The Sous Vide Steak Thread

[jpbruni]

I'm in! Had to try this from the first time I read about it here. I have four chuck eyes (my personal favorite cheaper cut) in freezer ziplocks and the water is staying nicely at 160, gotta be medium for the family, and I ain't doing two separate pots.
CB

160 is probably way to high for medium. How did it turn out?

I was really thinking the same thing, if your going to heat the pit anyway, just cook em on the fire, doesn't take as long either?!?

Did you read the other threads? It's not a waste of coals becuase you need a VERY, VERY hot sear for the end result to be successful. WAY HOTTER coals than you would normally cook on.

Do you know what this is about? We all know how to cook a steak the traditional way, this is about something unique and different that now; after doing this 4 times, I'm convinced it turns out a better steak. If you don't want to try it. don't. And don't believe any of the others that have tried it as well. OR, you might just want to give it a try

I'm afraid I have to report a major fail on my first attempt at this method.
I kept mine at 135 for three hours and then tossed it in a hot cast iron skillet.
Turns out I overcooked them and an overcooked steak is a fail with me.

The steak was a really tough cut, top round.
I expected it to be a little more tender.
I'll use a different cut next time.

I'm not admitting defeat just yet. Will try again soon.

First and foremost...Why the heck are you using a skillet? Didn't you tell us you only cooked on wood coals, and gave a guy grief because he was doing his in a skillet??
Now get out there and light the grill!

BTW, Try 130 degrees and a better cut of meat, they will come out way better. And make sure you DO NOT GO OVER 1 MINUTE PER SIDE WHEN SEARING! I know it's hard not to, but just don't do it.

Was there a particular setting you put it at to hold there, or did you just have to play with it and adjust the dial for a while to get there. How long did it stay at 130? Did it stay there once you put the steaks in?

How long did you cook it?

I think top round might just need to be cooked longer than 3 hours.

Possibly, but technically they are cooked in about an hour anyway. They do tenderize a little more if you leave them in for several hours, but it's nbot going to turn a tough cheap cut of meat into filet mignon .

I know you have done your research like I have...131 is the recommended absolute minimum...I know you are searing them but you run the risk of not holding them above 130 long enough to kill all the bacteria.

Again, this is surface temp of the meat that you are referring to. The inside of the meat gets to the same temp whether you cook it Sous Vide or in the traditional manner. Your super-high heat sear is going to kill off any surface bacteria, just like it does when you cook a regular steak.

I used 127 degrees because when I did my high heat sear, the end result was a little more cooked than I liked. I like a just-off rare steak and 127 degrees worked perfectly.

J.P.

[temple droptine]

160 gave me a medium well perfect steak. It was burnt to my liking but my wife and kids loved it. I will be doing it again. The hot skillet with a little olive oil did the trick to sear it as well. I prefer my steaks medium rare. I may take a stab at it again and set it about 140 and go for about three hours.
CB

[brrdnk]

Just tried this out on some top sorloin steak. Cooked 2.5 hrs at 134 deg f. Came out very tender. Got the gas grill very very hot and hit each steak for a minute on each side and toped with some garlic butter. Must say perfectly cooked and very juicy.

[Snakelover]

Started with 4 tenderloin cuts, 2" thick. I wanted a very thick steak to show off the top to bottom consistent level of doneness in the sous vide method.
[ATTACH]340124[/ATTACH]

Marinaded and vacuum sealed...
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I know from experimenting that my Westbend holds very steady at 138ºF on its lowest setting. Turned it on, but a steak inside and left for work...
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Thirteen hours later, and all is well. The temp dropped slightly before I could take the picture because the lid was off, but it was 138ºF all day long.
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A picture of the steak still vacuum sealed and cooked in its own juices...
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Out of the vacuum bag and ready for the grill...
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Super-hot grill, one minute per side...
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The first cut is the deepest...
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Picture is out of focus, but the steak was consistent throughout...
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About half way through eating it, a little A-1 on the side...
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This was an excellent steak. Very good flavor, perfectly consistent level of doneness throughout the steak. As for moistness, it was not any juicier than one cooked entirely on the grill. About the same actually. Tenderness was unbelievable, though.

The other three tenderloin cuts and two ribeyes went in the freezer. All marinaded and ready for convenient sous vide steak anytime.

I like it!

