How to Cook A Beautiful Sous Vide Steak

Here's a moment of truth: once you start cooking your steak with the sous vide technique, there's no going back. And the result will always be a perfectly-cooked steak with precise doneness and tenderness! 

Trust us, cooking sous vide steak is the closest thing to magic in your kitchen. Read on to know what a sous vide steak is and how you can be a pro at cooking it just right. 

What is sous vide steak? 

If you are entirely new to this concept of cooking, let us walk you through it from the very basics. 

The sous vide steak magic starts by sealing the food in an airtight container filled with temperature-controlled water. It makes sense as in French; the word sous vide translates to "under vacuum". The whole technique revolves around this airtight, temperature-controlled environment that creates consistency as you cook.

By sealing the food, you ensure that it does not come in direct contact with the metal surface of the pot. Not even with the flames or steam of the water! Also, keeping the water temperature constant is crucial so it doesn't fluctuate between highs and lows. As this water always remains at the desired temperature, the meat is always precisely done from edge to edge. 

No more overcooked or undercooked steak with this exceptional cooking technique! 

Why should you sous vide a steak? 

The most obvious reason of all, sous vide steak is the only best way to eat steak. It's edge-to-edge tender, with the doneness and flavors that you can't possibly forget! 

When you use traditional cooking methods, you have almost little to no control over heat and temperature. Your steak would never be consistently cooked – and in most cases, what might look overcooked on the outside would be raw on the inside at the same time.

With the sous vide technique, you don't have to hustle much. It is a hands-off process and you don't have to flip and turn while it cooks. Also, as it is timed, you'll know when the steak is ready. 

Besides, there's no more guesswork to check whether your steak is done or not. Thanks to this sealed, constant environment inside the pan, the sous vide steaks always guarantee precision cooking. This means your steak is equally done from the inside out. 

How to sous vide a steak? 

Are you ready to get some sous to vide training? If so, this section is the one for you. To know the secrets behind cooking the perfect sous vide steak, follow the steps below:

1. Season The Meat Well 

The meat cuisine starts with the art of seasoning. The combinations of spices, pastes and dried herbs you choose are all up to you. Here's a tip: don't forget to rub the raw meat thoroughly with kosher salt. It helps bring in the flavour and make your meat juicier and more tender. 

As you know, the sous vide technique is all about slow cooking, the seasonings get the time to marinate into the deeper portions of the meat rather than just the top. Thanks to this, they can always lead up to a big flavour!

2. Seal It Up

When the meat is all seasoned up, it's time to seal it in the food-grade vacuum sealing bag. Also, use this opportunity and add some aromatics to the bag to make your steak even more flavorful. Rosemary, thyme, dried chiles - whichever works best for you! You can even add a small part of butter or a drop of your favourite oil to the bag. But make sure it's not too liquidy as it can interfere with sealing. 

Another important thing is to ensure that all the air is out of the sealed bag. You need to make sure that the inside is an absolute vacuum. Once that's achieved, you're all set to move on to the next part. 

 3. Set Everything Right

Now, this is where things get real. Firstly, you need to fill a large pot with water. Next, you need to set up your sous vide machine and the desired cooking temperature and time to get your preferred level of doneness.

The table below will help you determine the right temperature and time for a particular type of meat and its level of doneness.

Meat: Level of Doneness	Desired Ranges
Pork: Chop Medium Rare	62°C/144°F, 1 hour to 3 hours
Pork: Tough Cuts Well Done	85°C/185°F, 8 hours to 16 hours
Chicken: Light Meat Juicy and Tender	65°C/149°F, 1 hour to 3 hours
Chicken: Dark Meat Juicy and Tender	75°C/167°F, 45 minutes to 5 hours
Beef: Steak Rare	54°C/129°F, 1 hour to 2 hours
Beef: Roast Medium Rare	60°C/140°F, 6 hours to 14 hours
Beef: Tough Cuts Well Done	85°C/185°F, 8 hours to 16 hours

Or, if you want to avoid doing this manually, some sous vide machine brands such as the Joules by Chefsteps have apps for a similar purpose. All you need to do is tell the app what you're cooking, and the software determines the perfect temperature and time for the sous vide steak. 

Before putting the bag in the water bath, ensure the water is preheated and already there at the desired temperature. Of course, without this, the whole process would be pointless. 

Once that's done, and your bag is sealed, simply drop it in the water pot and let the magic begin. If you want to be more cautious about keeping the seal safe, you can clip the bag to the edge of the pot with the seal side up. All that's left now is to wait till the meat begins to cook gradually.

4. Sous Vide Steak Is Ready To Serve

Since the time will be set beforehand, you'll know when the meat has been cooked completely. Now, it's finally time to take it out. 

If you want to keep the meat skinless and delicate, you can serve it as it is. On the contrary, if you prefer getting it a bit crispier from the edges, dry it up thoroughly before searing it in a pan. Continue doing so until a crackling crust forms. Since the meat has already been cooked, this won't take any more than a minute.

And just like that, your beautiful sous vide steak is ready to serve.