Is sous vide a soup setting?

Sous vide cooking has become increasingly popular in recent years as an easy and convenient way to cook food to precise temperatures. Many modern slow cookers and multicookers now come with a “sous vide” or “soup” setting that allows you to cook foods in a water bath at a specific temperature. But is using the soup or sous vide setting on your multicooker the same as true sous vide cooking? Let’s take a closer look.

Table of Contents

What is Sous Vide Cooking?

Sous vide is French for “under vacuum” and refers to the process of vacuum sealing food in plastic bags, then cooking it to an exact temperature in a precisely temperature-controlled water bath. Typical sous vide cooking times range from 1-4 hours for meats and larger vegetables. The key benefits of sous vide cooking include:

Very precise temperature control – Food is cooked at the exact desired internal temperature.
Consistent results – There is less variability in cooking since the water bath is at one temperature.
Better moisture retention – Vacuum sealing prevents evaporative losses.

Enhanced flavors – Long, low temperature cooking tenderizes meats and concentrates flavors.
Food safety – Kills pathogens more reliably when cooking at lower temps.

Because sous vide allows such precision, many high-end restaurants have adopted the technique. But at-home sous vide cooking has also become popular thanks to affordable immersion circulators like those made by Anova, ChefSteps, and Nomiku. These devices electronically regulate water temperature in a pot or large container.

What is a Slow Cooker Soup Setting?

Many modern programmable slow cookers and multicookers like the Instant Pot have a range of cooking functions. One common setting is a “soup” or “stock” function that holds the contents at or just below the boiling point of water. On the Instant Pot, for example, the soup/broth setting heats to 210°F (99°C). It then automatically switches to a “keep warm” mode once done.

The virtues of the soup setting include:

Low and slow cooking extracts flavors from bones, meats, and aromatics.

Simmering breaks down vegetables and meld flavors.
Automatic switch to keep warm is safer when cooking unattended.
Energy efficient to have a multicooker hold a steady temperature.

This setting works well for making large batches of soup stock, chilis, bone broths, and simmered soups like oxtail soup, beef bourguignon, etc. It can cook for hours without scorching on the bottom.

Differences Between Sous Vide and Soup Settings

While sous vide cooking and a slow cooker’s soup setting both involve cooking foods in hot water, there are some important differences:

Sous Vide	Slow Cooker Soup Setting
Precise temperature control – Typically within 1°F	Wider temp range – Often ~10-20°F variability
Short cooking time – Often 1-4 hours	Long cooking time – May be 4-12 hours
Vacuum sealed bags	Open container
Usually individual servings	Large batch cooking

The key difference is the precision and control of temperatures with sous vide. Having the ability to set an exact temperature means you can achieve a specific desired doneness and textural result. It reduces variability and guesswork.

For example, cooking a steak to a perfect medium rare 130°F throughout is easy with sous vide. But a soup setting may vary 10°F or more, leading to inconsistencies.

Can You Do Sous Vide in a Slow Cooker?

While slow cookers lack the precision of true sous vide appliances, it is possible to replicate some of the effects of sous vide cooking in a slow cooker.

Here are some tips for quasi-sous vide cooking using a slow cooker’s low setting:

Use a probe thermometer – Monitor the water temp and adjust as needed.
Preheat the water – Start with hot tap water to reduce heating time.
Use plenty of water – A full liner helps maintain temperature.

Wrap lid in towels – Insulate to prevent heat loss from the lid.
Don’t open the lid – Avoid heat drops by not lifting the lid.
Cut food very uniformly – Ensure even cooking.

Use shorter cook times – Check food frequently with a thermometer.

While a bit tedious, this can create reasonable sous vide style results. But an actual immersion circulator will provide better precision and consistency.

Benefits of Using a Soup Setting for Sous Vide

Here are some of the benefits of using the soup or sous vide setting on a programmable slow cooker for quasi-sous vide cooking at home:

Convenience – Uses an appliance you may already own.
Low cost – Much less expensive than buying an immersion circulator.
Large capacity – Can cook multiple portions at once.

Walk away convenience – Automatically switches to warm when done.
Energy efficiency – Holds a set temperature for hours.
Safety – Less risk than unattended stovetop cooking.

