How to Cook Carrots Sous Vide

Heat the water: Fill a pot with water and place your immersion circulator inside. Set your immersion circulator to 194°F and let the water come up to temperature. Prep the carrots: Meanwhile, wash the carrots and peel them. Cut off and reserve the green leafy tops for another use (like Carrot Top Pesto!). Slice off the tops and bottoms, if you like. Add the carrots to a zip-top gallon-size plastic freezer bag along with the tarragon, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Toss together in the bag to distribute the ingredients. Alison Conklin Seal the bag: Seal the bag as tightly as possible using water-displacement method to help press out all the air: Put the food in the bag and slowly lower it into the water, letting the pressure of the water press the air through the top of the bag. Once the air is out of the bag, seal it just above the water line. You can do this in the pot of water as it heats (just be careful if the water is already steaming!). (Read more here.) If the carrots float in the water, add a few heavy soup spoons from your cutlery drawer, which will help weigh down the bag and keep the carrots submerged. The carrots will need to be completely submerged to cook evenly. Alison Conklin Alison Conklin Cook the carrots: Submerge the bag of carrots in the pot once the circulator has come to the proper temperature. Cook for 15 minutes for thinner carrots, and up to 25 for very thick ones. If you’re at all in doubt, pull them out after 15, open the bag carefully, and use a fork to determine how tender they are. If they’re getting stuck in the carrot, they aren’t ready; reseal the bag and return the carrots to the water. Alison Conklin Serve: Remove from the water, turn off the circulator, and serve immediately. Sprinkle some additional fresh chopped tarragon on top, if desired, and sea salt. You can also drizzle the cooking oil over the plated carrots. Alison Conklin