FAQs - Frequently-asked questions

• Low-temperature cooking - General questions

  How does one cook at low temperatures?

  How to cook at low temperatures

  What kind of liquids can I use to cook?

  The cooking medium can be any kind of liquid: from water, stock or infusions to oils, brine, sauces, syrups and even wine.

  What type of cooking is carried out more slowly?

  Normally we cook very slowly meats that are tough and that need to be tenderised such as, for example, pig’s trotters, hock or cheeks.

  Will I need a lot of time for low-temperature cooking?

  When we lower the temperature, we necessarily have to prolong the cooking time. But the differences in time are not always very great; it will depend on the type of food. The tougher a food product, as in the case of meats such as veal hock or pig’s trotters, the longer the time we must use. But there are other cases where the difference is not substantial: a salmon marinated in oil or sous vide will need 15 minutes; a steamed trout, 10 minutes, a low-temperature egg, between 20 and 40 minutes according to the texture desired, etc.

  What is brine?

  Brine or liquid brine is the basis of a technique for salting foods that consists of immersing the product in water with salt. In our case, we recommend that you prepare the brine by following the proportion of 100 g of salt per litre of water (a 10% brine solution). The time that we will keep the food immersed (which will determine the degree of salting) will depend on the type of product as well as the cook’s own preference.

  What is an infusion?

  Infusion is a culinary technique that allows a porous food to become enriched with the flavour of another liquid food, giving it a new taste, colour and texture. Usually to carry it out a manual vacuum pump is used that will allow the liquid to penetrate the interior of the food that we want to infuse. An example of this technique is infusing melon with mojito.

• Cooking with bags or containers (sous vide or not)

  What difference exists between cooking in a bag or container and sous-vide cooking?

  Cooking with a bag or container refers to any cooking process that must be carried out using a bag or container, whether sous vide or not vacuum-sealed such as, for example, with glass jars. In contrast, if the preparation requires vacuum-sealing for correct cooking, the recipe indicates “sous-vide cooking”.

  What is sous vide?

  Sous vide consists of cooking a food inside a container (usually plastic bags prepared for cooking) from which all the oxygen has been removed in advance using a vacuum system (vacuum-sealing machines, manual pumps, etc.). The food with its enclosure is immersed in a water bath at a controlled temperature.
  Sous-vide cooking is the most representative technique in low-temperature cooking, because it enables cooks to work with more precise temperature control.

  What is the difference between sous-vide cooking bags and food storage sous-vide bags?

  Food storage bags are not suitable for cooking food, because they are not designed for this purpose. In addition, they might not be sufficiently temperature-resistant, therefore we could put food safety at risk.
  To differentiate them, cooking bags are indicated with a specific symbol, normally a temperature symbol.

  Is it safe to cook using plastic bags or containers?

  In low-temperature cooking, plastics are often used for cooking, whether bags or rigid containers such as pots. And this is perhaps the most debated and controversial subject in this type of cooking. It should not be overlooked, because it is true that there are health risks involved if we use certain containers or bags that are not specifically designed for high temperatures – just as happens when we use them in the microwave.
  The important rule is to be strict and use only suitable bags or containers that are designed for cooking, which is normally indicated with a specific symbol.

• Preservation and hygiene

  Can we preserve foods cooked at low temperatures?

  To be able to preserve a product, it needs to have reached at least 65ºC at the core or hear of the food for a minimum of 30 minutes during its cooking. However, we are not fans of long preservation periods in our homes because, to preserve food safely, we must take into account many factors impossible to control with the means available to us in our domestic kitchens.

  Does low-temperature cooking pose any danger of anisakis?

  No. As occurs with traditional cooking, to safely prepare dishes with raw, salted or marinated fish, the fish should be frozen previously at a temperature of -20ºC for 24 hours. This way we ensure that we are eliminating possible parasites such as anisakis.

• Rocook Induction

  Does special cookware need to be used to cook with Rocook Induction?

  No, any cookware suitable for induction cookers is valid for cooking with Rocook Induction. All you need to remember is that the minimum diameter of the base of the cooking recipient should be approximately 13 cm. It is not recommended that recipients with a base diameter greater than 23 cm are used.

  What is the core temperature probe used for?

  Its function is to control the point of doneness in the food’s interior from the Rocook Induction. We control the temperature of the cooking medium to cook the foods until we achieve the optimum temperature at their core (heart).

  Do I have to programme the temperature of the cooking medium even if I want to cook by controlling the food’s core temperature?

  Yes, it is always necessary to programme the cooking medium temperature as this is what will govern the temperature of heat transfer towards the food. When using the core temperature probe, this will serve to indicate the point when cooking should be stopped, which will be when the food reaches the core temperature that we desire.

  At what temperatures can I cook with Rocook Induction?

  The range of temperatures when we cook with a liquid cooking medium is between 20ºC and 180ºC.
  The range of temperatures for the interior of the food (core temperature) is between 20ºC and 85ºC.

  Is it possible to cook with Rocook Induction without using the sensor or the probe?

  Yes, with Rocook Induction it is possible to cook using the power settings, as with a traditional induction cooker, or alternatively with precision control of the temperature.

  What is the difference between a slow cooker and Rocook Induction?

  Rocook Induction also allows you to cook the recipes typical of a slow cooker, but with three main differences. Firstly, Rocook Induction offers the possibility of programming with precision the degrees at which we will cook, whereas a slow cooker normally offers 2 or 3 temperature settings so the cooking precision is not very exact. Secondly, Rocook Induction allows you to cook with other kinds of low-temperature cooking types and also by power setting. Finally, Rocook Induction offers the possibility of cooking by controlling the temperature at the food’s core.

  How should I clean my Rocook Induction?

  Glass
  We advise you to clean your Rocook Induction after every use. Avoid using sponges that scratch and abrasive cleaning agents, as well as aggressive cleaning products. For in-depth cleaning, you can use a sponge to remove stubborn dirt. When the glass has cooled down, you can pour a few drops of a cleaning product specifically for vitroceramic cooktops and wipe using a piece of kitchen towel or a clean cloth. Then rub the glass with a damp cloth and dry it off using a clean cloth or sponge.
  
  Sensor and probe
  Clean with a damp cloth. Never put them in the dishwasher!

  How much liquid do I need to cook with Rocook?

  For correct functioning of the cooking medium temperature sensor, you will need a minimum depth of 2 cm of liquid (equivalent to half a litre in a recipient with a diameter of 15 cm).

  What smart devices can be used to programme Rocook Induction?

  Any devices that feature Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth low energy).
  The Rocook app is available for both iOS and Android operating systems.

• Allergens

  What allergens are indicated in the recipes?

  In our recipes you will find all the most common allergens indicated as follows, whether they are the main ingredient or a secondary one.

  
  

  • • Gluten: whenever we add any product that contains it (bread pasta, doughs, soy sauce, although there are gluten-free soy sauces)
  • • Crustaceans
  • • Molluscs and cephalopods
  • • Fish: when fish is the main or secondary ingredient, or if we use fish tail-based gelatine
  • • Milk: indicates that the recipe contains milk or any other dairy derivative (yogurt, butter, cheese, etc.) Sometimes we indicate that only a complement for the dish contains milk, such as potato purée
  • • Nuts or dried fruits: we indicate if we incorporate them as ingredients or as part of any sauce or picada-type paste
  • • Soy
  • • Sesame seeds
  • • Peanuts
  • • Mustard
  • • Egg

  
  However, it is important to bear in mind that we do not indicate other possible allergens such as:

  • • Celery and derived products
  • • Lupins
  • • Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (SO2) in concentrations exceeding 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l