Sous vide

T.G · 01-07-2017, 12:00 PM

Tried a stepped temperature cook a few days ago, actually quite pleased with the results.

Took about a 1" thick sirloin steak. 1.3 hours at 103F, then 1.3 hours at 120F, then 2.5 hours at 127F.

Somewhat impressed with the flavor and tenderness developed in what was a not-so-special select grade cut from Safeway. Going to have to try this again with a better steak.

I've never really been happy with the bark on a sous vide steak. Yeah, it's not the worst out there, but it just doesn't hold a candle to what I can get on any one of my grills (other than the pellet grill). To get a good bark, I was basically wrecking all the work I had done for the SV cook. So I played around with a heavy pre-sear, then a cook, then a normal post sear. Making sure to dry the steak with a few paper towels before each sear. This actually kind of worked, the pre-cook sear could be heavier/longer since the meat is still cold and not going to be as affected by it, the post-cook sear was basically just re-crisping the work from the onset. Not to mention the flavor that was infused into the meat during the cook from all the little burnt bits. Need to try that again, but this time, with a frozen steak. That way I can sear the crap out of it yet only have that part of the cook penetrating a few mm.

I still prefer stuff grilled, but I'm starting to find a usable alternative with this process.

01-07-2017, 12:00 PM	#11
T.G Grrrrrr Join Date: Mar 2009 First Name: The Other Adam Posts: 15,557 Trading: (37)	Re: Sous vide Tried a stepped temperature cook a few days ago, actually quite pleased with the results. Took about a 1" thick sirloin steak. 1.3 hours at 103F, then 1.3 hours at 120F, then 2.5 hours at 127F. Somewhat impressed with the flavor and tenderness developed in what was a not-so-special select grade cut from Safeway. Going to have to try this again with a better steak. I've never really been happy with the bark on a sous vide steak. Yeah, it's not the worst out there, but it just doesn't hold a candle to what I can get on any one of my grills (other than the pellet grill). To get a good bark, I was basically wrecking all the work I had done for the SV cook. So I played around with a heavy pre-sear, then a cook, then a normal post sear. Making sure to dry the steak with a few paper towels before each sear. This actually kind of worked, the pre-cook sear could be heavier/longer since the meat is still cold and not going to be as affected by it, the post-cook sear was basically just re-crisping the work from the onset. Not to mention the flavor that was infused into the meat during the cook from all the little burnt bits. Need to try that again, but this time, with a frozen steak. That way I can sear the crap out of it yet only have that part of the cook penetrating a few mm. I still prefer stuff grilled, but I'm starting to find a usable alternative with this process.