Okra has a reputation for sliminess, but a short sous vide cook followed by a hot sear gives you pods that are tender inside and crisp outside. Smoked paprika and a little cayenne make it a great partner for burgers, steak or barbecue.
Recipe card
Smoky Sous Vide Okra
Ingredients
- ½ lb (225 g) fresh okra, washed and dried
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil for searing
Method
- Preheat your sous vide water bath to 176°F (80°C).
- Seal the okra and olive oil in a vacuum bag (or a zip-top bag using the water-displacement method).
- Submerge fully and cook for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the flour, smoked paprika, cayenne and garlic salt in a large bowl.
- Tip the okra and its oil into the bowl and toss until evenly coated.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear the okra quickly in a single layer until golden and lightly crisp, 2–3 minutes, turning once.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
- Keep pods whole during cooking to limit sliminess; slice after searing if you like.
Can you vacuum seal okra?
For freezing, blanch whole okra pods in boiling water (about 3–4 minutes depending on size), cool in ice water, dry well, freeze on a tray and then vacuum seal. Frozen blanched vegetables keep good quality for about 8–12 months at 0°F. You can cook sous vide straight from frozen — add about 15 minutes. See our guide on how to vacuum seal vegetables.
Cooked, seasoned okra should be eaten the same day for the best crunch; leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge.
