Showing posts with label vacuum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacuum. Show all posts

Wednesday 29 May 2024

The Art of Sous Vide Cooking: A Comprehensive Guide

Sous vide cooking, a term derived from the French phrase meaning "under vacuum," has revolutionised culinary techniques in both professional kitchens and home cooking, too. 

This method, characterised by its precision and consistency, involves sealing food in a vacuum-sealed bag and immersing it in a water bath at a controlled, low temperature for an extended period of time. 

The result? Perfectly cooked meals that retain all their natural flavours, moisture, and nutrients. Let's explore the fascinating world of sous vide cooking and examine its many benefits, techniques, and tips for mastering this art.

The Benefits of Sous Vide Cooking

Precision and Consistency: One of the primary advantages of sous vide is its ability to cook food to the exact desired level of 'doneness'. Whether you're preparing a medium-rare steak or tender vegetables, the precise temperature control ensures consistent results every time.

Enhanced Flavour: By cooking food in a vacuum-sealed bag, the natural flavours and aromas are intensified. This method allows for the infusion of marinades, herbs, and spices, resulting in richly flavoured dishes.

Nutrient Retention: Traditional cooking methods often lead to the loss of vital nutrients due to high temperatures and direct exposure to heat. Sous vide cooking preserves more nutrients, making it a healthier option.

Tender and Juicy Textures: The low and slow cooking process ensures that proteins break down gently, resulting in exceptionally tender and juicy meats. This is particularly beneficial for tougher cuts of meat that require longer cooking times.

Convenience and Flexibility: Sous vide cooking is really remarkably hands-off. Once the food is sealed and the temperature is set, you can walk away and focus on other tasks in your kitchen. Additionally, it offers flexibility with timing; food can stay in the water bath without overcooking, giving you leeway to finish other components of your meal.

Essential Equipment for Sous Vide Cooking

To get started with sous vide, you'll need a few key pieces of equipment:

Sous Vide Immersion Circulator: This device heats and circulates the water, maintaining a precise temperature throughout the cooking process. Popular models include the Anova Precision Cooker and the Joule by ChefSteps.

Vacuum Sealer: While not absolutely necessary, a vacuum sealer helps to remove air from the cooking bags, ensuring optimal cooking conditions. Alternatively, you can use the water displacement method with resealable freezer bags.

Sous Vide Bags: BPA-free plastic bags designed for sous vide cooking are ideal, but heavy-duty freezer bags can also be used.

Water Bath Container: Any large pot or heat-resistant container will work, but specialised sous vide containers are available for greater efficiency.

Step-by-Step Guide to Sous Vide Cooking

Preparation: Season your food as desired. Place it in a sous vide bag along with any herbs, spices, or marinades.

Sealing: Use a vacuum sealer to remove the air from the bag. If using a resealable bag, employ the water displacement method by slowly submerging the bag in water, allowing the pressure to push out the air, and then sealing the bag.

Heating: Fill your water bath container with water and attach the sous vide immersion circulator. Set the desired temperature according to your recipe. For instance, 54°C (129°F) for a medium-rare steak.

Cooking: Once the water reaches the target temperature, submerge the sealed bag in the water bath. Cooking times vary based on the type and thickness of the food, but sous vide typically requires several hours to achieve perfect results.

Finishing: After cooking, remove the food from the bag. For meats, a quick sear in a hot pan adds a desirable crust and enhances flavour. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tips for Mastering Sous Vide Cooking

Experiment with Flavours: Sous vide is ideal for experimenting with different flavour combinations. Try adding citrus, garlic, or fresh herbs to your bags for an extra burst of taste.

Double Bag for Safety: To prevent leaks, especially when cooking for longer periods, consider double-bagging your food.

Monitor Water Levels: Ensure that the water level remains above the minimum required by your immersion circulator to maintain even cooking temperatures.

Use a Thermometer: While sous vide ensures precision, it's always good to double-check with a meat thermometer, especially when cooking poultry or pork.

