Immersing Themselves: Part II

BY CRAIG VIERA

CLAIRE LOWER
Food & Beverage Editor, lifehacker.com

Sous-Vide: What about sous vide cooking inspires you?

Claire Lower: It lets cooks experiment with expensive ingredients without the fear of screwing them up. I’m more likely to buy an expensive cut of meat if I know I’m not going to overcook it, and that means I’m eating better food at home.

SV: In your column, “Will It Sous-Vide?”, you’ve cooked everything from escargot to a frozen chimichanga. What is the most important lesson you’ve taken from your experimenting?

CL: You usually need to finish your dish outside of the bag. Though a steak may be perfectly cooked from end to end, you still want a sear on it—it’s not “cheating” to use another cooking method to finish off a sous vide prepared meal.

SV: Sous vide is commonly used for proteins, but what does it add to desserts?

CL: Moisture. It’s great for custardy desserts like cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and crème brûlée; you never have to worry about cracking, and the texture is just velvety as all get out.

KRISTEN HAWLEY
Senior Editor, Skift Table

Sous-Vide: How has technology impacted home cooking in recent years?

Kristen Hawley: Technology has certainly elevated the in-home experience, creating shortcuts for home chefs that may have been previously unavailable. Sous vide is one example here, but sensors, connected appliances, and specialty appliances have also really changed the game.

SV: Why do you think sous vide has seen a tremendous rise in popularity?

KH: First, it’s delicious. It’s also easy—just as easy as a slow-cooker, in my opinion. In my house, it’s also about science—I’m married to an engineer who loves to optimize everything, including dinner.

SV: What will be the next sous vide trend?

KH: Consumer-focused media will start to tout sous vide as an everyday option as opposed to a specialty device. I don’t know that it’ll be as ubiquitous as, say, a microwave, but as it grows in popularity, recipes and ideas will follow. There’s a huge market for prepackaged, all-in-one sous vide dinners.