I'm getting my feet wet with my new Inkbird ISV-100W 2.0. I tried following the recipe at https://www.seriouseats.com/sous-vide-glazed-carrots-recipe with whole heirloom carrots. (183°F, 1 hour)
They came out almost uncooked — about as crunchy as raw carrots. I tried again yesterday, this time cutting the carrots to about 1/2 inch maximum thickness and cooking them at 185°F for 2 h 30. I'm using a thick freezer bag (President's Choice in Canada) and directly sucking out the air; using water displacement would've left more air than using my mouth. (Photos)
I got the same result! The carrots were barely cooked. For context, my SV is working well; I initially made a pork tenderloin that was wonderful.
I thought carrots would be easy. What's happening?
by just_asking_2
27 Comments
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Have you added any moisture to the bag? I wonder if carrots need the added moisture. I have don’t corn on the Cobb with sous vide. Best corn I ever had. I added butter to that and it got into every crevice and the corn was perfected cooked through ton the Cobb.
I’d check the water temp with a thermometer to confirm the inkbird is actually getting it up to 85c.
edit: Also., capacity for your SV is 15L. That bucket seems considerably larger, but maybe it’s just the perspective. How much water is in there?
For the pork tenderloin – did you bag it yourself or buy it pre sealed?
They’re supposed to still be pretty firm. If you’re expecting mushy carrots you won’t get that at 185F. I cook mine at 84°C for an hour and they’re perfect.
Despite what this sub tells you, sous vides for vegetables is dumb as fuck.
All I can say is: check your water bath temp. I made carrots and other vegetables multiple times at 183/185F and they came out great. Definitely cooked but still just a bit of bite left. Nowhere near ‘about as crunchy as raw’.
If that’s not it, then I don’t know.
I had the same problem. Check the temp of your water bath if it’s accurate. I cook mine at 195F for an hour and they’re perfect al dente. I do have to weigh the bag down.
Your SV might be close to actual temp in the 130’s or 140’s for the pork but might be very off in the 180’s.
What is the texture you want? Not everyone likes the same texture.
Also, what is your sequence? Do you let the bath heat to temp before dropping in the bag?
Had the same issue on Thanksgiving with the rainbow carrots specifically
Did you check the temperature?
Highly recommending making a compound cold vegetable salad with sous vide carrots as the main part, great in the summer tossed with some feta
I think I’ve had to do 190 for carrots
I just did 5 pounds of thick sliced carrots at 185 for 90 minutes and they cooked fine, something else is going on.
Bourbon maple syrup and butter along with plenty of salt and had no leftovers
looks like a log of carrots there, rather than a single layer. maybe the interior isn’t getting cooked?
So try 87 C (190 F) for 1 hour. Vegies can be very particular on the temp range between 85 – 90 (185 – 195 F). It might also be the expection on the cuison of the carrots 85 C (185 F) for one hour is also a bit too crunchie for me
Someone already asked this important question but you skipped a response: HOW done are you expecting the carrots to be? Foodie-level carrots still have some crunch to them. How much is too much is left to personal taste an experience.
Two thoughts, one: you don’t like the texture of sous vide carrots. Two: you don’t have fat in the bag between the bag and the carrot to help conduct heat? Or along the same lines there is some air in the bag, which also is an insulator and wildly slows down conduction of heat
Carrots are where the sous vide shines imo. I’ll do them the day before in brown sugar and butter. Just keep them in the fridge then 5 min in a pan to warm them up and they’re perfect.
My guess is that since temperature control from the circulator is not in question, that the next issue would be improper vacuum sealing (I think stacking them up shouldn’t be a big issue and OP’s outer carrots should be softer and not crunchy). The bigger issue is whether enough air is being vacuumed out… without proper contact with the sous vide water on the carrots, cooking is severely inhibited. Carrots can be tricky with getting the air out completely vs say a simpler shape like a steak. So maybe OP may try to focus on that step and see if it helps remedy the issue.
Given all the other comments could the carrots have just become bad? Could they just be a weird species of carrot? Either way i can only suggest either a higher temp like 190 or longer until you get your preferred result like any other food
Just a thought, could the air-pockects slow down cooking process since there the material aren’t in close contact with heat?!
I’m wondering if elevation is coming to play here.
There are so many better ways to cook carrots. Just roast, grill, pan sear, or poach them. All of these methods are better and faster.
Carrots are so easy you don’t need to sous vide them. Just an old fashion boil.
Hmm, I cook carrots, corn, potatoes, at 190F.