Sous vide has had quite an impressive run, making its way from Michelin-starred chef’s kitchens to … well, our kitchens. Despite the strides this culinary technique has already made thanks to devices like Anova and Joule, there are still plenty of home chefs who are a bit skeptical about cooking their food in a plastic bag and some hot water. But now, we may have a way to convince even the least daring of our culinary compatriots to give this precise method of cooking a try. It’s all thanks to a new line of offerings from Vesta, a Seattle-based company on a mission to make “sous vide even more popular … for everyday cooks and chefs alike.”
With a number of industry-first inventions up its sleeve, Vesta is looking to make a splash at the International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago next week. First up, there’s the VacuPot, a machine that allows you to to cook sous vide sans the sealed bags. Claiming to be a “dream for cooking soups, stews, and delicate foods you don’t want to ‘vacu-smash’ (like salmon or stuffed grape leaves),” this contraption allows you to slowly cook your food at a precise temperature but without the need for plastic. Frankly, this sounds a lot like a slow cooker (with more precise settings), but if that’s your cup of tea, then the VacuPot could be a hit.
Then, there’s the Vertical Vac Elite, which claims to be “a first-of-its-kind vertical chamber vacuum sealer which allows users to flawlessly seal liquid-heavy foods without fighting gravity or cleaning up spills.” While most sealers require you to lay down your packages horizontally, the Vertical Vac Elite does the exact opposite thanks to its hang-and-seal mechanism. So if you’re looking to brine or marinate a prime cut of meat, this may be a handy tool.
There’s also the Imersa Elite, a flip-display immersion circulator that is capable of heating up to 30 liters of water and maintaining temperature, but portable enough to fit into a standard kitchen drawer. And because it has a low profile, it can heat up water even in a rather shallow pot, and its temperature can be controlled either by its built-in touchscreen or companion app. There’s also a lower-priced Imersa, a wand-style immersion circulator, which is perhaps better suited for slightly less serious chefs.
Finally, Vesta is introducing the Perfecta, a countertop sous vide water bath that circulates up to 10 liters of water to an exacting temperature, all without the need for a separate immersion circulator or pot. Promising to be more accurate and also more self-contained than other water baths on the market, the Perfect also features a large digital touchscreen and works with the companion app.
“Sous vide has long been a professional ‘trick of the trade,’ and with product innovation for the home, it’s quickly caught on with culinary and technology gadget early adopters – now we see it reaching the mainstream tipping point,” said Bob Lamson, CEO of Vesta, who has a long track record in the sous vide and kitchen appliance industry. “We think smart immersion circulators and water baths will be just as ubiquitous as microwaves before too long, due to the convenience and failproof nutritional and flavorful results sous vide delivers.”
Vesta products will be made available for purchase beginning in April, at which time you’ll be able to find this entire lineup of products at the company website.
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