YIELD MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS (1.8 KILOGRAMS)
Sous Vide Temperature 185°F/85°C
Sous Vide Time 4 to 5 hours
Active Cooking Time 30 minutes
To Make Ahead Broth can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
If you’ve gotten this far in the book, you’re probably not surprised to discover that eggs, dairy, poultry, meat, seafood, grains, and vegetables are not the only things you can sous vide. (Have you read the column on Lifehacker.com called “Will It Sous Vide?” If not, we give it a hearty recommend.) Behold: the sauces and infusions chapter.
To infuse means “to steep in liquid (such as water) without boiling so as to extract the soluble constituents or principles,” according to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition. Sous vide allows us to steep ingredients like herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, and poultry in liquid at a constant temperature in order to create flavorful broths, oils, and syrups.
The flavor of many of these steepable ingredients comes mainly from their aroma, which we detect from the volatile molecules they release into the air. Spices have a high proportion of these flavor molecules, which is why they are incredibly potent.
These flavor compounds generally fall into three categories: those that are water soluble, those that are fat soluble, and those that form new flavor molecules when exposed to dry heat alone. In this chapter, for obvious reasons, we’re sticking with the liquid applications. Like most substances, these flavor molecules dissolve faster and to a greater extent in a hot solvent (such as fat or oil) than a cold one.
Our Chicken Broth, All-Purpose Beef Broth, and Vegetable Broth all cook in a water bath set to 185 degrees Fahrenheit/85 degrees Celsius for around 4 hours—the ideal combination for maximum extraction of water-soluble flavor molecules. Plus, no babysitting a simmering pot on the stove required. For the chicken broth, we use wings to create a clear broth with intense chicken flavor. We use ground beef for our beef broth, as the increased surface area of the ground meat creates the beefiest broth possible. We again take advantage of surface area in our vegetable broth, maximizing it (and therefore flavor) by cutting our classic broth-base vegetables—onion, carrot, and celery—plus mushrooms, tomatoes, and scallions, thin and on the bias.
When we bloom spices in oil, the fat-soluble flavor molecules are released from a solid state into solution form, where they mix and interact, thereby producing even more complex flavors. We take advantage of this in our Spicy Rosemary-Chile Oil, grabbing herbal flavor from the fresh rosemary and subtle heat from red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. (Bonus: Because there is no evaporation from the sealed bag, we retain the volatile aroma compounds from the extra-virgin olive oil, too.)
Take your pick of sweet syrups: raspberry, grapefruit, pomegranate, or spicy ginger. Cooked in a moderate water bath of 140°F/60°C, these delicate berries and citrus fruits retain their fresh flavor, and they don’t end up tasting overmanipulated or cooked. Just combine water, sugar, and raspberries (we actually prefer frozen to fresh for this application), and you’ll have a bright red, subtle syrup that tastes of fresh fruit and is perfect in our nonalcoholic Raspberry Lime Rickey. Want a little buzz? Our Grapefruit Paloma combines tequila, grapefruit syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice, seltzer—and, of course, a little salt. Really want to impress your brunch guests? Try our Sichuan Bloody Mary for a mouth-tingling infusion experience.
And now you know: Sous vide can be used as a tool for everything from soup making to cocktail-party throwing.
YIELD MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS (1.8 KILOGRAMS)
Sous Vide Temperature 185°F/85°C
Sous Vide Time 4 to 5 hours
Active Cooking Time 30 minutes
To Make Ahead Broth can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Why This Recipe Works Chicken broth is an essential ingredient in the kitchen, acting as a building block of flavor for soups, stews, sauces, and more. Making broth from scratch is a simple process of gently cooking bones and aromatics in water, but doing it on the stovetop can be a tedious task that requires constant monitoring. With sous vide, there is no need for broth vigilance, as cooking in a precise, temperature-controlled environment ensures flavor extraction from the chicken bones without evaporation. We found that chicken wings worked best to produce a remarkably clear broth with unadulterated chicken flavor. The simple additions of onion, bay leaves, and a little salt complemented the chicken flavor without overpowering it. If you want more roasted chicken flavor, try our Rich Brown Chicken Stock variation. To fit all of the ingredients in one bag, this recipe calls for 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bags. If you do not have 2-gallon bags, simply divide the ingredients between two 1-gallon bags. Be sure to double bag the mixture to protect against seam failure. Note that this recipe requires a 12-quart container.
