Sous Vide Potatoes | Greedy Gourmet

Question 1

How does sous vide work?

Accepted Answer

Sous vide cooking works by using an immersion circulator to create a consistent cooking temperature. It's a low and slow approach to cooking that helps ingredients retain moisture, producing incredible flavors and textures.

The term 'sous vide' (pronounced soo-veed) means 'under vacuum' in French. This is because the food is cooked in a sealed bag with excess air removed from it.

Once the food is vacuum-sealed in a bag, it is then cooked for a long period of time in a warm water bath at a precise temperature.

Question 2

What kind of potatoes are best to cook sous vide?

Accepted Answer

There are a few options when it comes to picking the perfect potatoes for this sous vide recipe. Here are some suggestions:

Yukon gold potatoes

The high starch level makes Yukon Gold potatoes the perfect fluffy and creamy kind of potato to use for this recipe.

Fingerling potatoes

These small, stubby, long potatoes are ideal for sous vide cooking.

Russet potatoes

Another high starch potato, Russet potatoes are ideal for low and slow cooking.

Question 3

Do you need to peel sous vide potatoes?

Accepted Answer

Peeled potatoes are not a necessity. If you prefer your potatoes peeled, then go ahead. However, they will need to be scrubbed before you start cooking.

Question 4

How to prepare potatoes for sous vide cooking

Accepted Answer

Potatoes need a simple scrub before you chop them into bite size pieces.

Question 5

Can you vacuum seal the sous vide bag without using a vacuum sealer?

Accepted Answer

I recommend using a vacuum sealer, but you can use good quality large zip lock bags. Close the zip most of the way, leaving a gap of about 2cm through which air can escape. Slowly lower the bag into the water bath – the air will be forced out as you lower it.

Just before the zip part of the bag reaches the water, zip up the gap and use a weight to keep the bag immersed in the water.

Question 6

When are sous vide potatoes done?

Accepted Answer

Cooking time varies. When cooked at the standard sous vide temperature of 194 f 90 c, sous vide potatoes take about 1 hour to cook. My cooking temperature is slightly lower than this, so you might have to wait up to 1 hour 30 minutes. You'll get better results though, so it's worth the extra wait!

Question 7

Can you overcook sous vide potatoes?

Accepted Answer

While you can't technically overcook potatoes in the sous vide machine, they can get too mushy after a while. That's why I recommend cooking these sous vide potatoes for an hour and 30 minutes. Any longer than that and you risk turning them too mushy.

Question 8

Can you sous vide potatoes at a lower temperature?

Accepted Answer

The minimum temperature is 175 F. Any lower and you won't reach the desired softness.

Question 9

How do you make sous vide potatoes crisp on the outside?

Accepted Answer

The best way to crisp up your ingredients is to pan fry them in oil for a few minutes after the low and slow cooking process.

Question 10

Can you make this recipe in an Instant Pot?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can make this recipe in an Instant Pot using the 'sous vide' function button.

Question 11

Can you use ziplock bags for sous vide?

Accepted Answer

The quality of the plastic in the zip-top bag has a lot to do with how safe it is, and how well it performs. Some brands of zip-top bags are better than others for sous vide cooking. Anyone curious can read more about sous vide and plastics here.

Freezer ziplock bags are made from a safer, higher-grade plastic and are approved for use below these temperatures. If you have a vacuum sealer, you can also purchase plastic bags that are specifically created for sous vide cooking and seal them yourself.

The quality of the plastic used (e.g. name brands versus store brands) matters a lot.

Question 12

Can this recipe be scaled?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can cook a big batch of potatoes, store them in the fridge and add them to meals throughout the week.

Question 13

Can you make these potatoes ahead of time?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! One of the great things about this recipe is that you can whip these bad boys up well ahead of time and they'll still be perfect when they hit the plate!

You can make these potatoes at the start of the week, then store them in the fridge and eat them as you please throughout the week.

A little tip for you: make them in advance, then crisp them up in a frying pan and serve them as the perfect quick side for your Sunday lunch! Better than waiting an hour for the roast potatoes to crisp up!

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