Find out everything you need to know about the Instant Pot Sous Vide functionality that’s built into some Instant Pot models. Use this easy cooking technique to perfectly cook restaurant-quality meals in your Instant Pot.
Table of Contents
- What is Sous Vide?
- Sous Vide Immersion Circulator vs. Instant Pot Sous Vide Function
- Why Use Sous Vide?
- Is Sous Vide Safe?
- Instant Pot Models with Sous Vide Functionality
- Recommended Equipment
- The Displacement Method
- How to Do Sous Vide in the Instant Pot – Step by Step Instructions (with video)
- Instant Pot Sous Vide Cook Times
- Tips for Success
What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide (pronounced soo veed) means “under vacuum” in French. It’s a cooking technique that’s been around for decades but has recently become very popular not only with professional chefs but home cooks too.
Uncooked food is sealed in a plastic bag and immersed in a temperature-controlled water bath. The food is cooked at a lower temperature for a longer time. The result is perfectly and evenly cooked food.
Originally sous vide cooking was done using vacuum-sealed bags, but these days you don’t have to have a vacuum sealer. Freezer bags work great.
Sous Vide Immersion Circulator vs. Instant Pot Sous Vide Function
There are two ways of doing sous vide in the Instant Pot. The first is an immersion circulator and the second is a built-in Sous Vide smart program available on some Instant Pot models.
Immersion Circulators
The traditional and most popular method of sous vide cooking is an immersion circulator clipped onto a large container of water. The Instant Pot company makes immersion circulators that can be used with any container including any model of Instant Pot that is 6-quarts or larger.
Immersion circulators look like hand-held blenders. They usually clip onto a container with a wide base and heat the water to a precise temperature and circulate the water by agitating it. There are numerous brands that make sous vide circulators, including:
Instant Pot Sous Vide Smart Program
In this manual, I focus on the Instant Pot’s built-in Sous Vide smart program and not the sous vide immersion circulator.
You should know that the Instant Pot’s sous vide functionality isn’t truly sous vide because water isn’t circulated. However, the function works pretty well and is a great alternative if you don’t want to purchase an immersion circulator and you already own an Instant Pot with sous vide functionality.
If you want to have very precise temperature control and circulation of the water bath, you may want to purchase a sous vide immersion circulator.
Why Use Sous Vide?
Pressure cooking is fast, high-temperature cooking requiring at least one or more cups of liquid. Sous vide is long, low-temperature cooking with no liquid required.
Sous Vide Advantages
Here are some reasons you might want to try out sous vide:
- It’s a very forgiving method of cooking. It’s hard to overcook foods due to the low-temperature cooking. Once the desired temperature has been reached, the food will stay at that temperature. A medium-rare steak will stay medium-rare. Most recipes offer a range of sous vide cook times. As long as you remove the food within that time, your food will be perfectly cooked.
- It requires little to no liquid. This allows you to make recipes in the Instant Pot that aren’t suited for pressure cooking.
- Tough meats and lean meats can be cooked perfectly. Lean meats don’t do so well in the pressure cooker but chicken breasts cooked using sous vide can be cooked perfectly tender in the Instant Pot!
- It’s essentially hands-off cooking; you can walk away while the food is cooking.
- Sous vide allows you to cook food ahead of time and finish it on a grill or pan right before serving. This is especially helpful when you’re entertaining since food can be cooked ahead of time and left in the water bath until you’re ready to finish it and serve.
- Sous Vide is a great way to simplify meal prep. You can cook your food ahead of time, leave it in the bag and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it.
Sous Vide Disadvantages
- You may have to finish foods on the grill, in a pan or broiler. This means more dishes to wash.
- Sous vide cooking times are long.
- The water bath can take time to heat up to the desired temperature.
- Some people may not be comfortable with the idea of cooking food in plastic.
- Food safety can be an issue IF you don’t follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Make sure you avoid contamination, store food properly, follow directions for minimum cook times and temperatures.
Is Sous Vide Safe?
Heat destroys bacteria, and since sous vide involves low-temperature cooking, you might be concerned about food safety.
There are two factors that destroy bacteria: temperature and time. With enough time, most food pathogens are killed at 130 degrees Fahrenheit. If food is kept at this temperature for a long enough period, the microorganisms will be destroyed.
Sous vide recipes normally give you a time range for cooking. It’s important to stay within those parameters and cook your food for at least the minimum amount of time.
Once the food is cooked, make sure you either eat it immediately or chill immediately. Sous vide food, in particular, should be chilled in an ice bath before refrigeration.
For more detailed and technical information, read this Cook’s Illustrated article about Sous Vide Food Safety.
