Cooking From Frozen
Ingredients
Instructions
COOKING FROM FROZEN: THE NUTS AND BOLTS Here is what you need to know to start cooking frozen food sous vide right now.
Packaging: Sometimes you can cook food directly in the packaging that it comes in. But if you have any doubt about whether the packaging is suitable to cook in, transfer the food to a sous vide bag or a ziplock-style bag. (Note: For best results, cook in a ziplock-style bag only at temperatures below 150°F/66°C. When cooking something heavy—like a roast or a rack of ribs—sous vide bags are the better option thanks to their strong seams.)
Cooking times: There is an easy rule for determining the cooking time for a frozen food. Take the recommended time for cooking fresh food and divide it by two, then add that number to the original fresh cooking time. So if you typically cook a one-inch steak for an hour and you want to cook a frozen one: 60 + (60 / 2) = 90. Your steak will cook in an hour and a half. Rule of thumb: Fresh Cook Time + (Fresh Cook Time / 2). Exception: when cooking a super-tough cut for a really long time, you don't need to add any cooking time — it will have more than enough time to defrost over the many hours in the water.
COOKING FROM FROZEN FAQ
Why should I cook frozen foods sous vide? It's super convenient. Freezing meat and seafood means you don't have to worry about expiration dates. Cooking frozen food sous vide also saves money and lets you cook your favorite food at a moment's notice, even out of season.
Will my food come out less tasty if I cook from frozen? Absolutely not. Test after test in the ChefSteps kitchen has shown that people cannot tell the difference between previously frozen meat and fresh cuts. (Improperly handled meats put through several freeze-thaw cycles can be damaged, so look for high-quality meats.) Make sure there is room in your freezer so your meat doesn't freeze into a funky shape.
Is it safe? Cooking frozen meats sous vide is exactly as safe as cooking fresh meats. Cooking directly from the freezer actually cuts down on cross-contamination. Aggressively label everything in your freezer — is it raw or cooked, when was it frozen, how long can it last.
Do you need a vacuum sealer? Nope. Whether cooking from fresh or frozen, a ziplock-style, food-grade, freezer-style bag will usually do the trick. Many frozen foods come vacuum sealed already (fish filets, chicken breasts, organic steaks); as long as the bag has the right type of plastic and seal, you're good to go straight from shopping cart to freezer to sous vide.
How long should I cook frozen foods sous vide? The cook time is the only thing that changes. The rule of thumb is Fresh Cook Time + (Fresh Cook Time / 2). So if your fresh salmon cooks in 30 minutes, your frozen one cooks in 30 + (30 / 2) = 45 minutes. There is no difference in temperature or technique — just some extra time.
Can you sous vide marinated frozen meats? Sure. However certain marinades change the texture of different proteins:
- Salty marinades: end up acting like a brine when packaged and cooked sous vide. Do not use a marinade that includes salt unless you want a lightly brined texture.
- Acidic marinades: acidic (or alkaline) ingredients can alter the texture of foods similar to cooking with heat.
- Sugary or boozy marinades: sugars and alcohols enhance flavor but can draw moisture out of the meat, making it less juicy.
- Oily marinades: oils add flavor but slowly wilt and soften plant tissue. A great way to add flavor is to package your food with fresh herbs and spices before cooking — but don't overdo it, you need less seasoning when everything is tightly sealed. When cooking frozen marinated meat, if a giant frozen block encases your food, throw it in the water but don't start your timer until the frozen marinade has broken down a bit.
Is it worth it to thaw meats before cooking them sous vide? In all of ChefSteps' studies, using a triangle test, there was no noticeable difference between sous vide meats cooked from fresh or frozen.
Do I have to repackage my food, or can I cook it in the plastic it came in? A mixed bag. Try to find out if your food was sealed in sous vide–safe plastic (BPA-free polyethylene or polypropylene). Check that the bag is heavy duty with good seals; if unsure, repackage before freezing, because poorly constructed bags can fall apart while cooking. Make sure there isn't an absorbent pad in your prepackaged food. When in doubt, repackage.