Sous Vide

Perhaps one of the most intriguing uses for vacuum sealers is in “sous vide” cooking. Sous vide is French for “under vacuum.” Many world-class chefs, including Thomas Keller and Charlie Trotter, use the sous vide cooking method to yield moist and flavorful dishes with no loss of nutrients or flavors - remember, vacuum sealing seals in moisture and flavor.

The procedure is relatively straightforward: place the food to be cooked into a vacuum bag and seal. Submerge in water that is the temperature you want your finished dish to be. For example, if you are cooking a chicken breast, have the water at 165 degrees, F. For fish, keep the water at 140 degrees, F.

It is critical to control the temperature of the water, because heating food without oxygen can contribute to the growth of some pretty nasty bacteria, including the bacteria that cause botulism. Professional chefs can precisely control their cooking temperature with a very expensive piece of equipment, called a circulator that is not available to the average home cook.

So, for safety’s sake, I don’t recommend trying this at home. If you can find a restaurant in your area that offers sous vide cooked food, do try it—you will be amazed at the moist and flavorful results.

Here are some other great uses for the FoodSaver vacuum sealer that have nothing to do with food.

• Keep matches dry when fishing or camping

• Vacuum seal important papers to prevent possible water damage or mildew should your pipes burst

• Keep first aid items, such as bandages and gauze, fresh, clean and ready to use

• Vacuum pack clothing for storing in small spaces

• Vacuum seal and freeze water for instant ice packs. When the ice melts, you can re-freeze or drink the water

• Vacuum pack a change of clothes in case you take an “accidental” spill in the lake.

At the end of the day, The FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer will pay for itself by drastically cutting down on your kitchen waste. Get in the habit of portioning and vacuum sealing meals or snacks for your family, and never have to throw away a gray, leathery, freezer-burned steak again.