Instant Pot Models with the Sous Vide Smart Program
The following Instant Pot models (6 quarts or larger) have sous vide functionality:
- Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus
- Instant Pot Ultra (using the Ultra smart program)
- Instant Pot Duo Plus (newer versions only)
- Instant Pot Duo SV (available at Walmart)
- Instant Pot Duo Crisp
- Instant Pot Max
- Instant Pot Duo Gourmet (available at Costco)
- Instant Pot Duo Viva (newer models)
The Duo, Lux, Duo Nova, Smart Wifi do not (as of when this article was last updated) have the Sous Vide function.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides:
Recommended Equipment
The first thing you’ll need is an Instant Pot with the Sous Vide smart program. Here are some other items that are recommended for sous vide:
* Use good quality freezer bags like Ziploc brand. * You can also use a vacuum sealer and vacuum bags or reusable sous vide bags.
The Displacement Method
What is the Displacement Method?
You’ll hear about the displacement method in sous vide recipes. The displacement technique allows you to remove air bubbles and seal a freezer bag while you submerge it in the water bath.
Why do you Need to Remove Air Bubbles?
Air is a poor conductor of heat and acts as an insulator. If there are air bubbles in the bag, they will keep the heat from reaching the food, which slows down the sous vide cooking process.
Removing the air bubbles allows the food to have more contact with the heat, which results in quicker and more even cooking.
How to Use the Displacement Technique
When you immerse the bag in water, the water exerts pressure on the bag in all directions, which forces the air out of the bag.
- After you place food in the freezer bag, press out as much air as you can and zip the bag closed except for 1 inch.
For purposes of demonstration, I used a glass bowl in the above photographs. You will do this in your Instant Pot.
- Gradually lower the bag into the water bath. You’ll see the bag self-seal: the bag will close in around the food. Use silicone tongs or a wooden spoon to gently push the bag down, if needed.
- Making sure you keep the opening above the water level, lower the bag until all the air is forced out.
- Zip the bag completely shut.
How to do Sous Vide in the Instant Pot
If you have trouble seeing the instructional video below, disable your ad blocker temporarily and refresh the browser.
Summary
- Add water to Instant Pot.
- Set the sous vide program temperature and time.
- Add food to the freezer bag.
- Place sous vide bag in the water bath.
- Remove food when cooking is complete.
[Recommended Reading: How to Perfectly Cook Sous Vide Chicken Breast in the Instant Pot]
1. Add Water to Inner Pot
- Fill the Instant Pot with water up to the 1/2-full mark or enough water for your food to be completely submerged.
- Close the lid and put the steam release mechanism to Vent.
2. Set the Sous Vide Program
Program the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus for Sous Vide
- Press the Sous Vide button.
- Turn knob to select the Sous Vide program (Custom, Beef, Poultry, etc).
- Press knob to confirm your selection.
- Turn knob to the desired temperature.
- Press knob to confirm the selection.
- Turn knob to set desired sous vide cooking time.
- Press the Start button.
- The display will change to On.
- Once the temperature has been reached, the Instant Pot will beep and the display will change to the sous vide cook time and start counting down to 00:00.
Program the Instant Pot Ultra for Sous Vide
Programming the Ultra for sous vide is better demonstrated through a video rather than step-by-step photographs. Watch the video below by pressing the play button ▶ below.
[If you have trouble seeing the video, please turn off your adblocker temporarily and refresh the browser]
Program the Instant Pot Duo Plus, Duo SV, or Duo Gourmet for Sous Vide
- Press the Sous Vide button.
- Press + or – buttons to adjust the temperature.
- Press the Sous Vide button again.
- Press + or – Time buttons to adjust the time.
- After 10 seconds, the display will change to On.
- Once the temperature has been reached, the Instant Pot will beep and the display will change to the sous vide cook time and start counting down to 00:00.
Program the Instant Pot Duo Crisp for Sous Vide
- Press the Sous Vide button.
- Press + or – Temp buttons to adjust the temperature.
- Press + or – Time buttons to adjust the time.
- Press Start.
- The display will change to On.
- Once the temperature has been reached, the Instant Pot will beep and the display will change to the sous vide cook time and start counting down to 00:00.
Program the Instant Pot Max for Sous Vide
- Select the Sous Vide smart program.
- Select Hour and turn the knob to set the desired sous vide cook time.
- Select Minute and repeat the process to adjust the minutes.
- Select Temperature and turn the knob to adjust the desired sous vide temperature.
- Select Start.
- Once the temperature has been reached, the Instant Pot display will change to the sous vide cook time and start counting down to 00:00.
3. Add Food to Sous Vide Bag
- While the Instant Pot is heating up, prepare your food to be cooked by placing it in a resealable freezer bag in one layer.
