Sous Vide Pork And Sauerkraut Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best temperature to sous vide pork? ›

For best results, brine the pork chops beforehand in the refrigerator.

While many will tell you that it's impossible to overcook with sous vide (and this isn't far from the truth), do bear in mind though that if you leave the food in the water bath for an extended period of time it won't 'overcook', but it could start to take on a mushy texture, so don't forget about it!

Adjust sous vide immersion circulator to 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare or 140°F (60°C) for medium. Alternatively, fill a large beer cooler with hot water and use a kettle of boiling water to adjust heat to 3°F above suggested target temperatures (138°F/59°C for medium-rare and 143°F/62°C for medium).

Cook all raw pork steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (62.8 °C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

Seasoning Your Food Before Sous Vide

Often spices and seasoning go hand in hand with salting your food. With sous vide, even if you want to leave out the salt it's often a good idea to add more flavors through seasonings.

The salt to water ratio discussed (4 cups water to 3 Tbsp of salt) is best used for 1-4 servings of pork chops or pork tenderloins. Some people wash their meat after brining. You can do this, but just patting them dry works as well. Personal preference!

Another thing to note is that cooked meat doesn't absorb marinades, and the outside of meats cook in roughly 5 to 10 minutes sous vide, so you always want to marinate first before sous vide cooking — even if you leave the marinade in the bag.

If you're not careful about cooking times (as specified by the product manufacturer), your food can become contaminated. In addition, if your food is not properly vacuum sealed, or your food becomes contaminated during prep, cooking sous-vide poses an additional threat.

When ready to serve, reheat any fat and juices left in the pan until sizzling then pour them over the steak to re-crisp and moisten the surface (the steaks can be served immediately if you are ready, no need to rest a sous-vide steak).

Does pork get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Pork shoulder might start out as a fatty, tough cut of meat, but cook it low and slow for a few hours and it will be transformed into tender, juicy shreds that fall apart with the touch of your fork.

Pork shoulder is incredibly flexible when it comes to flavoring and tastes fantastic thanks to it's high fat and collagen content, which gives it a true porky flavor. Because it is a relatively tough cut that needs a long time to break down, it's a great match for sous vide.

Cook all raw ground pork to an internal temperature of 160°F (71.1 °C) as measured with a food thermometer. If fresh pork has reached 145°F (62.8 °C) throughout, even though it may still be pink in the center, it should be safe. The pink color can be due to the cooking method or added ingredients.

Cook for 1 hour if the chops are bone-in and under an inch thick, or if you're cooking boneless pork chops. Cook for about 1 hour and 10 minutes if you're cooking bone-in chops that are thicker than 1 inch. When cooking time ends, remove from the water, and turn off the circulator.

Cook pork, roasts, and chops to 145 ºF as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source, with a three-minute rest time before carving or consuming. This will result in a product that is both safe and at its best quality—juicy and tender.

Juicier pork at a lower temperature—better for the home cook

And you can bet that this “other white meat” cooked to the USDA-recommended temperature of 145°F (63°C) will be juicy, tender, (possibly) pink, and safe for your family.

The USDA recommends that pork is cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (62.8°C) for food safety. But every griller worth their salt knows that cuts rich in collagen, like pork butt, need to be brought to much higher temperatures (195-205°F [91-96°C]) to properly break down the connective tissues.

To Cook: Set your precision cooker to 165°F (74°C) for more traditionally textured pulled pork, or 145°F (63°C) for sliceable but tender pork. When the bath is at temperature, add sealed bag with pork and cover with foil or plastic wrap. Allow to cook for 18 to 24 hours.