How To Freeze Food After Sous Vide?

You might wonder if it’s possible to freeze and store your food after sous vide. We scoured the information and guides for you and put them in this article, so you don’t have to worry.

It is safe to freeze food once it is done cooking. 

With proper cooking and safe food preparation, it could last for almost a week or so, depending on the type of food and where it is stored, which is sealed in tight vacuum-sealed bags.

We have gathered all the necessary guidelines and information for safe food preparation after Sous vide, so don’t miss out and read the complete procedures below.

What Is Sous Vide?

It is a cooking technique that originated in France and was adopted by a French chef named Georges Pralus.

A high-quality dish that most high-end restaurants have is achieved by vacuum-sealing food inside a plastic bag that is specifically meant for food storage and then soaking it under a container filled with water that is precisely heated and controlled to achieve a consistent and delicious dish.

How Can I Freeze Food After Sous Vide?

If you want to prolong the shelf life of cooked foods, it is a good idea to freeze food after sous-vide.

After pasteurization, the food must be immediately chilled in a vacuum-sealed bag and refrigerated or frozen until needed.

Take a look at the steps that need to be taken to make sure the correct way of freezing food is followed.

Ice bath

Before storing your food in the freezer, you should let it rest in an ice bath consisting of a large bowl filled with 1/2 water and 1/2 ice.

Ice bathing your food will ensure rapid cooling and minimize the amount of time your food is in the danger zone, i.e., the temperature range between 40 F (4.4 oC) and 140 F (60 C) where bacteria can flourish.

You should know that the length of time in which you leave it in the ice bath depends on the amount of food you have.

Pat it dry

Once the food is successfully chilled after soaking in the ice bath, pat the bag dry. You can put the food in the freezer after you’ve finished.

What Are the Benefits of Sous Vide Cooking?

Due to its unusual method of soaking vacuum-sealed food in a heat-controlled water bath, sous-vide ensures consistent and precise cooking.

You can cook inside a heat-controlled water bath with these benefits.

Consistent Results

It is possible to make sure that your food is cooked consistently because of the precise temperature that sous vide uses.

Flavorful Dishes

Because food is sealed in vacuum-tight bags, your food is cooked by its juices and nothing else, which gives you food flavor, rich taste, and tenderness to preserve each dish’s natural aromas.

Foods that have been cooked, boiled or fried will lose some of their texture, flavor, and nutrition.

Precision

With the traditional cooking method, you don’t have control over heat and temperature, which requires constant attention.

It’s possible to prevent the food from being cooked or overcooked.

Healthier Dishes

There is no need to use too much oil or butter when food is prepared using sous vide. The nutrients are retained within the bag and give the dish more flavor.

No Meat Shrinking

If you use the sous vide method, you can retain your meat’s compactness and prevent shrinkage which will give you your money’s worth.

What Are the Disadvantages of Sous Vide Cooking?

It Will Take Your Time

You can fry and cook food using conventional methods that will consume you about 20 minutes, but sous-vide cooking takes at least an hour or more depending on what you are cooking.

It Removes the Sense of Cooking

It is an all-around sensory experience to cook. You enjoy touching the food, smelling the delicious spices, and trying to get the perfect flavor.

You don’t get to reap the same benefits when using sous vide cooking. Many cooks don’t like the idea of simply placing food in a water bath and allowing it to cook on its own.

How Long Can I Store Sous Vide?

If you cook it through to pasteurization, chill it thoroughly, and then store it in the refrigerator, the meal can last a long time, even longer than regular leftovers.

How Long Can I Store Sous Vide in the Fridge?

It is possible to store fresh food in a pouch in the fridge for up to 48 hours. It depends on the kind of food you eat.

After that time, fish and shrimp can be eaten or frozen. Vegetables and meats that have been cooked for more than six hours can be kept out of use for a week.

How Long Can I Store Sous Vide in the Freezer?

It is possible to store food in the freezer for more than a week because the cold temperatures in the freezer slow down the growth of bacteria in the food.

How Can I Reheat Frozen Sous Vide?

Every food has different temperatures for reheating frozen sous vide. It depends on how thick the food is and whether you want it to be reheated or not.

Simply put your frozen sous vide in water heated to just below the initial cooking temperature to reheat them without overcooking them.

Smaller parts will cook in about the same amount of time as larger parts. The entire cook time would not be needed for the larger pieces to be reheated.

To warm the center, it only needs to heat for a long time. You can use time and temperature charts to figure out the proper heating lengths for different foods.

Is It Possible to Put Frozen Meat in Sous Vide?

Whether it is pre-cooked or raw, you can put frozen meat in the sous-vide. It’s acceptable to sous vide frozen meat.

If you cook frozen meat for a long time, it will take a lot of time and you won’t be able to thaw it before cooking.

Is It Possible to Sous Vide Frozen Fish?

Thanks to the vacuum-sealed bag, the frozen fish would still taste great. It traps the oils and aromas that come from the frozen fish.

It is a good idea to season your fish before it is vacuum-sealed.

Conclusion

It’s a good idea to freeze your food after a sous-vide. It could be used to prolong its shelf life.

You can pre-heat and enjoy dishes that have been pre-cooked if you store them up.

If you follow the proper steps, you will be able to enjoy delicious and tender dishes that are sure to please your taste buds.