To vacuum seal or not?

I just purchased a chamber vacuum sealer and was wondering if any food would fare better if not under vaccum when sous vide? My thought is that if, let's say steak was vaccum sealed with oil, seasonings, and herbs, would the pressure of the vaccum not allow the fluids and seasoning to roam around the steak? Would it be better to use an open bag most of the time just clipped to the vessel?

Find more posts tagged with

QOTD

Comments

hairyotter_273859

I don't think it would make much if any difference vacuum sealing verses the water displacement technique. Seems like the chefs here at CS feel that an open ended bag works just at well as a bag that was vacuum sealed. The rational behind vacuum sealing when sous vide cooking is to remove as much air as possible to increase the surface area of your food that will be in direct contact with the warm water. It's not to improve seasoning. Any air in the pouch will insulate the food from the warm water. However both methods remove the air. If you leave your food and marinade or seasoning in a chamber that is holding a vacuum then I think that "might" increase the seasoning effects on the food. I've seen those vacuum chambers that tumble your food to speed up the time it takes to marinade but I've also seen studies that say the vacuum effect is minimal. One of the vacmaster chamber models has a marinade button for that purpose. Intuitively some might think that holding food in a vacuum would speed up marinade/seasoning time. But holding food in a vacuum is not the same as food in a vacuum sealed bag. It will be interesting to read how other people feel about this.

pd3ski_278514

You don't really need to seal the bag for most stuff like steaks, chicken, pork chops and veg are fine in the freezer style ziplock not the ones with the actual zipper. Plus you can probe with a thermopen with it open.

That said, I'll be getting a cvac hopefully in January 😊

Johan_Edstrom_5586

Short answer, an open bag is perfect, there is actually a sous vide group on FB around it.

Seasonings, herbs, oils, - save em. They don't do shit.
Neither do they in vacuum.

They look pretty but they are at most a 1mm surface treatment. Skip it.
Rosemary tastes like soap.
Salt can cure if you want that.

No chamber will infuse anything more than Guido Fiery can cook.

hairyotter_273859

I'll have to agree with you on infusing flavors under vacuum. And I'd have to agree with your feelings about rosemary. I normally like rosemary but the last time I used it on a roast (used a CS recipe) it was very unpleasant. Way too over powering and I only used about half the amount the recipe call for.

wolfiegirl

Nine times out of ten I vac seal what I'm cooking. Simple reason....I can season, add liquids, oil...whatever....seal the bag and not have to worry about water getting in. I can drop the parcel into the water bath and walk away. The juices in the protein have plenty of room to 'roam around' even when under pressure. So you can choose either way to go....either clip the bag to the side of your vessel or vac seal and drop it in. Up to you!

fisher23

I am with @Nancy_Byrd_47779 on this. I vacuum most of the time, mainly because I can. I don't salt a protein until after it is cooked and then just prior to post searing. I never vacuum with proteins with herbs that I am going to freeze. I do a lot of batch cooking and freeze. Ziplocs work fine for cooks below 158'F.

nasv

I don't vacuum seal for sous-vide cooks, but I do vacuum seal for freezer storage to improve quality and longevity.