What do we know about Sous-vide technology?
In order to understand why we need this technology, we need to understand the circumstances under which it emerged and what caused it. We know that the unique Sous-vide technology was invented about forty years ago in France by the famous chef George Pralus. George was the first to cook foie gras in vacuum packaging. This resulted in the liver having a more delicate flavour and better texture after being cooked using the Sous-vide method. Today, when people are increasingly concerned about healthy eating, this type of processing is even more popular. With this cooking technology, the product is subjected to a very delicate heat treatment while in vacuum packaging, thereby reducing weight losses from 20-35% to 5-7% and preserving all the beneficial properties of the product. Most trace elements remain unchanged both in their nutritional value (vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and in their organoleptic value (taste and aroma).
Advantages of Sous-vide cooking technology:
- preservation of product aromas and juices;
- reduction of weight loss by 15-35%;
- energy savings of 20-28%;
- without the risk of shrinkage and dehydration of the product;
- without the risk of lipid oxidation in the product;
- longer shelf life of the product after vacuum cooking;
- Saving the volume of spices by 3-40%, as the concentration of spices and fats is preserved due to the presence of the shell;
- Increase the cooking speed while maintaining heat loss.
Now that we know why this technology is needed, we will help you understand how it works. In fact, everything is very simple. The products are prepared for heat treatment: washed, cleaned, cut, mixed together, and seasoned. Then the product is rolled up in a food-grade plastic bag, the air is removed using a vacuum packer and the product is sent for heat treatment. It is very important that the air is completely removed from the bag, as water destroys the structure of the product.
And most importantly, to cook such food in a vacuum, you will, of course, need special equipment. It differs in power, performance and size. Especially popular in the professional environment are units from a French manufacturer. For example, STERIFLOW autoclaves make it easy to experiment and be original. If you need to achieve the most positive results in the production of ready meals, while maintaining the perfect taste, perfect aroma, perfect texture of the finished product, then STERIFLOW is the best quality for your business. STERIFLOW is a company that offers universal and individual solutions, taking into account all your needs. It is STERIFLOW autoclaves that perfectly integrate into your production environment for the preparation of ready meals. The production cycle consists of the preparation of the ingredients, vacuum packaging and cooking/pasteurisation of the finished product in the autoclave. The cooking cycle in the autoclave is from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the recipe. Cooking takes place at a low temperature. For this type of product, the most important factors are the accuracy of temperature maintenance and uniformity of its distribution. That is why this critical process is carried out in STERIFLOW horizontal autoclaves.
By the way, it is important to remember that when using this technology, it is necessary to organise the work process with a clear understanding of the tasks. The very method of processing products or the possibility of long-term storage, etc. is important. For example, in order to make a large stock of ready-to-eat dishes, you need, firstly, to have a sufficient number of refrigerated cabinets, and secondly, to understand that long deadlines are not unlimited deadlines. And yet, Sous vide is convenient for working only with those products that are easily packaged in bags, for example, bakery and confectionery products are not advisable to cook using this technology.
And finally: Sous vide is the perfect combination of taste and health, as its technology helps you prepare food that is healthy, nutritious and tasty.