Vacuum sealing for sous vide

Discovering this sight on PBS was a huge find! I have been binge watching the little snippets on PBS.com and learning so much. Anyway, I have noticed that in your conversations/instructions for sous vide you don't call for vacuum sealing the bags. Is there a benefit to not doing so? Are there safety reasons for actually sealing the bag?

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FrankM_3301

Most low temp cooking does not need to be vacuum sealed. Just use Ziploc freezer bags and use the water displacement method to remove air. The benefit is that you don't need to purchase a vacuum sealer. The risk is water in the bag, but I don't think I've ever had that happen. In fact, you'll note from videos, that often the top of the bag is hanging over the edge of the cooking vessel, eliminating this risk altogether. The exception is longer cooks of 12 hours +, where you might want your proteins vacuum sealed. But even here, it is not entirely necessary.

tshewman

One item includes food preservation (cook and chill). Although it can be done with Ziploc, I don't recall any studies done looking at extreme swings in temperature.

michaelnatkin

In our videos, especially more recent ones, we often won't vacuum seal if it isn't necessary, just to make the methods accessible to as many people as possible.

Ellen_212162

Hi Noelle! You can also check out our Complete Guide to Sous Vide Packaging for a ton of info as well!