Sous Vide Cooking

Last Updated on March 20, 2026 by Lisa Keys

Recently, I was asked, "What is the intent of my blog?" My response, "To share something that I love." Get ready for something new. Sous vide cooking.

Even after decades of cooking and baking, food still excites me. I never tire of the continuous learning process. I love creating new recipes, reading cookbooks like novels, and scouring grocery aisles for new products.

Often, I drive miles out of my way to find the freshest, best, and most exotic ingredients. My friends and family understand this passion. Even on vacation, I prioritize strolling through local markets for foodie souvenirs or taking a cooking class to master the regional cuisine.

I accepted an invitation to the International Sous Vide Association (ISVA) Summit with great joy. The new possibilities of sous vide cooking truly excite me. To be honest, I previously knew nothing about cooking food under vacuum in a temperature-controlled water bath. I hadn't even tasted a sous vide dish!

In my ignorance, I assumed only high-end restaurants like The French Laundry, Alinea, and Per Se served food this way. Since those restaurants-and the expensive immersion circulators and accessories-fell outside my budget, I realized I had a lot to learn.

The Summit Offerings

The conference delivered. Over two-and-a-half days, I immersed myself in a wonderful world of knowledgeable speakers and vendors. The enthusiasm of the professional chefs, home cooks, and even the BBQ guys captivated me.

The event truly offered something for everyone. Informative sessions covered sous vide science and history, while mouth-watering cooking demos and food photography filled the schedule, plus, we enjoyed plenty of food and drink.

What you need for sous vide cooking

The overwhelming take-away from the conference is that this type of cooking has indeed trickled down to the home kitchen for a number of good reasons. First and foremost, it is affordable. I purchased a highly rated immersion circulator for under $115.00 at the conference.

A large stockpot, some heavy-duty Ziploc bags and a clip (things I already had in my kitchen) complete the tools needed. Second, precision cooking insures whatever it is you are making comes out consistently great. I can guarantee that my sous vide steak will be cooked to my perfectly juicy 134 degrees or your perfect 130 degrees every time.

In addition, I can set it and forget it. There is no hovering over an immersion circulator like you would a stove. Big bonus is that the machine itself is compact and takes up little room in my already crowded cabinets.

Further, it is great for batch cooking on the weekends for those who are working and want to come home and fix dinner in just a few minutes. Grab your sous vide steak from the fridge and give it a quick sear in a pan or on the grill and dinner is done.

Finally, just about anything from entrees to desserts (maybe not popcorn) can be cooked sous vide. There are plenty of cookbooks and recipes on the subject. I happen to have a recipe in this new sous vide cookbook.

Champions of Sous Vide (available on Amazon) is a collection of 75 delicious recipes. Each one includes a mouth-watering plus the best tips and steps from 2 dozen sous vide enthusiasts.

So, is sous vide cooking for everyone? I don't know. Like my favorite knife, I look at it as one more option in my kitchen toolbox. Plus, it is a new way to think about and experiment with food. If you would like to learn more about sous vide cooking be sure to check out the ISVA web site. Definitely consider attending one of their conferences. And if you are ready to give sous vide cooking a try shop around for an immersion circulator.