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    Home » Tips

    How to Select the Perfect Time and Temperature

    Sep 29, 2019 · 3 Comments

    Before you can put the sous vide machine to work, there are two variables that you need to determine. The first is the total time of the cook, and the second is the temperature of the water. Both of these are massively important to cooking sous vide as they will determine the doneness, texture, and tenderness.

    In short, temperature = doneness and time = tenderness.

    Once you select a time and temperature based on your preference, all you have to do is set the temperature of the sous vide machine and let it work its magic. Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule).

    If you feel like you've got this, check out my foolproof guide determine the ideal sous vide time and temperature for anything you are dropping in the bath here. If you'd like to learn more, below is an in-depth explanation of how to effectively determine the time and temperature so that you can nail every cook to perfection.

    Temperature

    Sous Vide Prime Rib with Gravy for Holidays
    Setting the temperature to 133F resulted in this beautiful edge to edge rosy color.

    The first variable is the temperature. The temperature of the sous vide bath controls the doneness of the food. This  means it will determine whether your eggs are poached or hard-boiled, or if your steak is medium-rare or well-done.

    Think about cooking a steak on a barbecue. If you want a steak to be medium rare, you fire up your grill to 400F and cook it until your meat thermometer reads 131F.

    With a sous vide machine, you take a different approach. Rather than using a flaming hot grill to torch the outside of your steak to eventually reach a specific internal temperature, you simply heat the sous vide bath water to that desired temperature. By doing this, the entire steak is medium rare from edge to edge.

    This logic applies to all different types of food, whether it is chicken, eggs, vegetables, or whatever!

     

    Time

    The second variable is the time of the cook. The length of the cook controls the tenderness of food, and whether your food is completely cooked through. In my time and temperature guide, you’ll notice that there is a minimum and maximum amount of time recommended for each cook, depending on each specific food.

    The minimum amount of time ensures that the food is completely cooked through. I do not recommend cooking for less than that. The maximum amount of time ensures that the meat is not overly tender (yes, that is possible). The sous vide is very forgiving, so if you leave your food in for an extra hour or two past the maximum the effect will be minimal. However, cooking a 1-inch pork chop for 48 hours will degrade the meat's texture and have you serving pork mush.

    Sous Vide Short Ribs with Red Wine Reduction
    72 hour sous vide short ribs is a perfect example of a complete change in texture due to time.

    The time in-between the minimum and the maximum is where the magic happens. Similar to cooking meat on a smoker, slow cooking a protein in a sous vide converts collagen into gelatin, which can significantly increase the tenderness.

    There is a lot of experimentation that can be done in between the minimum and maximum times, so I encourage you play around and find your favorites!

    Note that certain foods like eggs have a very precise time and temperature. Since the texture of eggs can completely change with an extra 10 minutes, I recommend being very precise. Chefsteps created a great visual tool to determine your favorite time and temperature for eggs. Check it out here.

    More on Sous Vide!

    If you want to learn more sous vide basics, check out our Beginner's Guide on how to sous vide! This foolproof guide will teach you everything I wish I had known at the beginning of my journey. A lay out of the foundations of cooking sous vide, so that you can hit the ground running. Check it out here!

    « What is Sous Vide? Here Are the Basics.
    Sous Vide Chicken Quarters with Alabama White Sauce »

    About Jason Veselak

    Jason is a home chef with a passion for preparing perfectly-cooked, gourmet meals at home - so naturally he became obsessed with cooking sous vide. This obsession led to a quest to find the perfect cooking time, temperatures and techniques for every type of food he puts in the bath. Jason is excited to share his pro-tips and favorite recipes to help make cooking sous vide an unforgettable experience for everyone. Follow his culinary adventures at @sousveezy on Instagram to learn more!

    This post may contain affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jim R says

      September 29, 2019 at 1:40 pm

      When I bought my sous vide I had no idea how to pick a time and temperature. This really helped, thanks.

      Reply
    2. Linda Fournier says

      February 12, 2020 at 11:25 am

      Just bought a sous vide and didn't know where to start. This worked for me regarding temps and times. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Jason Veselak says

        February 12, 2020 at 11:48 am

        Very glad you found it helpful! If you have any questions regarding sous vide please feel free to reach out.

        Reply

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