At the core everything deals with precise control of the temperature with great accuracy. Machine heats water to the wanted temp and keeps it steadily throughout the process Here the secret: the intended temperature usually is exactly that level that you want in the ready food. Sous vide cook most commonly between 55 and 60°C, which surprisingly feels cool compared with cooking on gas or in oven.
Little changes in heat or time can entirely alter the texture of the meat. For some the perfect medium-rare steak is at 134°F, while another wants some degrees less or more. Here where sous vide genuinely shines, it gives such control.
Sous Vide Temperatures and Times
Cook steak at 130°F for two hours, and always receive perfectly medium-rare result. Fatter cuts as ribeye, porterhouse, T-bone or strip steak do well somewhere between 129 and 134°F, with time of one to four hours according to thickness. Slimmer parts as tenderloin likewise benefit from that range, although they cook a bit more quikly.
The catch is that cooking in 130 to 135°F does not melt a lot of the fat, so you will want to add something to crisp the surface. Good idea is cook inside 10 to 15 degrees under your target, later strongly grill the meat on extremely warm grate. Under 62°C you definitely need to later sear it in smoking pan to remove surface bacteria.
Most germs stop multiplying near 122°F, but there is that one called Clostridium perfringens, that lasts until 126°F. Hence sous vide usually stays at 130°F or more. Raise it to 138°F or more to clear safe issues. Food that cooks 24 hours in bath hits targets under 135°F…
What can seem a bit too rare, even so kills the bacteria without problem.
For chicken 145°F for one and half hours gives meat that stays surprisingly juicy. Chicken breasts at 58°C are safe after one hour when the heat goes all the way through. Adobo from chicken that way is wonderful, also.
For poached eggs reach 145°F for 45 minutes, then break the shell and give only 30 seconds in hot water.
Pork cooks well between 57 and 62°C, but needs at least 2.5 hours. Sausages like it at 65°C for one hour, although 60°C works also because they get heat during browning anyhow. Sous vide allows you to keep meat under 140°F long enough for collagen to break down slowly and genuinely tenderize it.
Beef short ribs at 142°F for three days is good method, although you can go down to 130°F. Vegetables get tender at 183°F in about one hour. Meatloaf at 148°F for five hours reaches uniform temperature, never rubbery, neverraw.