2½ pounds (1.1 kilograms) chicken wings, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large onion (450 grams), chopped
8 cups (1.8 kilograms) water
3 bay leaves (0.5 grams)
1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 185°F/85°C in 12-quart container.
2 Place all ingredients in 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until chicken is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 4 hours or up to 5 hours.
3 Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large container; discard solids. Let broth settle for 5 to 10 minutes, then skim excess fat from surface using wide, shallow spoon or fat separator. Let cool, then transfer to airtight container and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Variation
Rich Brown Chicken Stock
Heat 1 tablespoon (14 grams) vegetable oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Brown half of chicken, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken; transfer to bowl. Add onion to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup (225 grams) water, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to bowl with chicken. Proceed with step 2 as directed.
YIELD MAKES ABOUT 3 QUARTS (2.7 KILOGRAMS)
Sous Vide Temperature 185°F/85°C
Sous Vide Time 4 to 5 hours
Active Cooking Time 45 minutes
To Make Ahead Broth can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Why This Recipe Works Making beef broth at home can feel like a chore reserved for overachievers, often requiring roasted bones and hours of watching a simmering pot on the stovetop. Even though homemade broth tastes better than the store-bought boxed version, it rarely seems worth the effort. However, with sous vide cooking, broth is a set-it-and-forget-it breeze. To make life even easier, we ditched beef bones and turned to ground beef—its increased surface area enables more beef flavor to be absorbed by the liquid. We bumped up the meaty undertones in the broth further by cooking earthy mushrooms with the traditional mirepoix ingredients, along with tomato paste, red wine, and a little soy sauce for background umami notes. We bagged up the beef and aromatics with water and cooked the mixture sous vide for 4 hours, giving us a well-rounded, no-fuss broth. To fit all of the ingredients in one bag, this recipe calls for 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bags. If you do not have 2-gallon bags, simply divide the ingredients between two 1-gallon bags. Be sure to double bag the mixture to protect against seam failure. Note that this recipe requires a 12-quart container.
1 tablespoon (14 grams) vegetable oil
1 pound (450 grams) white mushrooms, trimmed and halved
1 onion (227 grams), chopped
1 carrot (75 grams), peeled and chopped
1 celery rib (70 grams), chopped
3 tablespoons (45 grams) tomato paste
1½ pounds (680 grams) 85 percent lean ground beef
¾ cup (170 grams) dry red wine
3 quarts (2.7 kilograms) water
2 tablespoons (30 grams) soy sauce
3 bay leaves (0.5 grams)
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 185°F/85°C in 12-quart container.
2 Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook until mixture is dry, about 5 minutes.
3 Stir in ground beef and cook, breaking up any large pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Add water, soy sauce, and bay leaves to bag and stir to combine. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until broth mixture is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 4 hours or up to 5 hours.
4 Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large container; discard solids. Let broth settle for 5 to 10 minutes, then skim excess fat from surface using wide, shallow spoon or fat separator. Let cool, then transfer to airtight container and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
YIELD MAKES ABOUT 3 QUARTS (2.7 KILOGRAMS)
Sous Vide Temperature 185°F/85°C
Sous Vide Time 3 to 4 hours
Active Cooking Time 25 minutes
To Make Ahead Broth can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Why This Recipe Works Vegetable broth needs to be cooked gently to bring out the subtle flavors of its ingredients, and sous vide is a perfect method for the task. For this recipe, we combined classic broth-base vegetables—onion, carrot, and celery—with mushrooms (for earthiness), tomato (for acidity), and scallions (for an allium boost). Thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns provided herbal background notes. By slicing the vegetables thin we were able to maximize the amount of surface area for flavor extraction, which also cut down our cooking time. The resulting broth is full of clean, vegetal flavor. To avoid a cloudy broth, do not press on solids when straining. To fit all of the ingredients in one bag, this recipe calls for 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bags. If you do not have 2-gallon bags, simply divide the ingredients between two 1-gallon bags. Be sure to double bag the mixture to protect against seam failure. Note that this recipe requires a 12-quart container.
