posted by Dave Arnold
Low-Temperature and Sous-Vide Primer Contents:
- **Purdy Pictures: Sous-Vide and Low-Temp Charts** you are here
- I . Introduction to Low-Temperature Cooking and Sous-Vide
- II. Low-Temperature Cooking Without a Vacuum
- III. Use and Abuse of the Vacuum Machine andVacuum Tricks
- IV. Temperature Control and Safety
- V. Cooking Meats and Poultry
- VI. Cooking Fish
- VII. Cooking Everything Else
Purdy Pictures: The Charts
Here are some fancy charts we made for sous-vide and low-temperature cooking.
All of these images are available at higher resolution: here.
What sous-vide hanger steak looks like at various temperatures.
Salmon cooked at various temperatures. Interesting: fish often go through two zones of goodness: a low temp zone usually described as having a fudge-y texture, and a higher temp zone that makes a more classical texture. Fish cooked between these zones squeaks when you chew it. The exact temperature of the two zones depends on the fish itself, the season in which it was caught, the fat content, etc.
Should I sear before or after?
How much does the internal temperature of my meat rise when I sear? Enjoy.
How long do I need to cook to kill bacteria? Here you go.
What happens to eggs at various temperatures? All eggs were cooked in a water bath for 75 minutes (an hour is enough) at the temperature indicated.
The times and temperatures we use to cook. There is no right and wrong --just what you like.
On to: Part I . Introduction to Low-Temperature Cooking and Sous-Vide
I have a question about the pork shoulder – what type of texture does 48h at 60C yield? Is it a tender steak, or like pulled pork? What happens to the fat – does it render at all at 60C? Thanks!
The fat won’t really render at 60C. Certain parts of the pork shoulder will be tender, but other parts might be a little fiber-y (although still tender). The problem with multi-muscle cuts like the shoulder is that some muscles respond differently to low temp-long time cooking. The muscles with a lot of connective tissue are great, but the ones with very little connective tissue tend to be better cooked for a shorter time.