Plan Ahead: Sous vide cooking can be time-consuming, so plan your meals in advance. However, the results are well worth the wait.

Sous vide cooking offers a unique and rewarding way to prepare meals, combining science with culinary art to achieve exceptional results. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook, this method can elevate your dishes, making them more flavourful, tender, and nutritious. Embrace the precision and convenience of sous vide, and you'll soon discover why it has become a beloved technique in kitchens around the world. Happy cooking!

Tuesday 5 March 2024

Vactidy unveils its Blitz V9 Pro cordless vacuum cleaner with powerful 200W brushless motor

Every home chef or cook needs a good vacuum cleaner which can effortlessly suck up flour spills and the like.

So it's good news that Vactidy has unveiled its Blitz V9 Pro cordless vacuum cleaner with powerful 200W brushless motor and an impressive 30kPa suction force.

With a self-standing design, rotatable LED brush head and CycloneFlow technology, the latest addition to Vactidy’s vacuum provides users with an enhanced cleaning experience.

Vactidy, a global leader in household electronics, is pleased to be able to announce the highly anticipated release of its Blitz V9 Pro cordless vacuum cleaner. 

This feature-loaded vacuum cleaner combines a user-friendly, 6-in-1 design, a powerful 200W HyperMotor brushless motor, and a cutting-edge 4-stage cyclone filtration system to provide a convenient and effective cleaning experience for everyone.

The Vactidy Blitz V9 Pro boasts a robust 200W HyperMotor brushless motor, delivering an impressive 30kPa suction power that effortlessly removes dust, debris, pet hair, parrot dander, kitchen flour spills, crumbs and much more besides. 

Equipped with special CycloneFlow technology and a 4-stage multi-cyclone filter system, the V9 Pro effectively filters out a very impressive 99.97% of minuscule dust particles (up to 0.1 microns), preventing secondary air pollution and providing a clean and refreshing living environment. A boon to asthma sufferers, a condition both my wife and myself suffer from.

The Blitz V9 Pro has been designed with ultimate convenience in mind, featuring a light, self-standing design that offers users the flexibility to stand, place and store the vacuum wherever they want, freeing their hands for efficient cleaning. With a telescopic bar, crevice tool and a selection of attachments, the V9 Pro can be transformed into a handheld device, making it even easier than ever to clean hard-to-reach places, tight places or car interiors, etc.

Another remarkable feature is the upgraded EasyGrab Technology floor brush, fitted with bristles and a plastic strip for enhanced dust removal on both hardwood floors and carpets, made even easier with carefully designed built-in LED lights for dust illumination. This feature is a real winner to my mind.

Powered by a 6-cell 2200mAh rechargeable battery, the V9 Pro offers a rapid 4-hour charge for up to 45 minutes of runtime in ECO mode. 

Users can choose between 15-20 minutes (MAX mode) or 35-45 minutes (in ECO mode), whilst the vacuum provides two convenient charging options, allowing the battery to be charged either in or out of the machine. Vacuumers can monitor the battery life and adjust the suction power effortlessly with the LED touch panel. 

It has a HEPA filter, a one-button emptying dust container, weighs 2.15kg (about 4.7lb) and the accessory package consists of : Main Motor (include Dust Cup), Retractable tube, Electric Floor Brush Head, 2-in-1 dusting brush, Long Crevice Nozzle, HEPA (x2), Wall mount, Power adaptor and a user manual.

The Vactidy Blitz V9 Pro is now available on Amazon UK and Amazon US with an RRP of  £209.00/$119.99 (currently on offer for just £109.00/$79.99)

Amazon UK link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CL6PP875?ref=myi_title_dp&th=1

Amazon USA link: https://www.amazon.com/Vactidy-Brushless-Lightweight-Self-Standing-Hardfloor/dp/B0CL7CY5DB?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

Tuesday 30 January 2024

Vactidy unveils its Blitz V8 Pro cordless vacuum cleaner with powerful 160W motor and cutting-edge 4-stage cyclone filtration

With a self-standing design, 4 LED brush head lights for dust illumination and a 180° rotatable brush head, the Blitz V8 Pro provides the ultimate cleaning for your home.