7 cups (1.6 kilograms) water
2 pounds onions (900 grams), halved and sliced thin
3 carrots (225 grams), peeled and sliced thin
2 celery ribs (120 grams), sliced thin
1 tomato (175 grams), cored and chopped
5 ounces (145 grams) white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
4 scallions (50 grams), sliced thin
8 sprigs (2 grams) fresh thyme
1 teaspoon (3 grams) black peppercorns
½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
3 bay leaves (0.5 grams)
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 185°F/85°C in 12-quart container.
2 Combine all ingredients in 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Place bag in second 2-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag and seal. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until vegetables are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 3 hours or up to 4 hours.
3 Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large container; discard solids. Let cool, then transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
YIELD 1 CUP (225 GRAMS)
Sous Vide Temperature 150°F/65.5°C
Sous Vide Time 2 to 3 hours
Active Cooking Time 20 minutes
To Make Ahead Oil can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Why This Recipe Works Many of the grassy, fruity, nutty, spicy, and funky aromas in food—aromas that are responsible for much deliciousness, we must say—dissolve much more readily in oil than in water. For this recipe, we took advantage of the aroma-grabbing qualities of olive oil and created a sous vide infusion. The moderate heat of the water bath helps to quickly extract a ton of herbal flavor from fresh rosemary and subtle heat from red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. Plus, by containing the infusion in a sous vide bag, there is no risk of losing the volatile aroma compounds found in the extra-virgin olive oil either, which lends its characteristic fruity flavor to the infusion. This is a great item to keep on hand for spicing up hummus, bruschetta, or pasta—or drizzling over roasted meats, fish, or poultry. To prevent any risk of bacterial growth, store this oil in the refrigerator.
1 cup (225 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup (12 grams) fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon (6 grams) red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon (2 grams) smoked paprika
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 150°F/65.5°C in 7-quart container.
2 Combine all ingredients in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 2 hours or up to 3 hours.
3 Strain oil through fine-mesh strainer into airtight container; discard solids. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Variation
Substitute ⅓ cup (10 grams) fresh thyme leaves and 1 tablespoon (10 grams) toasted and cracked black peppercorns for rosemary, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika.
YIELD 1 CUP (225 GRAMS)
Sous Vide Temperature 140°F/60°C
Sous Vide Time 2 to 3 hours
Active Cooking Time 25 minutes
To Make Ahead Syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Why This Recipe Works Extracting flavor from ingredients with the help of heat is an integral part of cooking. High-temperature cooking methods are ideal for coaxing the maximum amount of flavor from meat and bones and vegetables for making broth (see this page, this page, and this page), but it can be problematic when working with delicate ingredients. Berries and citrus fruits, for example, quickly lose their vibrant, fresh flavor when cooked with high heat. With sous vide, we were able to treat these ingredients very gently, extracting their flavor at a much lower temperature and without evaporation, which in turn delivered a more natural-tasting result. This is particularly useful for making flavored syrups for mixing into cocktails as well as nonalcoholic beverages. For this recipe, we used raspberries, sugar, and water to produce a syrup that tasted of incredibly fresh raspberries, with no hint of artificial raspberry candy lurking in the background. Use this syrup in our Raspberry Lime Rickey and use the grapefruit variation in our Grapefruit Paloma. Try the ginger syrup in cocktails such as a Moscow Mule or Dark and Stormy, or use it to spice up traditional lemonade. And you have probably had pomegranate syrup in drinks before but know it by its other name: grenadine. Unfortunately, nowadays most commercially produced grenadine is just simple syrup with added food coloring. We definitely recommend making the real deal for a better Shirley Temple. Either fresh or frozen raspberries can be used in this recipe; however, we prefer frozen raspberries since they produce a more vibrantly colored syrup.
