Sous Vide Beef Steaks suck

[jaxrmrjmr]

I have tried it twice and there is nothing I like about them more than my own charcoal grilled steak. It is really tender, but it has no flavor.

 

[Co4ch D4ve]

Could you describe your technique?

 

[chopsaw]

What are you using to sear ?

 

[jaxrmrjmr]

Could you describe your technique?

Seasoned as usual using a mixture of SPOG, tumeric, paprika, and corriander. Vacuum seal. Put in bath at 130 degrees for 1 1/2 to 3 hours depending on thickness. Remove from bag and dry the surface with a paper towel. This time I poured my charcoal chimney out on one side of the grill (22.5" weber kettle) and seared for 1'45" on each side, uncovered. Then I spread the coals out and cooked the rest of the family's steaks like I usually do - 3-4" per side depending on thickness. The first time I used a torch with mmap gas to sear it and my wife told me to never give her a steak like that again.

It was tender as all hell and consistently done from edge to edge, but it did not have the flavor of the steak grilled the regular way.

Maybe it turns tough steak into something enjoyable but it doesn't make a good steak better, IMHO.

 

[Co4ch D4ve]

Jax,
The only difference between your technique and mine is that I wait and season after the steak comes out of the Sous Vide. I dry it, then season, and then sear. I don’t use a torch and like you, I use a very hot charcoal/wood fire. I think this way, you will get the seasoned flavor you are expecting from your steak.
Dave

 

[Hawging It]

I have tried it twice and there is nothing I like about them more than my own charcoal grilled steak. It is really tender, but it has no flavor.

Never done it as I think it's just a bunch of extra stuff with a cute name. Never has interest me.

 

[chef jimmyj]

The meal looks great. My oldest gave me an Anova for Christmas and i have not played with it much. I have watched YT Videos on SV and searing. Seems mixed reviews on using a torch. I am looking hard a 1500W industrial Heat Gun. Seem to give a sear without adding a petroleum aftertaste...JJ

 

[rexster314]

A torch with a Searzall attachment works wonders. Absolutely NO gaseous flavors on the meat, nice crusty char on outside. This doesn't cook the meat anymore like a screaming hot skillet or grill would do, since you can move the torch around, keeping the meat from over cooking

 

[gary s]

I have an SV, don't use it much (Maybe I should) But the steaks you showed me looked great lots of marbling.
I would have gone straight to the grill with those. The SV can take a tough cut and make it tender.
Just my opinion

Gary

 

[indaswamp]

Never done it as I think it's just a bunch of extra stuff with a cute name. Never has interest me.

It is the primo way to cook game IMO....but it takes long sous vide holding times to achieve the tenderness. I like 18~20 hours @128* for venison round roasts. Simply awesome good!

 

[Hawging It]

It is the primo way to cook game IMO....but it takes long sous vide holding times to achieve the tenderness. I like 18~20 hours @128* for venison round roasts. Simply awesome good!

OK. You convinced me. I'll try it with deer meat.

 

[SonnyE]

I have tried it twice and there is nothing I like about them more than my own charcoal grilled steak. It is really tender, but it has no flavor.

I wouldn't say Sous Vide Steaks suck. I'd say the ways you've done them suck, so far.
But that can change, if you are willing to try some improvements.

 

[atomicsmoke]

I don't understand what flavour your grilled steak would pick other than the crust's grill taste. Is not like those flavours penetrate meat deep inside in a few minutes of grilling. And the grill/sear taste can be imparted in 30s after sous vide.

What you felt different was the same texture top to bottom. As opposed to grilled where is the way you want it in the center and overcooked in the outer layers.

It might not work for you but it sure does for me and most SV fans here.

 

[atomicsmoke]

Never done it as I think it's just a bunch of extra stuff with a cute name. Never has interest me.

