How Long Does Sous Vide Chicken Last?

It is easy to sync with your schedule, and sous-vide cooking is capable of delivering consistently mind-blowing results.

Chicken can last up to 2 months in a sous vide cooker.

You can use the chicken at any point during the sous vide process; however, the longer you cook the chicken, the longer the flavor will develop.

This method is getting more and more home cooks to use it.

With its vacuum bags and gently whirring baths of water, sous vide cooking is vastly different from the skillets and burners we are used to in conventional methods.

It is only natural to wonder how the rules of food safety apply to you.

We have the answers if you are worried about cooking in plastic or if you are confused about low cooking temperatures or how long to store the foods cooked using the sous vide technique.

How Long Will Sous Vide Meat Last?

Before we dive in, we want to make sure you know how sous vide cooking works.

Low-temperature, long-time cooking is a method used in this cooking method. In French, the meaning is “under vacuum”, implying that food is kept sealed with all the air removed.

If you use this method, you need to place your food in plastic bags or glass jars and cook it in water for up to seven hours. Cooking can last as long as 72 hours in some cases.

Many people decide to go for this method because of the advantage of cooking in batches.

The temperature you use for cooking is usually higher than the temperature you used for the trick.

If you want to cook red meat, you should cook it at a temperature of 130-140 F (55 to 60 C), and if you want to cook poultry, you should cook it at a temperature of 150-150 F (64 to 71 C).

The temperatures may sound extremely low and unsafe, so this may seem illogical. Many people wonder if you can keep sous vide meat for a long time.

There are different answers to this question that you can find on the internet. It can be kept in the sous-vide bag for 48 hours if it is properly cooked and cooled.

But what do you mean by that? It is recommended to bring the temperature down to less than 41 F (4 C) if you want to store the meat.

Here’s how it’s done:

• Prepare a half ice/half water bath in a sous vide container large enough to hold the bags of food that you want to chill.
• The bags should be fully submerged in the water.
• Depending on the amount of food, leave the bags for at least 30 minutes or two hours.
• The temperature needs to be below 41 F (4 C) throughout the whole process.
• Store the bags in your fridge or freezer after they’ve been dried.

The meat will go bad much faster if you don’t put warm sous vide bags in the fridge because they won’t cool down quick enough.

Depending on the type of meat and how it was cooked, it depends on the first 48 hours in the fridge.

Meat cooked for more than six hours at 140 F (60 C) can be kept in closed bags in the fridge for seven to ten days before it needs to be eaten.

The meat will have the same shelf life as cooked meat if you open the sous vide bags.

One of the most significant advantages of sous vide cooking is the ability to keep meat safe for 10 days.

This is great for restaurants, hospitals, and many other businesses. This saves a lot of time for many people since it is possible to simply reheat the previously cooked meat.

See Also: How long to sous vide brisket?

How Long Can You Keep Sous Vide Meat in the Freezer?

The meat can be kept for two to three months, except for poultry, which can be kept for up to six months in the bags.

You can keep your meat in the freezer for up to one year with vacuum-sealed bags.

Benefits of Cooking Meat Using Sous Vide

These are the benefits you will get when you cook meat using the sous vide technique.

It’s a Time-Saver

Cooking sous vide can be done quickly and efficiently, and it takes the hassle out of cooking. When you’re looking at the bottom line on what foods can be prepared at the lowest cost, the convenience of having a dish ready to eat, anytime, anywhere, is certainly an added benefit.

The meat was put in the bags, the temperature was set, and the water bath was administered. It is not necessary to stand over the stove to check if the meat is cooked or not.

You will have your meals prepared for the whole week, and you can prepare food for a large number of people in a short period.

It’s Delicious

Sous-vide is a method of cooking meat where it is vacuum-sealed in a pouch which is then cooked slowly in an oven at a low temperature.

It is perfect for steaks and chicken because they don’t have to be sliced or flipped. 

All the juices and aromas will be retained if the meat is cooked sous-vide. Food will be prepared in a way that is evenly cooked.

It’s Economical and Healthy

Saving money can be accomplished through sous vide cooking. If you portion your food in sous-vide bags, make sure there is no extra food that could go bad.

Also, you will have full control of the ingredients and portions used while cooking. So it makes the dish healthy.

See Also: How long to sous vide brisket?

Concerns of Cooking Meat Using Sous Vide

Safety is the main reason why many people are skeptical about sous vide cooking. It is not necessary to worry about cooking in plastic sous vide bags at low temperatures for extended periods.

It’s entirely safe to cook in plastic bags because of the low temperatures used. When in contact with food, the plastic used for this purpose can be harmful because it doesn’t contain certain chemicals.

Food that is held in the danger zone for more than two hours can develop harmful bacteria and therefore be unsafe to eat.

That’s why it’s important to have temperature control when cooking. The food prepared will be safe if the temperature is measured and controlled correctly.

Conclusion

You have learned how long you can keep the meat in the fridge and freezer. You have also learned more about the technique, its benefits, and potential pitfalls.

Many people are using this cooking method because of the numerous advantages.

As long as you follow the instructions, you can be sure that your meat will be safe to eat longer than if it is traditionally cooked.