½ cup (113 grams) sugar
½ cup (113 grams) warm tap water
8 ounces (225 grams) frozen raspberries
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 140°F/60°C in 7-quart container.
2 Whisk sugar and warm water together in bowl until sugar has dissolved. Combine sugar mixture and raspberries in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until raspberries are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook raspberries for at least 2 hours or up to 3 hours.
3 Set fine-mesh strainer over large bowl and line with double layer of cheesecloth. Pour raspberry mixture into prepared strainer and let sit, without pressing on solids, until all liquid has passed through cheesecloth, about 5 minutes; discard solids. Transfer syrup to airtight container, let cool slightly, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Variations
Grapefruit Syrup
Substitute ½ cup (120 grams) grapefruit juice for water and 8 to 10 2-inch strips (13 grams) grapefruit zest for raspberries.
Pomegranate Syrup
Substitute pomegranate seeds for raspberries.
Increase sugar to 1 cup (226 grams). Substitute ¼ cup (64 grams) grated fresh ginger and ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground ginger for raspberries.
YIELD MAKES 4 COCKTAILS
Sous Vide Temperature 140°F/60°C
Sous Vide Time 2 to 3 hours
Active Cooking Time 30 minutes
To Make Ahead Tequila mixture can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
Why This Recipe Works In the world of Mexican mixology, the margarita casts a pretty big shadow. But there are plenty of cocktails that are worthy of their own time in the lime (and tequila) light, and the paloma is at the top of that list. Traditionally, the paloma is a simple drink prepared by mixing tequila, fresh lime juice, and grapefruit-flavored soda. It is served on the rocks, and like a margarita, often comes with a salted rim and a lime wedge. For our own version, we wanted to amp up the natural flavor of grapefruit by ditching the artificial-tasting soda and replacing it with a combination of tart fresh grapefruit juice and our sous vide Grapefruit Syrup. The syrup, made with both grapefruit juice and zest, provided sweetness with subtle background floral notes. A little lime juice, a healthy amount of tequila, and a pinch of salt balanced out the base for our paloma. Top it off with a splash of seltzer for a refreshing drink that will put you in a summer state of mind, no matter what time of year it is.
1 cup (240 grams) blanco tequila
½ cup (136 grams) Grapefruit Syrup
½ cup (120 grams) grapefruit juice, plus grapefruit slices for serving
¼ cup (60 grams) lime juice
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup (225 grams) seltzer or club soda
1 Stir tequila, grapefruit syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and salt in 4-cup liquid measuring cup until salt has dissolved.
2 For each cocktail: Fill 10-ounce glass with ice. Add ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (135 grams) tequila mixture and ¼ cup (56 grams) seltzer and gently stir to combine. Garnish with grapefruit slices before serving.
YIELD MAKES 4 DRINKS
Sous Vide Temperature 140°F/60°C
Sous Vide Time 2 to 3 hours
Active Cooking Time 30 minutes
To Make Ahead Raspberry mixture can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
Why This Recipe Works The raspberry lime rickey is a classic holdover from the soda fountains of the Prohibition era, and it stands as one of the OG “mocktails.” Taking inspiration from its boozy antecedent, the gin rickey, the original nonalcoholic version was a tart mixture of lime juice, simple syrup, and seltzer. In New England, raspberry flavor became a common addition. The result: the bright red raspberry lime rickey. Unfortunately, old-school soda-jerk techniques for from-scratch fruit syrups went out of fashion, due in part to the proliferation of mass-produced bottled soda. These days it can be hard to find a raspberry lime rickey that actually tastes of raspberries; most are made with the artificial red flavoring associated with commercial frozen treats and lollipops. We decided to change that by making our own version using our sous vide Raspberry Syrup. The result is bright and refreshing; the acidity of fresh lime juice pairs well with the sweet, real, botanical raspberry flavor.