- Squeeze out as much air from the bag as possible and seal the bag, leaving a 1-inch opening.
4. Place Sous Vide Bag in Water Bath
- Once the sous vide temperature has been reached, gradually lower the bag into the water. Use a wooden spoon or tongs if needed.
- Air will get forced out as the bag gets lowered. This is called the displacement method. Keep the bag opening above water at all times.
- Finally, close the bag all the way until the bag is completely sealed.
- Close the lid.
5. Remove Food When Cooking is Complete
- When the sous vide cooking time is up, the Instant Pot will beep.
- Press Cancel, open the lid and using tongs, remove the bag(s) of food.
- Open the bag and transfer the food to a plate or cutting board lined with paper towels.
- Allow the food to rest for 10 minutes.
Instant Pot Sous Vide Cook Times
The sous vide temperature determines how well-done your food will be. The higher the temperature, the more well-done your food will be.
When you’re trying out your first sous vide recipe, I suggest following a tried and tested recipe.
There are so many great resources on the web. I really like America’s Test Kitchen. I also suggest that you read your Instant Pot manual for recommendations of sous vide cook times.
Here are some rough guidelines for cooking times. The actual cooking time will vary based on how well-done you want the food to be cooked and the size and the cut of meat.
| Food | Temp (F) | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 145 to 150 | 1.5 to 4 hours | |
| Chicken thigh | 148 to 165 | 2 to 4 hours | |
| Turkey breast | 145 to 151 | 3.5 to 5 hours | |
| Steak | 130 to 140 | 1.5 to 3 hours | |
| Pork tenderloin | 140 to 150 | 1.5 to 3 hours | |
| Pork chops | 135 to 150 | 1 to 3 hours | |
| Firm fish (e.g. salmon) | 125 to 130 | 30 to 45 minutes | |
| Delicate fish (e.g. trout) | 120 to 130 | 20 to 30 minutes | |
| Scallops | 140 | 30 minutes | |
| Shrimp | 135 to 140 | 30 to 45 minutes |
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
WATER TEMPERATURE
When filling the inner pot with water, speed up the preheating process by using hot tap water. Just make sure the water temperature isn’t higher than your desired sous vide cooking temperature.
The first time you use the Sous Vide program, measure your temperature once the Instant Pot beeps to say the desired temperature has been reached. If the temperature is lower than the programmed temperature, increase the programmed temperature accordingly and let it heat up again.
When I tested the Instant Pot Ultra sous vide program (using the Ultra setting) I found that when the Instant Pot beeped to say the sous vide temperature had been reached, the temperature was lower than I set it to. However, the Ultra reached and maintained the desired temperature at some point during the cooking process and my food cooked just fine. You might want to conduct your own tests.
BAGGING THE FOOD
Make sure you use a good quality freezer bag. Thinner plastic bags are not safe to use for sous vide, may be made of lower quality plastic and may leak.
When bagging multiple pieces of food in a bag, lay the pieces flat with no overlap.
If your bag is floating to the top, place a metal trivet on the bag to weigh it down.
[Read more: How to use the Instant Pot trivet]
When cooking foods at above 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius), you may want to double-bag your food since higher temperatures can weaken the plastic.
COOK TIMES
Generally speaking, you can let your cooked food sit in the water bath until you’re ready to serve it. Some foods can overcook if they’re left for too long. But this only happens after many hours in the water bath after the suggested cook time.
Sous vide recipes usually have a range of cooking times. The lower end of the range is the least amount of time to cook the food and the higher end is the most amount of time you can keep the food in the water bath without affecting the consistency of the food.
Delicate foods like eggs and fish can overcook if left in the water bath too long.
SEARING
Some foods can be served as is, but some foods like steak benefit from a quick high-temperature sear after sous vide is complete. Dry the food as much as possible before searing.
Heat up a cast iron skillet to high heat. Oil the skillet and sear the food. You can also choose to grill the food on high heat.
STORING
If you’re not going to eat the food right away, put the sealed bag into an ice bath to quickly chill the food and then refrigerate (still in the bag).
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Marc
When using the sous vide function on instant pot gourmet, do I have to press the quick release button to put it in venting position after I place the lid on. The instruction manual says to do this for slow cooking but not for sous vide. I have watched 2 videos on you tube where sous vide was done on the instant pot gourmet, and each one says to put the pressure release button in venting before cooking.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Marc, yes to put it in venting position, close the lid and push the steam release button down all the way. In general, it shoudn’t seal but sometimes it can, so putting it in Venting position will ensure that it doesn’t. Just a precaution.
