How To Cook Polenta Sous Vide

How to cook smooth, creamy, fool-proof polenta sous vide, without the stress or constant stirring.

Although celebrations may look a little different this year, Thanksgiving meals are being planned and executed to grace tables big and small for gatherings, real and virtual.

If you want to skip the usual mound of white mash - don't get me wrong, I love a good mash any day - for something with a little more colour, pop in polenta (pun intended). Let me show you How To Cook Polenta Sous Vide!

Why Sous Vide?

In the Caribbean, polenta is referred to simply as corn, which can be confusing. It is also cooked to a slightly thicker consistency, so that it holds its shape, but still smooth and creamy in texture. My grandmother still serves a generous scoop, alongside okra and steamed or fried fish.

Traditionally, this dish requires one to stand over a pot, stirring constantly. The Dude is normally in charge of this dish, when we cook it the traditional way. Me... I am always looking for less labour-intensive ways to prepare meals and opportunities to continually experiment with sous vide. And I have certainly done a good deal of experimenting in the last seven years of sous vide-ing.

So, why sous vide polenta? No constant stirring! No pot to scrub! Most importantly, consistent results! So, why not?

Sous Vide Polenta Success

The first time I experimented with the idea of sous vide polenta, it did not yield the smooth, creamy texture I've come to expect when we make it stove-top. I immediately knew what I'd done wrong and in hindsight, knew while I was making it, but ignored the voice in my head. That voice was my grandma's voice reminding me to always add the cornmeal to cold liquid to avoid lumps; I have followed that piece of advice throughout my adult life, each time I make a pot of corn porridge, a childhood fave.

So, I bagged some cold broth/water + cornmeal + butter + seasoning, gave it a two-hour bath, stirred in some freshly grated cheese and served it all rich and creamy, straight from the bag. BOOM!

Serve or Save

Another upside to preparing polenta sous vide is that you don't have to serve it immediately, as you would when cooked traditionally. If all the other components of your meal aren't ready, or a guest is running late, the polenta can sit in the water bath, until you decide it's time to serve.

Simply reduce the water bath temperature to between 60-65º C and your polenta will remain smooth, creamy and the perfect temperature for serving. I've also reheated leftover polenta at this temperature, with good results. But let's be honest, leftover polenta is so much better baked or fried. Oh, how that reminds me of my grandpa.