My first sous vide cook... a ribeye.. ehhh

[worktogthr]

So I got an anova for Christmas and finally got around to trying it. Broke down a whole choice rib eye that I got for 3.50 per pound due to some error at the grocery store. I had a coupon for 4.77 per pound and I thought that was great. It was ringing up to 3.50 and they couldn't figure out why and they just gave it to me.

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• worktogthr
• Feb 16, 2017

Made it into some steaks, a roast, a rack of beef ribs, and some fat for burgers and sausage making.

So I followed the anova directions on Serious Eats and cooked at 129 for about an hour and half and then finished in a screaming hot cast iron pan. They were right... vents on, windows and doors opened haha. Lots of smoke. So here are some pics followed by the verdict:

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• worktogthr
• Feb 16, 2017

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• worktogthr
• Feb 16, 2017

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• worktogthr
• Feb 16, 2017

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• worktogthr
• Feb 16, 2017

So my opinions are as follows. It was good, but not great. I missed the flavor the grill imparts. The seasoning seemed minimal even though I seasoned before and after going in the bag. And quite liberally. It was perfectly cooked without a doubt but no more tender or juicy the any steak I've reverse seared, smoked, or grilled. Just not sure it's worth the set up and vacuum sealing and the wait for steak. I will not be discouraged however and I will try try again! Thanks for looking!

-Chris

 

[bellaru]

Wow! That's a great deal!
Sorry to hear it wasn't everything you hoped for. The pictures look amazing, that red all the way through is gorgeous. I haven't done steak yet but plan to soon.
Nice write up, thanks

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Looks tasty!

But like you I have had better results using other methods.

Oh and yeah I don't sear anything in the house! Even when using cast iron it all is done outdoors!

 

[johnmeyer]

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• worktogthr
• Feb 16, 2017

So my opinions are as follows. It was good, but not great. I missed the flavor the grill imparts. The seasoning seemed minimal even though I seasoned before and after going in the bag. And quite liberally. It was perfectly cooked without a doubt but no more tender or juicy the any steak I've reverse seared, smoked, or grilled. Just not sure it's worth the set up and vacuum sealing and the wait for steak. I will not be discouraged however and I will try try again! Thanks for looking!

-Chris

I've done a few sous vide ribeyes and showed the result two weeks ago in this post:

Poor man's SV ribeye steaks

I heated my skillet in the oven to 450 (I would have gone to 500, but the potatoes were set for 450). Most sources say that 500 is a great temperature for searing. If you don't heat the CI in the oven, or don't use an infrared point-and-shoot thermometer, you really are shooting in the dark on the skillet temperature. When you think about it, this makes no sense because you're cooking with a device that holds the water to within less than one degree of what you set, and then you finish it on a skillet that is at a completely unkown temperature and might be 100-200 degrees different from one meal to the next.

I agree that the taste isn't quite the same as steak done on an outdoor grill, although if you are cooking with a gas grill, the differences are not that great.

If you want grill marks you can use a CI that has ridges.

Finally, the main reason to use sous vide for steak is the ability to get the steak done exactly the same way, every single time. You will never again have well-done steak turn out rare, or rare steak turn into shoe leather.

BTW, when I seared the steak I did not get any smoke and, in fact, there was virtually no splatter. The secret? When I took the steaks out of the vacuum bag, I patted them dry with paper towels ... and then patted them dry again. If you want a good sear, the meat surface must be absolutely, totally dry. If it isn't, the water on the surface of the steak will not go beyond 212 degrees (and the water splatters like crazy when it hits the hot oil in the pan). Not only that, the surface moisture provides a protective vapor barrier, keeping the meat relatively cool, the exact opposite of what you want. This effect is actually the secret behind how people are able to walk on hot coals: they first moisten their feet. The amount of water is so small that it cannot possible provide any cooling. Instead, the feet are protected by the small vapor barrier: it keeps the skin from getting very hot.

Finally, during the sear, I turned them every 30 seconds. I picked up these tips from various sites which talk about how to get a good sear with CI.

