Sous vide, sometimes called “cryovacking,” is a method of food preparation where food is put into a bag and vacuum packed. The bag is sometimes cooked later at low temperatures, or the process itself is used to infuse the food with flavor or to change its texture. When I heard Alton Brown explain sous vide on Iron Chef America, I assumed it was a well-known, frequently-used process among chefs.
Well, it looks like I was wrong. The New York Times Magazine has an article on the far-reaching implications of cooking sous vide, and how it could lead to everything from completely new textures and flavors to edible airline food.