Sous vide quick tables
Timer starts after the bath reaches set temperature. Times are practical cook windows. For poultry, prefer adding time over raising temperature.
Vegetables
| Food | State | Temp | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus (~1 cm spears) | Frozen | 85°C | 12–18 min | 15 min default. Use 18–20 min if clumped/tightly packed. |
| Asparagus (~1 cm spears) | Thawed | 85°C | 8–12 min | Mostly heat-through + slight tenderizing. Single layer cooks best. |
| Cauliflower (florets, ~5 cm) | Thawed | 85°C | 30–45 min | Bag with butter + curry powder. Single layer; weigh down if needed. |
| Cauliflower (florets, ~5 cm) | Frozen | 85°C | 45–60 min | Add ~15 min for frozen. Same bag additions. |
Asparagus finish (optional): dry well, then blister 30–60 sec in a very hot pan.
Cauliflower finish (optional): drain liquid, then roast or broil 4–6 min for color. Pairs well with a knob of butter and ½–1 tsp curry powder per ~300 g in the bag.
Beets: 85 °C, 1½–4 h by size — see Sous vide beets.
Poultry: Chicken Breast
| Cut | Thickness | State | Temp | Time | Texture / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breast | ~2 cm | Thawed | 63°C | 60–75 min | Juicy + tender (default). |
| Breast | ~2 cm | Frozen | 63°C | 90–105 min | Add ~30 min for frozen. |
| Breast | ~2 cm | Thawed | 65°C | 45–60 min | Firmer, more 'classic' bite. |
| Breast | ~2 cm | Frozen | 65°C | 75–90 min | Firmer + safer buffer. |
| Breast | ~4 cm | Thawed | 63°C | 2.5 h | 2 h is often short; 2.5 h is safer. |
| Breast | ~4 cm | Frozen | 63°C | 3 h | Cook-from-frozen default. |
| Breast | ~4 cm | Thawed | 65°C | 2 h | Closest 'set-and-forget 2 hours' plan. |
| Breast | ~4 cm | Frozen | 65°C | 2.5 h | Add buffer if not fully thawed. |
Finish: pat dry, then hard sear 30–60 sec/side for color.
Sliced into oyakodon: see the sous vide shortcut there.
Poultry: Chicken Drumsticks (bone-in)
| Goal | State | Temp | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tender / pulls off bone | Defrosted | 74°C | 3–5 h | Good all-round; avoids near-bone pinkness. |
| Tender / pulls off bone | Frozen | 74°C | 4–6 h | +30–60 min buffer; thickness-dependent. |
| Fall-off-the-bone | Defrosted | 78°C | 3 h | Best match for 'fall off bone'. |
| Fall-off-the-bone | Frozen | 78°C | 3–4 h | Add ~1 h if very thick or tightly packed. |
Bagging: 2 per bag for very thick drumsticks; 3 per bag OK if mostly single-layer. Finish: dry thoroughly, broil 4–8 min total, flip once; apply sugary sauces late.
Beef
| Cut | Thickness | State | Doneness | Temp | Time | Hold window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ribeye | ~2.5 cm | Frozen | Medium | 57°C | 2 h | Best 1.5–3 h; OK up to ~4 h (softer past that). |
Sear: optional cool-in-bag 5–10 min, pat very dry, then 30–60 sec/side in screaming-hot pan + neutral oil. Add butter only at the end (15–30 sec baste).
Pork Ribs
| Texture target | Temp | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBQ tender (sliceable) | 74°C | 18–24 h | Default long-cook ribs. |
| Fall-off-the-bone | 78°C | 12–18 h | Softer, more shreddy. |
| Steakier chew | 68°C | 24–36 h | Tender but more bite. |
Finish: dry well, brush thin sauce, then broil 4–8 min total (flip once). If sauce is sweet, apply late and watch constantly.
Lamb — collagen-heavy cuts
| Cut | Goal | Temp | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb shank (whole) | Braised tender (sliceable) | 68°C | 24–36 h | Frozen vs thawed negligible at this scale. |
| Lamb shank (whole) | Fall-apart | 74°C | 18–24 h | More 'braise' texture. |
Lamb — steak-like slices
| Cut | Thickness | State | Temp | Time | Finish / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shank steaks (cross-cut) | 2–2.5 cm | Frozen | 60°C | 9–13 h | Collagen needs time. Add ~1 h buffer for frozen. |
| Boneless lamb slices w/ fat + some skin | 2–2.5 cm | Frozen | 56–57°C | 2–2.5 h | Dry thoroughly. Crisp skin in pan skin-side down 2–5 min (press for contact). |
Skin note: sous vide does not crisp skin. You must dry thoroughly and use direct high heat (pan or broiler).