My wife and I recently realised the importance of owning a high quality vacuum cleaner when our pride-and-joy kitchen mixer decided to explode and spray the kitchen with an amazingly large amount of flour. Never mind the fact that we have an African Grey Parrot (known as one of the dustiest breeds of parrots in the world and also a rapidly growing new kitten!)

So we were, obviously, very interested to know that Vactidy, which is a true global leader in household electronics, has proudly announced the release of its highly anticipated Blitz V8 Pro cordless vacuum cleaner. 

This cutting-edge vacuum combines powerful suction, multi-cyclone CycloneFlow™ technology, low noise levels and accessory storage racks to offer a convenient and effective cleaning experience for everyone. 

The Vactidy Blitz V8 Pro is now available on Amazon UK and Amazon US with an RRP of £199/$199.99 (currently on offer for $109.99 for US customers, with an additional $30 coupon available).

What's different about the Blitz V8 Pro? It boasts a robust 160W motor, delivering an genuinely impressive 25kPa suction power that effortlessly tackles pet hair, dust (that's including flour, obviously!) debris and more besides.

With two distinct and different modes, Max Mode is for intensive cleaning and ECO Mode for extended runtime, vacuumers users can customise their cleaning experience for whatever their current need might be. The vacuum's 35-minute battery life in ECO mode ensures uninterrupted cleaning sessions.

One of the standout features is the upgraded EasyGrab™ Technology floor brush, which is equipped with bristles and a special, dedicated plastic strip for enhanced dust removal on both hardwood floors and carpets. The vacuum's self-standing design allows users to pause cleaning at any moment, adding a new level of convenience to the whole process.

The vacuum’s advanced CycloneFlow™ technology and 4-stage multi-cyclone filtration system gives it the edge above alternative vacuum cleaners on the market, effectively capturing 99.97% of microscopic dust particles as small as 0.1 microns. This state-of-the-art technology promotes the release of fresh air during vacuuming and helps to prevent secondary air pollution, which is a great boon.

The Blitz V8 Pro also prioritises convenience with best-in-class features such as a retractable metal tube, 180° rotatable brush head, 4 LED brush head lights for dust illumination (what a fantastic idea!), low noise levels and a detachable battery. 

Accompanying the vacuum’s user-friendly self-standing design, the Blitz V8 Pro comes equipped with a storage wall mount for efficient organisation.

The Vactidy Blitz V8 Pro is now available on Amazon UK and Amazon US with an RRP of £199/$199.99 (currently on offer for $109.99 for US customers).

Product Specifications:

Motor: 160W brushed motor

Suction: Max suction 25kPa

Dustbin: 500ml dustbin; One-button emptying

Noise: 66dB

Filtration: CycloneFlow™ 4 stages Filtration system: Metal mesh, Multi-cyclone filtration, HEPA, outlet Sponge

Run time: ECO: 35 mins | MAX: 15 mins, Detachable Battery

Accessories: Main Motor (include Dust Cup), Retractable tube, Electric Floor Brush Head, 2-in-1 dusting brush, Long Crevice Nozzle, HEPA (x2), Wall mount, Power adaptor, User manual

FACTFILE: Founded in 2013, Vactidy is a global household electronics company which specialises in cordless vacuums, robot vacuums, and other home cleaning appliances. 

The company's brand philosophy is to work on functionality and quality and bring the products to customers at a reasonable price with good customer service. 

Vactidy focuses on utilising technology to make cleaning easier rather than pursuing breakthroughs at cost. The company is dedicated to balancing usability, quality, and affordability, always placing user experience first.

To learn more visit:https://www.vactidy.com or https://www.vactidy.com/uk