for over 12 hours to get them just right. Once cooked-through the cuts will need to be finished off in a hot pan to crisp them up.

What are the benefits of cooking sous vide?
Cooking with water rather than direct heat means that the temperature is easier to control. This precision guarantees a consistent finish, no matter which cut you’re cooking. We slow-cook the cuts with a mixture of fresh ingredients and herbs. These mix with the meat’s natural juices when cooking, resulting in delicious flavours and fantastically tender meat.