Sous vide is French for "under vacuum" and describes a method of cooking in vacuum sealed plastic pouches at low temperatures for long times. With the proper equipment and some basic knowledge, anyone can prepare consistently delicious and safe food. With more advanced knowledge, a chef can safely create (or modify) recipes to realize their unique vision.
This guide attempts to distill the science of sous vide cooking to provide anyone with the tools needed to safely realize their creative visions. Part I discusses the techniques and safety concerns of sous vide cooking. Some prototypical recipes are explored in Part II. The mathematics of sous vide cooking are detailed in Appendix A. Finally, Appendix B discusses the specialized equipment necessary for sous vide cooking.