That's me....before i tried it. I used to roll my eyes (exagerating) when seeing SV posts here. Not anymore

 

[zwiller]

Sure looks good tho! I think SV is best for large items/roasts and long cooks. We don't even grill steaks anymore. Hot pan sear in tallow. Rest in 170F oven for 15m-30m. IF I were to SV a chop, I'd do it the day before and then sear to reheat so you don't have to worry about overcooking. Best of both worlds.

 

[johnmeyer]

I've done 3-4 sous vide steaks. You have to remember that sous vide exists because restaurants found that they could do steaks well in advance and let them sit for a few hours until the order arrived; they could get them perfectly done to whatever doneness the diner wanted; and they could then finish them quickly with a torch or hot pan at the moment the order came back to the kitchen.

So, sous vide wasn't necessarily "better," but instead solved a lot of issues a restaurant faces when trying to deliver lots of meat to lots of people.

I would ditch the torch, unless you want to invest in the Searzall, as Rexster recommended. The Searzall gets rid of any propane/MAPP/butane taste. Instead, put a CI skillet in the oven at 450-500 degrees for 20 minutes. This ensures both uniform heating and also makes sure you get it hot enough. Then, after you've dried off the moisture, put the steak on that, while keeping the skillet hot over a flame on your cooktop, turning every 45-60 seconds. Turn multiple times until you get a really dark crust. That's the key to making the whole thing work.

 

[indaswamp]

Wish I could like your reply twice John....I was just going to comment about high end steak restaurants using sous vide to serve a lot of steaks perfectly all at once during the dinner rush....

 

[weedeater]

I have tried it twice and there is nothing I like about them more than my own charcoal grilled steak. It is really tender, but it has no flavor.

Jaxrmrjmr I think I may know what part of your issue is with Sous Vide steaks. If you cook a steak SV style which has a good bit of fat content it does not render out in the lower SV temps and it also does not crisp up that fat at all. The short time searing does not usually do justice to crisping up either. If you are one that likes to eat some of that fat you will be disappointed with Sous Vide.

Best use of Sous Vide to me is on a tougher piece of meat which it can really improve the outcome on.

Weedeater

 

[Bearcarver]

Jaxrmrjmr I think I may know what part of your issue is with Sous Vide steaks. If you cook a steak SV style which has a good bit of fat content it does not render out in the lower SV temps and it also does not crisp up that fat at all. The short time searing does not usually do justice to crisping up either. If you are one that likes to eat some of that fat you will be disappointed with Sous Vide.

Best use of Sous Vide to me is on a tougher piece of meat which it can really improve the outcome on.

Weedeater

Exactly!!!
SV is Awesome for Chuckies & Eye Rounds, and other tough meats. You can actually make them Fork Tender, yet Pink inside from edge to edge.
But when it comes to a Ribeye, it doesn't render any fat, or crisp any up, and if you want to do that during the searing, you have to do it too long to get the fat rendered & crispy browned.
And I get much better results Smoking a 5 pound Prime Rib for 4 hours, than I do from SVing it, because I'm putting Smoke on it for the whole 4 hours @ 220°. My Prime Ribs still end up Pink & Tender from Bark to Bark, but they taste much Better than a Prime Rib from an SV, and smoked a little before & seared before or after. IMHO

Nothing beats an SV for doing a Tough piece of meat, though!!

My 2 Piasters,

Bear

 

[xray]

Jaxrmrjmr I think I may know what part of your issue is with Sous Vide steaks. If you cook a steak SV style which has a good bit of fat content it does not render out in the lower SV temps and it also does not crisp up that fat at all. The short time searing does not usually do justice to crisping up either. If you are one that likes to eat some of that fat you will be disappointed with Sous Vide.

Best use of Sous Vide to me is on a tougher piece of meat which it can really improve the outcome on.

Weedeater

I couldn’t have said it any better. SV really shines with lean and tougher cuts.

A well-marbled ribeye?...I’m throwing that sucker on a hot grill. The fat doesn’t render out during the SV process. The chewy, blubbery fat doesn’t appeal to me.