Asparagus

Only sous vide pencil-thick or thicker spears. Thin spears wilt and turn limp in any bath, no matter how brief. The thicker stalks have enough structure to hold their bite and benefit from the gentle, even cook. Skinny asparagus belongs in a hot pan.

Snap, don't cut, the woody ends. Hold each spear at both ends and bend - it'll snap at the natural break point between the tender top and the woody bottom. This is more reliable than cutting an inch off the bottom and risks zero waste.

Cook at 183°F for 15 min for crisp-tender. Anything longer and the asparagus turns flabby; anything shorter and it's still squeaky. The 15-minute mark gives you bright green, slightly snappy spears that hold their texture on the plate.

Add butter and lemon zest to the bag, but never the lemon juice. Lemon juice in the bag turns the asparagus grey and dull. The zest gives you the bright lemon flavor without the discoloration. Squeeze the juice over the finished spears at the table.

Anti-tip: don't peel the bottom inch of the spear. The peel is part of the asparagus's natural texture, and peeling makes the spears wobbly and slimy. If your asparagus is so tough it needs peeling, snap off another inch instead.

Choose spears of similar thickness for even cooking.

Add butter and seasonings to the bag for infused flavor.

Quick ice bath after cooking sets the bright green color.

Reserve cooking liquid for soup or sauce base - it's full of flavor.

Add cream cheese or mascarpone for silky-smooth purées.

Strain through fine mesh for restaurant-quality texture.