Sous vide cooking has revolutionized the way many home cooks and professional chefs prepare steaks. Sous vide involves cooking vacuum-sealed foods in a precisely temperature-controlled water bath. This technique allows you to achieve the perfect level of doneness for steaks every time.
Cooking steak sous vide leads to meat that is cooked evenly from edge to edge, incredibly tender and succulent, and full of flavor. With just a few simple tools like an immersion circulator or sous vide machine, a pot or plastic tub, and freezer bags, you can make restaurant-quality steaks easily at home.
This guide will walk you through every step of cooking the perfect sous vide steak, from choosing the right cut of beef to proper cooking times and temperatures. We’ll also give suggestions for the best ways to finish searing your steaks after cooking them sous vide. Follow these tips and you’ll be enjoying juicy, tender steaks like you’ve never had before!
Why Choose Sous Vide for Steak?
There are several reasons why sous vide is one of the best methods for cooking steak:
- It’s extremely precise – unlike grilling, pan-searing or roasting in the oven, sous vide allows you to dial in the exact temperature required to cook steaks like ribeye, strip loin and sirloin to your preferred doneness.
- Steaks cook gently and evenly in the water bath. There are no hot or cold spots.
- You can cook steaks for longer periods of time at the ideal temperature without overcooking. This tenderizes the meat and allows seasoning and aromatics to fully penetrate.
- No moisture is lost during the sous vide process. Steaks remain incredibly juicy and tender.
- It’s flexible – steaks can be cooked sous vide then finished on the grill or in a hot pan, giving you the best of both cooking methods.
- Hands-off cooking. Once your water bath is up to temperature, sous vide requires no monitoring during the cook time.
- Steaks come out perfectly done edge-to-edge every time. No more over or undercooked meat.
Choosing the Right Cut of Steak for Sous Vide
You have lots of options when it comes to picking the right cut of steak to cook with the sous vide method. Here are some of the most popular cuts that are perfectly suited for sous vide:
1. Ribeye Steak
The ribeye is a flavorful, marbled cut taken from the rib section. It’s a boneless steak that is tender, juicy and has lots of rich beef flavor. The generous marbling gives it a wonderful buttery texture.
2. Filet Mignon
Filet mignon comes from the tenderloin, the most tender cut of beef. Filets are extremely tender and lean. They have a delicate, almost buttery flavor. The lack of fat means filets do especially well with sous vide cooking.
3. New York Strip Steak
Also known as a strip steak, the New York strip comes from the short loin. It has a thick band of fat along one edge that keeps it juicy and full of beefy flavor. The moderate marbling gives it a good texture.
4. Porterhouse Steak
The porterhouse features portions of both the tenderloin and top loin, so you get the best of both worlds – tenderloin on one side and strip steak on the other. It’s a large, thick steak with hearty portions of both cuts.
5. T-Bone Steak
Similar to the porterhouse, the T-bone contains parts of the tenderloin and strip loin. It has a distinctive T-shaped bone that separates the two cuts of meat. You’ll enjoy flavors from both the tenderloin and top loin.
6. Sirloin Steak
Sirloin steaks are flavorful, though they contain less marbling than some cuts. They are fairly lean and become tender and juicy when cooked sous vide. Look for top sirloin or pinbone sirloin.
7. Flat Iron Steak
This steak is cut from the shoulder (chuck area) of the cow. Although it comes from a well-exercised part of the animal, it’s surprisingly tender thanks to the connective tissue being removed. Flat iron steaks have tons of beefy flavor.
8. Skirt Steak
Skirt steak comes from the plate primal cut. It has a loose texture, deep beefy flavor and gets very tender when sliced against the grain after cooking. It’s a thin, long cut.
9. Flank Steak
Flank steak is from the belly muscles of the cow. It has lots of intense beef flavor but can be slightly chewy. When sliced properly, flank steak becomes perfectly tender after sous vide cooking. It’s a thinner steak.
10. Hanger Steak
Hanger steak comes from near the diaphragm. It’s very flavorful with a looser grain. It’s similar to flank or skirt steak and becomes tender with sous vide cooking.
The richly marbled steaks with higher fat content like ribeye and New York strip are especially delicious prepared sous vide. Leaner cuts also excel with sous vide cooking and become extremely tender.
Preparing Your Sous Vide Setup
To cook steaks sous vide, you’ll need:
- An immersion circulator or sous vide machine – This attaches to the side of a pot or tub and keeps the water at a precise set temperature during cooking.
- A pot or plastic tub large enough to hold the circulator and steak bags – The container should have enough height for the water to cover the steaks.
- Freezer bags – Look for thick, BPA-free bags designed specifically for sous vide cooking. Avoid light plastic freezer bags.
