Top 10 Sous Vide Accessories
Sous vide cooking technique allows you to make restaurant-quality meals at home – without actually having to put in any extra effort to do so. This french method involves cooking vacuumed food in hot water baths – on lower temperatures, for a longer period of time. The result are steaks with optimal texture and juiciness, crunchy yet soft veggies that preserve all their nutrients- and even mouthwatering creamy desserts. The trick? Having the right gear at your disposal.
While, at its very core, sous vide cooking process is as simple as it gets, if you don’t invest in proper sous vide accessories, you won’t be getting those impressive results everyone seems to be raving about. Sure, in theory, you could make do with ziplock bags and old pots, but the probability of ruining an important meal is much higher if you improvise. The only thing that sous vide requires is precision – and you can’t very well meet that demand when you’re winging it. Luckily, when you know exactly what you need (and where to look for it), you don’t have to break the bank to get the right sous vide equipment. A great place to start, of course, is a good immersion circulator or a sous vide machine, as without one you won’t be able to control the water flow and temperature, both of which are essential for the cooking process.
Next, you’ll need all those seemingly less important accessories- which actually determine how seamless and effortless the sous vide cooking process will turn out to be. For instance, if you have a vacuum sealer and seal food professionally you don’t have to worry about leaks or undercooked food which can happen when you rely on ziplock bags. Similarly, while an old pot might seem like it does the job, if you “splurge” on a sous vide container with a lid, not only that you’ll have more space to make the most out of your sous vide cooker, but you’ll also be saving energy as this type of vessel is optimized to conserve heat and water and make the process more efficient.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg- there are so many nifty gadgets that could up your sous vide game to a whole other level. Kitchen torches that give your sous vide steak that nice golden sear, sous vide racks that give you more space and better-organized water bath, weights that keep your bags from floating up… Designed by experts, these handy tools will make sure that your sous vide cooking endeavors are as effortless as possible- and that each meal is a roaring success.
To help you find the right sous vide accessories for your own needs, we’ve rounded up the 10 must-have gadgets any sous vide enthusiast has to have in their kitchen. Whether you’re a newbie looking for something to simplify the process even more or need to upgrade your old sous vide equipment, we’ve got you covered.
#1 NutriChef Automatic Food Vacuum Sealer System
A reliable vacuum sealer is a must for anyone who’s serious about sous vide. It will speed up the preparation process and ensure your food is always perfectly prepared. This fully automatic, simple to use vacuum sealer is affordable yet has an impressive performance. It seals both solids and moist foods- the possibilities are vast for sous vide.
#2 FoodVacBags 2-pack 11X50 Rolls Vacuum Sealer Bags
While you can sometimes use ziplock bags if you’re in a hurry, it’s not advisable. Not only that you can’t use them if the hot water bath is above 160 degrees Fahrenheit, but it also produces subpar results. These food grade, BPA-Free vacuum sealer bags are made from highest-quality 7-layer material that will keep your meals perfectly vacuumed throughout the sous vide process.
#3 Breville Big Clamp
If you’re a lucky owner of Joule sous vide machine, the company’s Big Clamp should be a must in your sous vide accessories arsenal. This nifty add-on will allow you to truly exploit the impressive power Joule has by allowing you to attach the device to any large container you want. From coolers, Cambros, to farmhouse sinks–Big Clamp tackles it all!
#4 Rubbermaid Commercial Food Storage Container
The dishwasher-safe and durable container is made from commercial grade, break-resistant, polycarbonate material. It comes in sizes from 2 quarts to 22 quarts, so you’re sure to find one for yourself. It beats an old pot any day!
#5 Rubbermaid Commercial Products Lid
There’s a lid for every pot- the same goes for containers. For the containers we wholeheartedly recommend, you can get a lid in any size, large or small. They are sturdy but can be easily pierced with a sharp scalpel- ideal if you want to make a hole for your sous vide stick.
#6 Jo Chef Professional Kitchen Torch
Sure, sous vide gives you perfectly cooked food, but without that golden sear on the top… it’s not the same. Unless you prefer going the skillet route, a searing torch is a perfect tool to own. This particular one is affordable and gives the perfect sear!
#7 EVERIE Weighted Sous Vide Rack Divider
A sous vide rack will help you separate the bags in the container for more even results- which is very important if you have a sous vide hot water oven. In the case you have an immersion circulator, this gadget is not essential!
#8 Gevoli Sous Vide Weights
Sometimes, you simply can’t manage to get all of the air out of the bag, so they won’t stay submerged in the hot water bath. To make sure the bags don’t float out to the surface and ruin the results, use weighted magnets.
#9 Smithcraft Silicone Trivet Mat
Your countertops will thank you if you use a trivet when sous vide cooking. The prolonged heat exposure from a hot water container could lead to serious damage in the long run. These colorful silicone mats protect your countertops and look great, too!
#10 Cuisinart CGM-520 Heat Resistant Silicone Gloves
While you can always use kitchen tongs to take out hot sous vide bags out of the water, it’s not always the ideal option (slippery bags!). Gloves give you a better grip- these can withstand heat up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit so they’re safe to use with sous vide hot water baths.