While many trendy preparations from the heyday of molecular gastronomy were left behind (more sea bean gastrique-foam anyone?), the undeniable advantages to cooking sous vide make the technique a mainstay in modern kitchens. As it’s a great match for both Aussie Beef & Lamb and Grassfed Beef, we chatted up a few of our favorite chefs about cooking “in a vacuum.”
What are some of your favorite preparations using sous vide with Aussie lamb?
“One of my favorites is an Aussie lamb shank that we do with chipotle and spices. All of that flavor just gets concentrated through sous vide; it’s fall-off-the-bone tender, and makes for really easy service.”
– Four Seasons Miami Executive Chef Aaron Brooks
“We’ve had an Australian rack of lamb on our menu that we cook sous vide from a raw state to 130° with butter and aromatic herbs, then season and sear quickly on the grill for service. We keep the flavoring simple, letting that pure, natural, pastured lamb flavor shine through. A number of guests have told us they usually don’t like lamb, but they love ours!”
– Root & Bone NYC Chef de Cuisine Janine Booth
“I like to use sous vide with lamb shoulder, seasoned with a little cumin, coriander, brown sugar and mint. You can cook it to a perfectly pink medium for as long as 72 hours! It acts like a super-charged marination process, and breaks down the collagen into melt-in-your-mouth goodness.”
– Aussie Beef & Lamb Chef Adam Moore
Chef Adam’s Sous Vide Tips
• You don’t need as much seasoning or stock to add flavor in sous vide – a little goes a long way when it’s all in the bag!
• Finish steaks or loins quickly on a hot grill or a sauté pan to get those Maillard reactions and caramelization
• Brown short ribs, shoulders and other long-cooking cuts before sealing up in the bag
• Wrap herbs in an open-ended tube of food-grade plastic wrap like a cigar or blunt before bagging to keep from getting herb hot-spots
What are the advantages for using sous vide with Aussie Beef & Lamb grassfed beef and lamb in particular?
“The right sous vide technique with Australian grassfed beef will break down the collagen and connective tissue, giving you ideal tenderness while keeping the rich natural beef flavor. With Australian lamb, the flavors are mild and delicate, and sous vide helps protect and concentrate them.”
– Cuisine Solutions Chef, Chief Strategy Officer Gerard Bertholon
“One of the most common mistakes with leaner meats like grassfed beef and lamb is overcooking, especially in high-volume situations like hotel banquets. Sous vide allows you to cook meats to a precise internal temperature that’s consistent edge-to-edge, and then be held for a few hours until it’s time for service, without the possibility of overcooking. Then at service time you can just give it a quick sear and go.”
– Aussie Beef & Lamb Chef Adam Moore