Sous vide cooking has become increasingly popular in recent years as an exact and convenient way to cook food to precise temperatures. Sous vide involves cooking vacuumed sealed food in a precisely temperature controlled water bath. This allows food to be cooked evenly edge to edge without over or undercooking. Many home cooks are now exploring sous vide cooking using appliances like the Instant Pot.
How Instant Pot Works for Sous Vide
The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that can also function as a sous vide machine. It has a keep warm function that allows you to set a specific temperature between 145°F and 172°F and hold it consistently. This makes it possible to sous vide food in the Instant Pot. However, there are some important factors to consider when using the Instant Pot for sous vide cooking:
- The temperatures available on the Instant Pot’s keep warm function are limited and may not allow you to cook some foods at their ideal temperature. Many cuts of meat are best cooked between 130°F and 140°F, below the Instant Pot’s range.
- The Instant Pot’s lowest keep warm temperature of 145°F can still be too hot for delicate proteins like fish and eggs that are best cooked sous vide at temperatures closer to 130°F.
- The heat circulation in the Instant Pot is not as precise and even as an immersion circulator designed specifically for sous vide. This can lead to small hot and cold spots.
- It can be tricky to vacuum seal food in bags that fit neatly into the Instant Pot’s inner pot.
While the Instant Pot is not an ideal sous vide device, it can produce decent results for some basic cooks in a pinch. It works best for vegetables, fruit, and some meats that call for temperatures between 145°F and 165°F. More delicate proteins cooked at lower temperatures will likely turn out better with an actual sous vide immersion circulator.
Recommended Instant Pot Keep Warm Temperatures for Sous Vide
Here are some guidelines for the best keep warm temperatures to use in the Instant Pot for various foods:
Vegetables
145°F – 170°F
Most vegetables do well cooked sous vide at temperatures within the Instant Pot’s range. Denser, starchy vegetables like potatoes may need higher temperatures around 165°F-170°F to become tender. More delicate vegetables can be done at lower temperatures down to 145°F.
Fruit
145°F – 160°F
Fruits should be cooked at the low end of the Instant Pot’s temperature range, between 145°F and 160°F. This tenderizes the fruit without it becoming mushy.
Fish
145°F
Lean fish like cod, halibut or snapper cook well at around 145°F, the lowest setting on the Instant Pot. Fattier fish like salmon and tuna can go up to 150°F. Any higher may cause the fish to dry out.
Chicken
150°F – 165°F
Chicken breasts and white meat do best cooked between 150°F-155°F. Chicken thighs and legs can go up to 165°F for tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.
Pork
140°F – 145°F
For juicy, tender pork, sous vide at 140°F for chops and 145°F for roasts and tenderloins. Unfortunately these temperatures are below what the Instant Pot can reach.
Beef
135°F – 155°F
Different beef cuts call for different temperatures. More tender cuts like filet mignon do best at 135°F. Brisket and chuck roast prefer 155°F. Most cuts are best between 137°F-145°F. The Instant Pot won’t safely cook beef below 145°F.
Eggs
147°F – 150°F
For soft poached style eggs, cook at 147°F-150°F. The whites will set with runny yolks at the lower end of this range. The Instant Pot can consistently hold these egg sous vide temperatures.
Tips for Using Instant Pot for Sous Vide
If you want to experiment with using your Instant Pot for sous vide, here are some tips:
- Stick to foods that need temperatures between 145°F and 165°F for best results.
- Use shorter cooking times since heat circulation isn’t as precise. Start checking doneness 30-60 minutes early.
- Don’t overload the pot. Crowding makes it harder to maintain even heat.
- Get as much air as possible out of the bags before sealing to prevent bags from floating.
- Weigh down bags with pots or metal steamer baskets if needed to keep submerged.
- Check temperatures with a food thermometer for safety and doneness.
Food Safety with Instant Pot Sous Vide
When cooking sous vide, food safety is top priority. With the Instant Pot, it’s especially important to follow good practices since the temperature range is limited:
- Always start with fresh, high-quality food that has been handled safely.
- Defrost frozen foods completely before bagging for sous vide.
- Preheat water to desired temperature before adding bags.
- Weigh down bags to keep submerged if needed.
- Use pasteurization tables to determine minimum safe cook times and temperatures.
- Chill food quickly in an ice bath after cooking before searing or serving.