- Optional: vacuum sealer – For the best results, vacuum seal the steaks in bags before cooking sous vide. But you can also use the water immersion method with freezer bags.
Fill your container with water, adding the sous vide circulator. Set it for your desired temperature (see below for recommendations). Preheat the water for at least 15 minutes before adding steaks. It’s best to lay a ping pong ball in the water to prevent bags from sticking to the bottom.
Seasoning Your Sous Vide Steak
Season steaks just before cooking sous vide. Salt and freshly cracked pepper are classic steak seasonings. Other options include garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, oregano, thyme and rosemary.
You can also marinate steaks for 1-2 hours before cooking sous vide to maximize flavor. Try marinades with ingredients like soy sauce, Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard and herbs. Pat steaks dry before sealing in bags.
If vacuum sealing, add seasonings before sealing. With freezer bags, season steaks inside the bags. You want the seasoning touching the meat to maximize flavor infusion during cooking.
Cooking Times and Temperatures for Sous Vide Steaks
The key to perfect sous vide steaks is precision both in temperature and time. Here are best practices for different cuts:
| Cut of Steak | Description | Sous Vide Temp | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filet Mignon | Cut from the tenderloin, very tender and lean | 130°F | 1-2 hours |
| Ribeye | Marbled cut from the rib section, tender and flavorful | 130°F | 1-4 hours |
| New York Strip | Also called strip steak, from the short loin, juicy with fat cap | 130°F | 1-4 hours |
| Porterhouse | Tenderloin on one side, strip on the other | 130°F | 1-4 hours |
| T-Bone | Has tenderloin and strip loin portions | 130°F | 1-4 hours |
| Sirloin | Flavorful, moderately tender | 135°F | 1-2 hours |
| Flat Iron | Surprisingly tender chuck steak | 135°F | 1-2 hours |
| Skirt Steak | Thin steak with deep beefy flavor | 130°F | 5-12 hours |
| Flank Steak | Intense beef flavor when sliced properly | 130°F | 5-12 hours |
| Hanger Steak | Very flavorful loose grain | 130°F | 5-12 hours |
| 1 inch thick steaks | Any cut | Recommended temp | 1-2 hours |
| 1.5 inch steaks | Any cut | Recommended temp | 2-3 hours |
| 2+ inch steaks | Any cut | Recommended temp | 4+ hours |
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Always cook steaks at least 1 hour minimum, even if thickness is under 1 inch. This allows seasoning and marinade to fully penetrate and tenderize meat. Use a meat thermometer to check temperatures if unsure.
Finishing Your Sous Vide Steaks in a Pan or Grill
After cooking sous vide, steaks need a quick sear to brown the surfaces and develop a nice crust.
Pat steaks dry thoroughly before putting them into a very hot skillet with just a bit of oil. Sear for 1 minute on each side. You want a dark, caramelized crust. Use butter in the pan for extra richness.
Or finish by grilling steaks over very high direct heat for 1 minute per side to char the surfaces. Avoid flare-ups.
Let steaks rest 5 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute through the meat.
Serving Suggestions for Your Sous Vide Steaks
Your tender, juicy sous vide steaks pair wonderfully with:
- Herb butter – compound butter infused with rosemary, thyme, parsley, etc. Spread over the hot steak as it rests.
- Steak sauce – a bold, flavorful sauce like chimichurri brightens the rich beef.
- Sauteed mushrooms – meaty mushrooms like cremini are a classic steak accompaniment.
- Onions – caramelized, grilled or sauteed onions balance the steak.
- Twice-baked potatoes – the creamy interior and crispy skin are perfect with steak.
- Asparagus – quick-cooking, fresh asparagus makes an ideal veggie side.
- Steakhouse salad – a crisp green salad with tomatoes, onion and blue cheese dressing.
Common Mistakes When Cooking a Sous Vide Steak and How to Avoid Them
Avoid these sous vide steak mistakes:
- Incorrect temperature setting – Use a digital thermometer to double check water bath temp.
- Not preheating water bath sufficiently – Allow at least 15 minutes for the circulator to come fully up to temp.
- Overcrowding – Don’t overload the water bath with too many steak bags.
- Uneven thickness – Try to pick steaks that are similar thickness for even cooking.
- Not patting steaks dry before searing – Thoroughly dry steaks to get proper browning during the sear step.
- Searing at too low of heat – Use very high heat when finishing in a pan or on the grill for a nice crust.
Conclusion
With these sous vide steak tips, you’ll get fantastic results every time. Precision temp and time along with good technique yields incredibly tender, edge-to-edge perfectly cooked steaks that rival the best steakhouses. Give sous vide a try and you may never go back to other cooking methods for steak!