Sous vide is a precision cooking technique that involves vacuum packing food in plastic bags, then slow-cooking it in a temperature-controlled water bath. When used with steaks, the meat ends up being extra tender and cooked exactly to your preferred level of doneness from end to end.
Necessary Equipment:
Vacuum Sealer (food preservation system or chamber vacuum)
Sous Vide System (immersion circulator, water bath, etc)
Sous Vide Bags
Ingredients
- Grass-Fed Beef Steaks of Choice
- Seasonings (salt, pepper, etc)
Instructions
Preheat your sous vide bath. Set the temperature to just a few degrees above your target internal temperature.*
Preferred Doneness | Target Temp. | Bath Temp. |
---|---|---|
Rare | 120-125 | 122-127 |
Medium Rare | 130-135 | 132-137 |
Medium | 140-145 | 142-147 |
Medium Well | 150-155 | 152-157 |
Dry off surface moisture from your steaks.
Season your steaks with salt & pepper, spice rubs, etc. Use a little less than you normally would for steaks – sous vide tends to intensify their effect.
Place the steaks into one or more bags. Vacuum & seal them.
Submerge the bags in the water bath. After the bath’s thermometer indicates it has returned to the set temperature, start your timer.
For many steaks, an hour to an hour and a half will be enough to cook them through. Some steaks can be made even more tender with longer cooking times.
Once your steaks are cooked through, remove them from the bath & bags. Dry them off and remove any fresh herbs.
Preheat a grill, a frying pan, or a cast-iron skillet oiled with a high-heat safe oil (peanut, grapeseed, etc) until it’s very, very hot.
Sear your steaks on all sides. Cook each side very briefly, just long enough to get a beautiful crust, but not so long that you continue to cook the inside – it’s already done.
Slice and/or serve with your choice of sides. Steaks cooked sous-vide do not need to rest.*
* According to the USDA, consuming steaks cooked to an internal temperature below 145 degrees is potentially hazardous. They also recommend resting those 145 degree steaks for three minutes before consumption for safety.