Darrell Cheney
How do you know when the water level is low enough to “add more”. Once you remove the lid do you lose the original instructions by opening the container thus having to remember and re-enter and readjust the original instructions?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Darrell, when you open the lid while doing sous vide, it doesn’t reset the display. You can just add more water if needed. However, the water level does not go down and so there should be no need to add more water unless you didn’t have enough to begin with.
Teri M Jorgensen
Pressure cooking is fast, high-temperature cooking requiring at least one or more cups of liquid. Sous vide is long, low-temperature cooking with no liquid required.
But it requires a lot of water!?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Teri, I can see how that can be confusing! Pressure cooking requires liquid to be added to the food and sous vide requires no liquid to be added to the food, but yes it does require water for the water bath.
John
Just used your recipe in my IP Duo crisp. The sous vide just sat there with the display saying “on”. I changed it to pressure and followed your directions for that selection. The egg bites turned out perfect. Next I need to figure out how to use the soups vide…
Paint the Kitchen Red
John, sous vide takes quite some time for the water to heat up to the temperature unless you use warm or hot water.
Bob young
Is it better to use tap hot water or heat water in a kettle and let it cool some? It seems to take a very long time to reach temp from tap
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Bob, you can use a kettle, add some cold water in and use a thermometer to make sure it’s over the temperature you’re targeting.
Julie
I have a duo crisp +air fryer 8 quart.
I would like to make roast beef using a 4# top roast.
I’d like to use the sous vide function at 136 degrees for 24 hours. Will this work? Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Julie, I’ve only done steak which I do for less than 4 hours. However, a 4 lb. chuck roast might warrant the 24 hour cook time.
tracy
On another site, it stated to cook steak for 10 hours at 130 degrees?!? What has been your experience at cooking steak with the parameters you list above? Also, with the vent open, do you have to add water occasionally? Thanks in advance.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Tracy, my husband is the steak sous vide guy in our house. The last time he cooked ribeye (last week actually!) he cooked it at 140 for 2 hours and then let it sit for another hour while we were doing other prep work. The steak was very tender but not a lot of red, which is how we like it. If you like it more red, you can do 135 degrees for 3 hours. Make sure the water is at the right temperature before putting the steak in and no need to open or add more water. I’m not sure about other cuts, Tracy.
Nagajolokia
Great information for just what I needed.
Well written and layout of data.
Thank you for your excellence.
Paint the Kitchen Red
You are most welcome. Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know!
Heidi
Not sure where to find the video for the Ultra. It says to watch it below, but there’s no link.
Your reply to a question re the Ultra referred them to section 8, but the last section is #5.
Could you add a video link? Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Heidi, I’m sorry you had trouble playing the video. Right below where it says “watch the video below”, you should see a box with a play button. Press the play button ▶. Let me know if you still have trouble. I plan to make the instructions more clear but am having some technical issues updating the article.
Scott
I don’t see the link to the video either. There is empty space between the paragraph that says to press the play button and the next section titled PROGRAM THE INSTANT POT DUO PLUS OR THE DUO SV FOR SOUS VIDE
Paint the Kitchen Red
Scott, thank you for bringing this to my attention. Do you use an ad blocker? That can make the video player disappear. If you can temporarily disable the ad blocker for my site to watch the video, that should solve the problem.
Anais Ainza
I would like to know how many steaks or chicken breasts can fit on the instant pot??
Paint the Kitchen Red
Anais, I have only done 2 large size chicken breasts or steaks but I think you could do 4 medium ones, side by side in a bag.
Bob Rosenberg
Your “Instant Pot” link on the Sous Vide Chicken recipe takes me to Amazon’s page that features the Instant Pot Ultra, the one I have. No sous vide program on that model. Is there a work around or should I purchase a Sous Vide accessory?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Bob, the “Ultra” setting on the Ultra model allows for custom temperature and pressure and so you can do sous vide in it. If you’ll read the post and go to section 8 (How to do Sous Vide….) there’s a short video on how to use the Ultra setting. You can purchase an immersion circulator but I would try out the Ultra setting with something simple and see how it works for you. I have successfully used it. I recommend a digital thermometer so you can verify the temperature of the water at various intervals to make sure it’s staying at the right temperature. Let me know if you have further questions.
Veronique Finnerty
I need to bring a correction to your statement that the Viva doesn’t have the sous-vide function…my 8 qt has the function, and I received it as a gift from my husband on Christmas 2019…so it’s been available for a while.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Veronique, thank you for letting me know. I’ve made a note to update the information when I update the post.
elaine roth
You’re the best Neena…can’t wait to get time to read your article and make something in my Ultra Sous Vide!!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
I’m glad to hear it, Elaine. Let me know what cooking adventures you have with sous vide 🙂