(Original post published January 24, 2014. Updated October 27, 2025.)
Sous vide (pronounced soo veed) is French for “under vacuum” — a precise cooking method once reserved for top chefs but now embraced by curious home cooks everywhere. Using controlled water-bath temperatures, it delivers tender, juicy, and evenly cooked meats, fish, and vegetables every time.
This isn’t a trendy gadget fad — it’s a technique with centuries of history, rediscovered by French scientists in the 1960s and refined by chefs in the 1970s. Today, it’s a cornerstone of modern cooking, and for good reason: sous vide makes it nearly impossible to overcook your food.
Why Sous Vide Works So Well
Traditional cooking uses direct heat — ovens, pans, or grills — which cook from the outside in. The result? Edges that can dry out while you wait for the center to reach your desired doneness. Precision and timing are everything.
Sous vide flips that script. Food is sealed in an airtight bag (often vacuum-sealed or zip-top) and placed in a circulating water bath kept at a constant temperature — usually between 130°F and 145°F. Because the water never exceeds the target temperature, your food cooks evenly from edge to center, stays impossibly tender, and retains its natural juices.
The only thing missing is a browned crust — but that’s easily fixed with a quick sear in a hot skillet or on the grill.
Key Advantages of Sous Vide Cooking
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Perfect doneness, every time. Your steak, fish, or chicken turns out exactly the way you like it — edge to edge.
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Incredible tenderness. Even the toughest cuts become melt-in-your-mouth soft after long, slow cooking.
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No guesswork. Set your temperature, walk away, and relax.
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More moisture and flavor. Because everything stays sealed, natural juices and seasonings infuse deeply.
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Flexible timing. A steak can stay in the bath for hours without overcooking.
What You’ll Need
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Thermal immersion circulator: The engine of sous vide cooking. Compact models like the Anova Precision Cooker or Joule clip onto any pot and cost around $200. Self-contained units like the SousVide Supreme maintain temperature beautifully but run closer to $500.
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Bags: Use vacuum-seal bags or heavy-duty Ziploc-style sous vide bags (with a hand pump or water displacement method).
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A large pot or heatproof container: To hold your water bath.
Sous vide uses surprisingly little energy — once the water reaches temperature, it holds steady using about the same power as a light bulb.
Chef Mick’s Pro Tips
1. Season well before sealing. Salt, pepper, herbs, butter, or marinades go right in the bag. The flavors intensify as they circulate.
2. No “resting” required. Sous vide food doesn’t experience carryover cooking, so it’s ready to serve immediately after searing.
3. Sear fast and hot. Use a cast-iron skillet or grill to brown the surface quickly without raising the internal temperature.
4. Experiment with temperature. For reference, I cook my steaks at 134°F, salmon at 120°F, and eggs at 144°F.
Best Uses for Sous Vide
Sous vide shines with both premium and tough cuts:
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Chuck roast or boneless short ribs: Transform into fork-tender, medium-rare steaks after 24 hours at 134°F.
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Steaks & fish fillets: Perfect texture, no risk of overcooking.
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Eggs: Cooked at 143–145°F for about an hour, they come out with yolks the texture of custard — utterly unique.
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Game meats: Bison, elk, venison, lamb, and heritage pork stay juicy and flavorful, never dry.
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Vegetables & desserts: Sweet potatoes, carrots, or even custards benefit from consistent temperature control.
Food Safety & Pasteurization
One of sous vide’s biggest advantages is precise pasteurization. Cooking at controlled temperatures for the right amount of time kills harmful bacteria without sacrificing flavor or moisture. Properly pasteurized sous vide foods can even be stored refrigerated for several weeks — just make sure to follow verified time–temperature guidelines.
For more on safety and recipes, check out Sous Vide for the Home Cook or Modernist Cuisine at Home — two of my favorites.
Cooking Ahead
Sous vide is ideal for meal prep and travel. You can cook ahead, quick-chill the sealed bags, refrigerate, and later reheat them by placing the pouch in hot tap water for a few minutes. Finish with a fast sear, and dinner is done — gourmet style, in minutes.
Featured Recipes
Sous Vide Chuck Roast
Ingredients
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Chuck roast or chuck-eye steaks
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Tony’s Z Blend, Porterhouse, or Tuscan Grill Rub (or salt and pepper)
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Tony’s Chef Sauce of choice
Instructions
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Have your butcher cut chuck or shoulder into 1-inch steaks.
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Season, seal in a sous vide bag, and preheat your water bath to 134°F.
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Cook for 24 hours.
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Pat dry, sear quickly to brown, and serve with Tony’s Chef Sauce.
Tip: Reserve extra cubes of chuck for chili or stew later — and always fold the top of your bag down while filling to keep the seal clean.
Cherry Ancho Chile Sous Vide Steak
Ingredients
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1–2″ thick steaks (NY, rib eye, sirloin, or flat iron)
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Tony’s Cherry Ancho Chile Rub
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1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
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Season generously and seal with butter.
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Cook at 131–140°F for 1–6 hours (1″ steak) or 4–8 hours (2″ steak).
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Remove, pat dry, and sear briefly in a hot skillet.
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Serve with a spoonful of cherry salsa or Tony’s finishing sauce.
Sous Vide Burgers
Enjoy medium-rare burgers safely — tender, juicy, and fully pasteurized.
Ingredients
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4 patties (beef, bison, lamb, elk, or venison)
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Tony’s Steak & Roast Seasoning
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2 Tbsp canola–olive oil blend
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4 slices bold-flavored cheese, room temp
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4 bakery rolls, toasted
Instructions
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Season patties, seal in sous vide bags, and cook at 130°F for medium rare (or 140°F for medium) for at least 2 hours.
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Remove, pat dry, and sear 45 seconds per side in a hot skillet with oil.
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Add cheese while searing the second side.
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Serve immediately with your favorite condiments.
Final Thoughts
Sous vide might sound high-tech, but it’s really about precision, patience, and flavor. Whether you’re elevating a chuck roast to steakhouse quality or prepping the perfect breakfast egg, it’s one of the most foolproof ways to cook — and one of the most rewarding.
So if you haven’t tried it yet, maybe it’s time to ask yourself: Do you sous vide?
— Chef Mick, Tony’s Market
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