 

[worktogthr]

Wow! That's a great deal!
Sorry to hear it wasn't everything you hoped for. The pictures look amazing, that red all the way through is gorgeous. I haven't done steak yet but plan to soon.
Nice write up, thanks

Thanks so much! I will definitely try it again, just not in huge rush to do so

 

[worktogthr]

Looks tasty!

But like you I have had better results using other methods.

Oh and yeah I don't sear anything in the house! Even when using cast iron it all is done outdoors!

Thanks! I remember you posting a similar opinion and it seems that a few of my friends who have a sous vide and grill and smoke frequently feel that it's just missing something flavor wise and a bit fussy for the results. It just seems like most people with a good amount of experience cooking steaks the way they like them, especially with a good therm, can nail the doneness 99% of the time without the sous vide

 

[worktogthr]

I've done a few sous vide ribeyes and showed the result two weeks ago in this post:

Poor man's SV ribeye steaks

I heated my skillet in the oven to 450 (I would have gone to 500, but the potatoes were set for 450). Most sources say that 500 is a great temperature for searing. If you don't heat the CI in the oven, or don't use an infrared point-and-shoot thermometer, you really are shooting in the dark on the skillet temperature. When you think about it, this makes no sense because you're cooking with a device that holds the water to within less than one degree of what you set, and then you finish it on a skillet that is at a completely unkown temperature and might be 100-200 degrees different from one meal to the next.

I agree that the taste isn't quite the same as steak done on an outdoor grill, although if you are cooking with a gas grill, the differences are not that great.

If you want grill marks you can use a CI that has ridges.

Finally, the main reason to use sous vide for steak is the ability to get the steak done exactly the same way, every single time. You will never again have well-done steak turn out rare, or rare steak turn into shoe leather.

BTW, when I seared the steak I did not get any smoke and, in fact, there was virtually no splatter. The secret? When I took the steaks out of the vacuum bag, I patted them dry with paper towels ... and then patted them dry again. If you want a good sear, the meat surface must be absolutely, totally dry. If it isn't, the water on the surface of the steak will not go beyond 212 degrees (and the water splatters like crazy when it hits the hot oil in the pan). Not only that, the surface moisture provides a protective vapor barrier, keeping the meat relatively cool, the exact opposite of what you want. This effect is actually the secret behind how people are able to walk on hot coals: they first moisten their feet. The amount of water is so small that it cannot possible provide any cooling. Instead, the feet are protected by the small vapor barrier: it keeps the skin from getting very hot.

Finally, during the sear, I turned them every 30 seconds. I picked up these tips from various sites which talk about how to get a good sear with CI.

Thanks for the info. I am new to this so every bit helps. I do agree that the precision of doneness was incredible. But like I mentioned in my reply above, I feel that I am seasoned enough that I can get my steaks pretty much how I want them. On the odd day I over or undercook them the payback in flavor is worth a little error in doneness in my opinion. I will have to tinker a little more

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Thanks! I remember you posting a similar opinion and it seems that a few of my friends who have a sous vide and grill and smoke frequently feel that it's just missing something flavor wise and a bit fussy for the results. It just seems like most people with a good amount of experience cooking steaks the way they like them, especially with a good therm, can nail the doneness 99% of the time without the sous vide

I was listening to a podcast with Geoffrey Zachariah the other day and he made a comment that when he was coming up in the kitchen, you had to learn to cook. There was none of the cooking in bags, etc.

Very good point.

Podcast is here if anyone wants to listen.

Bon Appétit Foodcast: 92: Geoffrey Zakarian
https://overcast.fm/+D3X162AaM

 

[SmokinAl]

Well it sure looks good from here Chris!

I'm wondering if searing it before SV'ing it would give it more flavor.

Then another quick sear at the end too.

Al

 

[worktogthr]

 
Well it sure looks good from here Chris!

I'm wondering if searing it before SV'ing it would give it more flavor.

Then another quick sear at the end too.

Al

Thanks!  That's a really good idea Al!  Maybe that initial sear will force the seasoning to adhere and hang on a little better instead of ending up all over the inside of the bag.