[TxSuperDad]

Think I might give this a shot tomorrow night

[outlaw38]

My crock pot stays at 150 on low. Have to find something better. This is killing me to try this.

[huntresss]

This is a venison backstrap that I vacuum packed with a rosemary/garlic marinade. I cooked it for two hours at 135 and then pan seared in butter with a sea salt, cracked pepper crust and served with a horseradish cream sauce. I now have a whole shelf in the freezer full of marinating backstrap. This was slap yo' mama good! This weekend, I'm going to try chicken breast, marinated in a pineapple sherry marinade.

Thanks for this great new cooking method gang! My husband loves y'all for it!

Oh, and sorry about the green stuff on the plate...we're on a diet.

[outlaw38]

This is a venison backstrap that I vacuum packed with a rosemary/garlic marinade. I cooked it for two hours at 135 and then pan seared in butter with a sea salt, cracked pepper crust and served with a horseradish cream sauce. I now have a whole shelf in the freezer full of marinating backstrap. This was slap yo' mama good! This weekend, I'm going to try chicken breast, marinated in a pineapple sherry marinade.

Thanks for this great new cooking method gang! My husband loves y'all for it!

Oh, and sorry about the green stuff on the plate...we're on a diet.

Are you a professional chef? That looks awesome

[huntresss]

Are you a professional chef? That looks awesome

Nope, just like to cook and get to do it alot for my husband and our hunters. Sous vide is perfect for our lifestyle, 'cause I'm always over at camp tracking and gutting hogs until late at night. It's nice coming home to a meal that I just have to sear and then toss on a plate, and have it taste like I worked on it all day!

[BrandonH]

Quick question...once a steak is sous vide to your liking how long do you think you could keep it in the refrigerator before searing it? I want to cook some steaks tomorrow and will be heading on vacation on Friday, but don't want to actually eat them until Saturday or Sunday. I'm not sure if it would be better to keep in refrigerator or freeze them for the two days.

Thanks,
Brandon

[Snakelover]

Quick question...once a steak is sous vide to your liking how long do you think you could keep it in the refrigerator before searing it? I want to cook some steaks tomorrow and will be heading on vacation on Friday, but don't want to actually eat them until Saturday or Sunday. I'm not sure if it would be better to keep in refrigerator or freeze them for the two days.

Thanks,
Brandon

I would not vacuum seal, sous vide, refrigerate and then grill.
I would vacuum seal, refrigerate, sous vide and then grill.

Since they're not on the grill long enough to heat up all the way through, I think it's best if they go straight from the hot bath to the grill. Once they're sealed with the marinade, you can either freeze them or keep them in the refrigerator until time for the bath.

What I've been doing is taking a frozen, marinated, sealed steak out of the freezer, filling the crockpot with water, setting the crockpot to the right setting and throwing the steak in the not-yet-heated crockpot before I leave for work. It has all day to first warm the water, then thaw out the steak and then cook. By the time I get home, the internal temperature of the steak has been 138 degrees for probably at least five or six hours. Then I just wait for my grill to heat up and throw it on for one minute per side. With just a little bit of planning, it's a very, very easy and quick meal.

[Stickslinga84]

Got a 24 hour bath going on a couple ribeyes. Can't wait! My mouth has been salivating at the Idea all day!?

[Cabela]

The ton of work is when you don't have the right equipment and you have to keep an eye on the water temp. Like anything else, the right tool makes it a lot easier.

That's what she said

On a serious note I will be trying this method mañana

[brrdnk]

[QUOTE=outlaw38;5288163]My crock pot stays at 150 on low. Have to find something better. This is killing me to try this.[/QUO

I use my frydaddy filled with water and turn it down low past the 225 setting and it will hold 134 pretty consistant. I just mark the dial where it hold that temp.Also use at theomometer that has an alarm that beeps if it gets above setpoint so I know to go tweak the dial a little.

[texaset]

This is a venison backstrap that I vacuum packed with a rosemary/garlic marinade. I cooked it for two hours at 135 and then pan seared in butter with a sea salt, cracked pepper crust and served with a horseradish cream sauce. I now have a whole shelf in the freezer full of marinating backstrap. This was slap yo' mama good! This weekend, I'm going to try chicken breast, marinated in a pineapple sherry marinade.

Thanks for this great new cooking method gang! My husband loves y'all for it!

Oh, and sorry about the green stuff on the plate...we're on a diet.

That is one great looking picture and Im sure it was as good as it looks