Sous vide isn’t the most eco-friendly way to cook. It uses a lot of water (though some people reuse their water bath for a few sessions), and the plastic bags can start to pile up if you’re a frequent slow-and-low cooker. A company called Stasher thinks it can help with the second issue, thanks to its silicone bags.
Its 14-ounce, sandwich-style bags debuted last year, and at this year’s International Home and Housewares show, the company announced a partnership with immersion circulator-maker Anova (which Electrolux recently purchased), as well as an expanded product line. In addition to the sandwich bag, it will also sell small, medium, and half-gallon bags. Anova will sell bags sized for one or two people, as well as a family-size option starting this summer. As with regular plastic bags, you can use the displacement method — slowly lowering the bag into the water to force the air out — before sealing it for sous viding.
The reusable, resealable bags come in a variety of colors and patterns and are dishwasher safe, as long as you put them on the top rack. Stasher says it’s tested the silicone in the oven at temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and the bags are suitable for microwaving. Some people feel uncomfortable with the prospect of heating plastic in the microwave, dishwasher, or sous vide bath, which is why Stasher thinks people will embrace the silicone bags.
The one drawback is that Stasher bags are pricey. The sandwich-size bags cost about $12 each, and the pricing for the new options has yet to be released. The trade-off is that the silicone bags last exceptionally long. The company tested them for more than 3,000 uses, a representative told Digital Trends. That’s more than eight years of use, even if you’re sous viding daily — provided your kid doesn’t constantly lose them in the lunchroom.
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