¾ cup (200 grams) Raspberry Syrup
¼ cup (60 grams) lime juice (2 limes), plus lime slices for serving
3 cups (675 grams) seltzer or club soda
1 Combine raspberry syrup and lime juice in 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
2 For each drink: Fill 12-ounce glass with ice. Add ¼ cup (60 grams) raspberry mixture and ¾ cup (170 grams) seltzer and gently stir to combine. Garnish with lime slice and serve.
YIELD MAKES 6 COCKTAILS
Sous Vide Temperature 149°F/65°C
Sous Vide Time 30 to 40 minutes
Active Time 1 hour
To Make Ahead Vodka mixture can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Tomato juice mixture can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
Why This Recipe Works Sichuan cuisine may be famous for its use of fiery chili oil, but the ingredient that makes Sichuan dishes unique isn’t a spicy chile. And despite their name, Sichuan peppercorns aren’t even peppercorns. They’re actually the dried seed husks from a small Chinese citrus tree called the prickly ash. Instead of the burn experienced from the capsaicin compound found in chiles, Sichuan peppercorns contribute a unique tingling or buzzing sensation in the mouth, not unlike how it feels to sip a carbonated beverage. The tingling is caused by a pungent compound called sanshool, which acts on receptors in the mouth that usually respond to touch. Spicy and numbing Sichuan chili oil is known as má là, as it combines Sichuan peppercorns (má) and chiles (là). We wanted to bring that numbing heat to a brunch cocktail, the Bloody Mary. A good Bloody Mary is all about balancing sweet, spicy, and savory elements in a drink that keeps you coming back for more. The classic source of umami in a Bloody Mary is Worcestershire sauce, which gets its savoriness from anchovies. Here we replaced it with two potent sources of meatiness: oyster sauce and broad bean chili paste. And to deliver the mouth-numbing effects of Sichuan peppercorns, we infused just enough of them into the vodka to create a slow-building mouth buzz. Campbell’s makes our favorite tomato juice. If your chili paste is particularly chunky, you may need to strain the tomato juice mixture in step 4 before proceeding with the recipe. For an even more impressive cocktail, garnish with skewered Chinese sausage (lop cheong), water chestnuts, pickled vegetables, and/or the sous vide shrimp from our Shrimp Cocktail.
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (250 grams) vodka
1½ teaspoons (2 grams) Sichuan peppercorns
3¾ cups (930 grams) tomato juice, chilled
¼ cup (60 grams) Asian broad bean chili paste
3 tablespoons (54 grams) oyster sauce
2 tablespoons (30 grams) lemon juice
1 tablespoon (18 grams) rice vinegar
½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
Celery ribs
Lemon wedges
1 Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 149°F/65°C in 7-quart container.
2 Combine vodka and peppercorns in 1-quart zipper-lock freezer bag and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until vodka is fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Taste vodka. It should be assertively mouth-numbing. If it is not, return bag to water bath and cook for up to 10 minutes longer.
3 Strain vodka through fine-mesh strainer into airtight container; discard peppercorns. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until completely chilled, about 30 minutes.
4 Whisk tomato juice, chili paste, oyster sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt in 8-cup liquid measuring cup until chili paste and salt have dissolved.
5 For each cocktail: Fill 10-ounce glass with ice. Combine ¾ cup (180 grams) tomato juice mixture, 3 tablespoons (42 grams) peppercorn-infused vodka, and ¼ cup (36 grams) ice in cocktail shaker and vigorously shake for 30 seconds. Strain into prepared glass, garnish with celery rib and lemon wedge, and serve.
