How to Sous Vide Shellfish

Sous vide shellfish time and temperatures vary greatly based on the type of shellfish it is.

Note: For a much more detailed look at cooking fish, I highly recommend reading my article on How to Sous Vide Fish and Shellfish.

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Sous Vide Shellfish Temperatures and Times

Sous vide shellfish can be very tender and can avoid the toughness that can develop when they are overcooked with traditional methods.. Below are more sous vide time and temperatures for many of the specific items.

Sous Vide King Crab

King crab is great when cooked at 140ºF (55.5°C) for 30 to 45 minutes. When putting a crab tail that's in the shell into the sous vide bag be careful that the spines don't puncture the plastic.

• King Crab Tail: 140ºF for 30 to 45 Minutes (60.0ºC)
• How to sous vide king crab

Sous Vide Lobster

Lobster cooked sous vide is tender and succulent. I prefer mine cooked at 131°F (55°C), but 140°F (60°C) will give you a more traditional texture. For a softer texture you can drop the temperature lower.

• Low Temp: 115ºF for 20 to 40 Minutes (46.1ºC)
• Medium: 122ºF for 20 to 40 Minutes (50.0ºC)
• Ideal: 130ºF for 20 to 40 Minutes (54.4ºC)
• Very Firm: 140ºF for 20 to 40 Minutes (60.0ºC)
• Ideal Claw: 150ºF for 20 to 40 Minutes (65.6ºC)
• How to sous vide lobster

Sous Vide Octopus

To completely tenderize it, octopus should be cooked at either 170ºF (76.6°C) for 4 to 8 hours or 180ºF (82.2°C) for 2 to 4 hours. Octopus can be tricky though as the texture and toughness varies greatly.

• Slow Cook: 170ºF for 4 to 8 Hours (76.7ºC)
• Fast Cook: 180ºF for 2 to 4 Hours (82.2ºC)
• How to sous vide octopus

Sous Vide Scallops

When I sous vide scallops, I like to cook them at 122°F (50°C) for 15 to 35 minutes and then sear them on one side until they just start to brown.

• Firm: 131ºF for 15 to 35 minutes (55.0ºC)
• Pre-Sear: 122ºF for 15 to 35 minutes (50.0ºC)
• How to sous vide scallops

Sous Vide Shrimp

Sous vide shrimp is always plump and juicy, with none of the rubberiness you can find in the pan fried version. I prefer it around 131°F (55°C) but my wife likes it at the higher 140°F (60°C) for 15-35 min.

• Firm: 140ºF for 15 to 35 Minutes (60.0ºC)
• Sushi-Like: 122ºF for 15 to 35 Minutes (50.0ºC)
• Tender: 132ºF for 15 to 35 Minutes (55.6ºC)
• How to sous vide shrimp

Sous Vide Soft Shell Crab

Great when breaded and quickly sauteed afterwards.

• Standard: 145ºF to 150ºF for 3 hours (62.8ºC)
• How to sous vide soft shell crab

Sous Vide Squid

If you are going to sear the squid then 113ºF (45°C) for 45 to 60 minutes is best. If you are going to eat them directly then either 2 to 4 hours at 138ºF (58.9°C) or 1 hour at 180ºF (82.2°C).

• Pre-Sear: 113ºF for 45 to 60 Minutes (45.0ºC)
• Low Heat: 138ºF for 2 to 4 Hours (58.9ºC)
• High Heat: 180ºF for 1 to 2 Hours (82.2ºC)
• How to sous vide squid