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"SOUS VIDE"

What is "Sous Vide"?

Devised by a French Chef, the term "sous vide" translates to cooking "under vacuum". Meat is vacuum-sealed in a special laminated pouch and then cooked for a long time at a low temperature. The result is tender, juicy meat, sealed in a hygienic plastic pouch, with an extra long shelf life.

Meat is well trimmed of fat and gristle and shaped into a uniform oblong shape - so that the user has minimal waste and excellent portion control.

Facts about “Cook-Out, Purge, Jus, Waste, Water” in the Bag

	We do NOT add any liquid to the meat or the bag.
	Place a 10kg roast in the oven – cook it – on removal it weighs approx 7kg or less.
	Where has the weight gone?
	Seal a 10kg roast in a bag – cook it – meat weighs 7kg and the “jus” 3kg.
	Cook-out is affected by:

Time & temperature of cooking – cooking doneness (90% effect on cookout).

Age of meat – the younger the meat the more the cook-out.

The trim – remove most of the cover and the meat leaks more!

The fat left on – fat contains negligible water – less cookout.

What the above means … well done tender meat from young animals that is well trimmed and has little fat left on will have more cookout.

The alternative is NOT wanted by buyers “Undercooked meat, from old and tough animals, that is badly trimmed and over fatty – but will have less cook-out”

BUT – note well – doneness of meat represents 90% of the cook-out! To reduce cook-out meat MUST be cooked less. Most of the market that we serve insist on two key attributes; (1)The meat must be tender. (2)The meat must be cooked to well done.

1. Realise that the “jus” is full of flavour and is wonderful for gravies, sauces, stock – but contains negligible protein.

2. Realise that the long moist cooking will tenderize meat – the longer the more tender.

3. Realise that underdone meat can be chewy and tough.

4. Rare meat cook-out is 15%, medium rare 20%, medium 25%, well done 30%

There is NO magic way of reducing cook-out from pure meat – it can’t be done. Realise that different meats have different cook-outs (Pork is less than Lamb and Beef) and different cuts have different cook-outs.

BUT you can reduce cook-out by injecting/pumping meat with a solution of water, salt, phosphate – with or without the addition of soy, gums, carrageenan, starch, gluten etc etc.

Modern food technology can produce a 4 x 4 sandwich ham with less than 30% meat and no cook out! However, the majority of buyers want NATURAL meat products because they taste better.

Other Information regarding 'Sous Vide'

Sous Vide cooking (when done properly) produces consistently tender meat. Tenderness is the No 1 criteria for “quality” meat ... and tenderness is the most important NEED for complaint free dining.

Several years ago the key aspects of what “the public” considers to be quality meat were researched. Only 2 factors were of significance – tenderness and taste. Extensive group tasting concluded that tenderness was 90% and taste 10% of what we take to be quality meat.

Our experience agrees with the research results BUT over the long term it is vital to make sauces and gravy extra flavorsome – and to change the flavours on a regular basis.

Note that our meat is YOUNG meat – this is to achieve a high level of CONSISTENT tenderness. However; young meat whilst being more tender has less flavour. Also note that we do not add any salt and other seasonings.

Our “Sous Vide” meat is extra well trimmed of fat and shaped to give good portion slicing and yield.

Oven roasted meat can be wasteful as the outside can become hard and crusty – it is difficult to achieve satisfactory portions and yield.

“Sous Vide” meat sliced cold from the bag – and then reheated for serving – is the most economical method of serving. For the most taste simply remove the meat from the bag (keep the “jus” and make gravy), place in a medium oven for 50 to 60 minutes … it is SUPERB! Yes it’s tasty, it’s roasted, it’s caramelized – the perfect roast!

BUT … you lose some of the cost and production benefits.

Some Chefs slice the meat cold as normal – but then put it over a char grill for a few seconds each side – they get great results.

The “jus” from the bag is full of flavour and should be used to make gravy and sauce. Always make gravies and sauces extra flavoursome – and change the flavours on a regular basis.

Sous Vide Roast Lamb