Pasteurization tables indicate the time and temperature needed to safely cook foods. For example, a 1″ thick pork chop requires 1 hour at 136°F. Since the Instant Pot only goes down to 145°F, it cannot safely sous vide pork. But vegetables and fruit that just need a few minutes at 145°F would be safe. When in doubt, it’s advisable to use a dedicated sous vide device with more precise temperature control.
Benefits of Sous Vide Cooking
Here are some of the benefits that make sous vide a useful cooking technique whether using an Instant Pot or other equipment:
- Precision temperature control – Food is heated evenly at the exact desired temperature instead of over or undercooking.
- Consistent results – Takes the guesswork out of traditional cooking methods.
- Intensified flavors – Food cooks in its own juices keeping moisture and flavors intact.
- Tender texture – Low gentle heat tenderizes meats and vegetables.
- Nutrient retention – Cooking at lower temperatures preserves more nutrients vs high heat methods.
- Food safety – Precisely holding low temperatures kills bacteria without overcooking.
- Convenience – Minimal hands on time lets the water bath do the work.
Sous vide makes it easy to cook food perfectly every time and can enhance flavors and textures. The ability to hold lower temperatures can also improve nutrient retention compared to other cooking methods.
Choosing a Sous Vide Device
Specialized sous vide immersion circulators provide the most accuracy for sous vide cooking. However, they can be a pricey investment. Less expensive options include:
- Instant Pot – Limited temperature range but provides decent results on some foods.
- Slow cooker – Must monitor temperature closely but can work in a pinch.
- Beer cooler – Insulated to hold temperature, requires a thermometer and heat source like a hot water urn.
When choosing a sous vide device, key factors to consider are:
- Temperature accuracy and precision
- Timer and auto shutoff features
- Tank capacity and minimum water level needed
- Wattage for heating capacity
- Cost and warranty
Immersion circulators provide the best performance on all these criteria. But less expensive alternatives can produce decent sous vide results on a budget.
Tips for Better Sous Vide Results
Follow these tips to get the best outcomes when cooking sous vide with any device:
- Buy a good digital food thermometer to monitor temperatures.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for maximum flavor and texture.
- Season food modestly before bagging as flavors concentrate.
- Minimize air in bags to prevent floating.
- Preheat water bath to desired temperature before adding food.
- Weigh down bags if needed to keep fully submerged.
- Use recommended time and temperature guidelines for each food.
- Chill food quickly after cooking before searing or serving.
- Dry food well and sear briefly after cooking for flavor and texture contrast.
With the right techniques and monitoring, you can achieve restaurant-quality sous vide results cooking at home. It does require paying close attention to details like time, temperature precision, and properly preparing and handling food.
Common Sous Vide Mistakes to Avoid
It’s easy to end up with subpar outcomes when first starting sous vide cooking. Here are some common mistakes to watch out for:
- Using old or poor quality food
- Overcrowding the water bath
- Not sealing bags properly
- Failing to accurately monitor temperature
- Removing food from bath before minimum safe time is reached
- Letting food cool slowly after cooking
- Not patting food dry before searing, resulting in steaming vs browning
- Oversearing after sous vide leading to overcooking
With practice and paying attention to details, sous vide cooking comes down to a science and consistently achieves excellent results. Learn from any mistakes and you will quickly master restaurant-worthy cooking.
Sous Vide Cook Times and Temperatures
The proper time and temperature combinations are critical when cooking sous vide for safety, texture, and doneness. Here are some general guidelines for common foods:
| Food | Thickness | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 1 inch | 150°F | 1-2 hours |
| Pork chops | 1 inch | 140°F | 1-3 hours |
| Steak | 1-2 inches | 130°F | 1-4 hours |
| Salmon fillet | 1 inch | 130°F | 10-20 minutes |
| Eggs | N/A | 147°F | 1 hour |
| Asparagus | N/A | 185°F | 10 minutes |
Keep in mind these times and temperatures may need adjusting based on thickness, doneness preferences, and the precision of your sous vide device. Refer to more detailed sous vide time and temperature tables for guidance.
Conclusion
While the Instant Pot’s limited temperature settings make it imperfect for sous vide, it can produce decent results on some vegetables, fruits, and meats in the 145°F-165°F range. For best outcomes, stick to foods needing those temperatures and use recommended time guidelines. More precise sous vide immersion circulators provide better temperature control for a wider array of foods. But the Instant Pot can serve as a budget-friendly way to experiment with sous vide cooking.