Sous Vide question

[Terrierman]

I'm also a 2" thick steak person.  That way you can get a good bark and still have a nice rare/medium rare center. 

[MOPanfisher]

2 minutes ago, Terrierman said:

I'm also a 2" thick steak person.  That way you can get a good bark and still have a nice rare/medium rare center. 

STOP IT.  I am having a frozen pizza for supper and just the thought of a 2 inch steak on a hot grill cooked to a good rare/medium rare is killing me.

[Terrierman]

Okay.  Tonight it's chicken and rice soup.  Homemade of course.

[rps]

I am still learning sous vide methods. I will not pretend to know it all. However, I will share what I have learned.

In the old days, we seared the outside and then used the oven to cook to the temp we wanted inside. Now that we have sous vide, we often make the mistake in cooking to the temp we want inside, and then searing. The sear raises the temp inside, no matter what we do.

One time, I rested the steak quite a while then seared it. I got the sear without the transition gray, but the inside was cool. Beef Wellington sometimes suffers from this.

Another attempt gave me the sear I wanted, but the inside was too done - just like what several of you report.

My best results have come from a combination of factors - many of them from Serious Eats tips.

1. Use only 1.5 inch to 2.5 inch steaks.

2. Sous vide for a long period at a temp 2 to 4 degrees below your preferred interior temp. I use 124 or 125 as my stop point. Rest very briefly.

3. When you remove the steak from the bag, save the juices for a pan sauce and DRY the steak exterior with paper towels (old fashioned Julia Child advice says browning occurs better with a dry surface) Do not rest before you sear.

4. Heat butter at a high temp to almost the browning stage (past large popping bubbles) and sear the steak as the butter browns while you spoon the butter over the top side. Flip and do the same. This is the classic Delmonico method.

5. Rest the steak, covered, briefly, as you finish the pan sauce.

I hope this helps you find the mojo that works for you.

 

 

 

[BilletHead]

9 hours ago, rps said:

I am still learning sous vide methods. I will not pretend to know it all. However, I will share what I have learned.

In the old days, we seared the outside and then used the oven to cook to the temp we wanted inside. Now that we have sous vide, we often make the mistake in cooking to the temp we want inside, and then searing. The sear raises the temp inside, no matter what we do.

One time, I rested the steak quite a while then seared it. I got the sear without the transition gray, but the inside was cool. Beef Wellington sometimes suffers from this.

Another attempt gave me the sear I wanted, but the inside was too done - just like what several of you report.

My best results have come from a combination of factors - many of them from Serious Eats tips.

1. Use only 1.5 inch to 2.5 inch steaks.

2. Sous vide for a long period at a temp 2 to 4 degrees below your preferred interior temp. I use 124 or 125 as my stop point. Rest very briefly.

3. When you remove the steak from the bag, save the juices for a pan sauce and DRY the steak exterior with paper towels (old fashioned Julia Child advice says browning occurs better with a dry surface) Do not rest before you sear.

4. Heat butter at a high temp to almost the browning stage (large popping bubbles) and sear the steak as the butter browns while you spoon the butter over the top side. Flip and do the same. This is the classic Delmonico method.

5. Rest the steak, covered, briefly, as you finish the pan sauce.

I hope this helps you find the mojo that works for you.

 

 

 

           Totally agree and that is what I found. I may add when I use charcoal to sear no sissy fire. A good bed of coals , same when you sear duck breasts over coals hot and quick @Lancer09,

   BilletHead

[Lancer09]

Thanks for the advice all!

I think one of the biggest issues is the thickness of the steaks, mainly being, it's a P.I.T.A. to ask for a thick steak to be cut specifically for me, and don't always have the time to stop at a specialty butcher shop as well.

http://www.themeateater.com/cook/recipes/sous-vide-venison-roast-recipe

Working on some roast venison that should be going into some french dips for dinner either tonight or tomorrow and freezing the rest! Had to get back in the good graces of the sous vide.

I did get the Meateater cookbook as well. Highly recommend. Will be working my way through that as well.

 

[Gavin]

There is some great advice in this thread. The only thing I would add is buy a Thermapen Mk4 thermometer. Its been a great addition.

 

[Flysmallie]

3 hours ago, BilletHead said:

I may add when I use charcoal to sear no sissy fire. 

 

Fire is good 

 

[shrapnel]

I ain't boilin no steak!  Or any meat for that matter...lol.  The cooking time looks to be 5X that a hot fire, for similar results and less flavor?

[rps]

1 hour ago, Gavin said:

There is some great advice in this thread. The only thing I would add is buy a Thermapen Mk4 thermometer. Its been a great addition.

 

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