What is the purpose of using ping pong balls on top of a Sous Vide Bath?

What is the purpose of using ping pong balls on top of a Sous Vide Bath? - Happy young woman browsing phone on bed

I recently saw a picture of expert Douglas Baldwin with his sous vide equipment in this article. One of his immersion circulator baths was covered with ping pong balls.

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What is the purpose of covering the immersion circulator bath with ping pong balls?



Best Answer

It is to lower the water evaporation from the bath, and keep the temperature of the bath even.

The concept has been used in chemistry labs for years! But normally, the balls are smaller and made of polythene - those are a bit big.




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Quick Answer about "What is the purpose of using ping pong balls on top of a Sous Vide Bath?"

By floating a solid layer of Ping-Pong balls on the water's surface, you'll simultaneously insulate your bath and help steam to condense and drip back down.

Why are ping pong balls sous vide?

They are used to help keep the heat in the container when using the sous vide cooking technique to cook steaks, poultry, seafood and vegetables.

What do sous vide balls do?

Preventing Evaporation. Insulation helps prevent evaporation from the pot. This is especially important for longer cooking periods or when cooking at higher temperatures.

What do cooking balls do?

To prevent this from happening make sure to cover your sous vide container. Some models come with a lid so that the water which evaporates goes right back in. Others, you can cover with cling wrap to minimize evaporation.



Why You Should Add Ping-Pong Balls to Your Sous Vide Bath




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Andrea Piacquadio, Andrea Piacquadio, Andrea Piacquadio, Ioannis Ritos