Sous Vide
A precision cooking method using vacuum-sealed bags in a temperature-controlled water bath, allowing exact doneness control impossible with traditional methods.
Sous vide (French for "under vacuum") is a cooking method where food is sealed in a bag, submerged in a water bath held at a precise temperature, and cooked for an extended period. It was developed in the 1970s by French chef Georges Pralus and has moved from high-end restaurant kitchens to home cooking.
Why Butchers Love Sous Vide: It solves the fundamental problem of meat cookery: traditional methods overshoot temperature. When you grill a steak to 130°F in the center, the outer layers are 160°F+. With sous vide, the entire steak reaches exactly 130°F — edge to edge — and stays there.
Key Temperatures: - Rare steak: 120°F (1–2 hours) - Medium-rare steak: 130°F (1–2 hours) - Medium steak: 140°F (1–2 hours) - Burger (pasteurized medium-rare): 135°F (1 hour) - Short ribs (tender, steak-like): 135°F (48–72 hours) - Short ribs (traditional braised texture): 176°F (24 hours) - Chuck roast (tender sliceable): 135°F (36–48 hours)
The Game-Changer — Tough Cuts at Steak Temps: Here's where sous vide really shines for a butcher: you can take a tough, collagen-rich cut like chuck or short ribs and hold it at 135°F for 48–72 hours. At that temperature and time, the collagen slowly converts to gelatin while the muscle stays at medium-rare. You get the texture of a braise with the color and temperature of a steak. Nothing else can do this.
The Sear: Sous vide alone won't give you a crust. After the bath, you must sear — either in a ripping hot cast iron, on a grill, or with a torch. Pat the meat completely dry first. Moisture is the enemy of browning.
Equipment: A circulator (like Anova or Joule) runs $80–$150. Vacuum sealer is ideal but zip-lock bags with the water displacement method work fine.