For large batch meals like stews, stocks, and chilis, a slow cooker can get reasonably close to sous vide outcomes. The soup function maintains a safe, low simmer great for breaking down connective tissue in meats and extracting flavors.

Drawbacks of Slow Cooker Sous Vide

However, there are some drawbacks to keep in mind when trying to adapt a slow cooker for sous vide style cooking:

Temperature precision – Typically varies about 10°F or more.

No circulation – Food may be unevenly heated.
Evaporative losses – Moisture escapes from the open top.
equipment: No vacuum sealing immobilizes the food in bags

Size and shape constraints – The liner limits how food is arranged.
No timer or auto-off – Can overcook if not monitored.
Cooling time – Slow cooker inserts retain heat; quick cooling is harder.

For applications like precisely cooking meat or fish to a specific doneness, these factors make a dedicated sous vide circulator worth the investment. But for big one-pot meals, the slow cooker can still give decent results.

Tips for Using a Slow Cooker as a Sous Vide

Here are some tips to get the most out of using a slow cooker as a makeshift sous vide appliance:

Use an instant read thermometer to check water temperature frequently. Adjust heat source as needed to maintain your target temp.

Preheat the slow cooker with hot water while you prep ingredients.
Make sure foods are completely submerged and evenly arranged.
Minimize opening the lid which causes the temperature to drop.

Insulate the slow cooker by wrapping towels around it to retain heat better.
Cut food into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
Don’t overfill – Crowding can hinder water circulation.

Add some vinegar to the water to help reduce calcium deposits.
Clean mineral deposits regularly to maximize heat transfer.
Stir occasionally to redistribute heat if possible.

With testing and monitoring, you can offset some of the precision limitations of a slow cooker. It takes more effort than a dedicated sous vide setup but can give passable results.

Example Slow Cooker Sous Vide Recipes

Here are some recipes that work decently when adapted for sous vide style cooking in a slow cooker:

Pork Tenderloin

Cook at 140°F for 2-3 hours until pasteurized and heated through. Provides very tender, juicy results.

Beef Chuck Roast

Cook at 155°F for 24-48 hours to break down collagen and tenderize the beef. Juicy with enhanced flavor.

Chicken Breasts

Cook bone-in, skin-on breasts at 147°F for 1-2 hours until just cooked through while retaining moisture.

Custard

Cook at 175°F in ramekins or jars for 1-2 hours for smooth, creamy results with no curdling.

Vegetables

Denser vegetables like carrots and potatoes can be cooked sous vide style at around 185°F until tender.

Yogurt

Incubate milk and starter culture at 110°F for 8-12 hours to allow bacteria to thicken the milk into yogurt.

Monitor temperatures closely and test doneness early with these unconventional slow cooker adaptations to avoid overcooking.

Specialized Slow Cooker Attachments for Sous Vide

Some companies now make accessories designed to transform slow cookers into pseudo-sous vide devices. These include:

Sousvant – A silicone lid with built in circulator and precision timer.
Sansaire cooker – An auxiliary heating element for temperature control.

Nomiku clip – An attachment to hold an immersion circulator on a slow cooker.

While pricier than just using a basic slow cooker, these accessories improve temperature regulation to achieve more authentic sous vide results.

Should You Buy a Real Immersion Circulator?

Slow cookers can approximate sous vide cooking, but for most applications a dedicated immersion circulator is worth the $100-200 investment. Benefits include:

Precise temperature control within 0.1°F.
Rapid water heating and recovery of temperature.
Built in timer and auto shut off features.

Small footprint – Attach to any pot.
One gallon+ capacity to cook lots of food.
Quiet operation.

Additional features like WiFi control on some models.

The precision, consistency, and convenience of a real sous vide setup makes it a valuable kitchen tool for most cooks. But in a pinch, a slow cooker can still give passable home sous vide outcomes for large batches.

Conclusion

While not a full substitute for real sous vide cooking, the soup and sous vide settings on many programmable slow cookers can approximate some of the key effects. Large batch stews and stocks achieve delicious results thanks to the low, slow simmering of a slow cooker set on low. And it is possible to cook some foods like chicken, fish, and custards sous vide style in a slow cooker with care and monitoring. However, the temperature variability limits the precision possible. So sous vide enthusiasts will still benefit greatly from investing in an affordable immersion circulator to take their cooking abilities to the next level.