Sous vide is a technique that professional chefs and restaurants have been using for decades, but it has gradually gained popularity with home cooks. While the name sounds fancy, the technique merely involves sealing food in an airtight container (usually a vacuum-sealed bag) and immersing it in temperature-controlled water. (The French term "sous vide" translates loosely to "under vacuum.") The idea is that, when cooking with evenly heated water instead of the traditional superheated air in the oven or metal on the stove, you can raise the temperature of foods precisely to achieve the exact doneness you're looking for.

While the sous vide technique is often and most famously used to cook meats to the perfect temperature, it can also be used to make anything from braised vegetables or vegetable purees, flavour infused oils, or pickles. Serious cocktail enthusiasts use it to infuse spirits with aromatics, essentially turning vodka into gin. To try it at home, here's what we recommend:

Are you looking for a new home cooking project this winter? Get started with the Joule and VacuVita gadgets, and in no time you’ll be inviting your friends over for a sous vide dinner with cocktails to match.