The sous vide method of cooking guarantees tender, juicy steak without the guesswork of other cooking methods. It involves sealing food in an airtight container and then cooking it in temperature-controlled water, which means the cooking process is precise and slow. Sous vide steak is restaurant-worthy, but easy to make in your own kitchen. Here are 11 different ways to make it amazing, plus answers to commonly asked questions.
Related: 24 Incredible Sous Vide Recipes for Five-Star Meals
Sous vide steak recipes
Sous Vide New York Steak with Homemade Chimichurri
Image via Sous Vide Ways
Elevate timeless New York strip steak with a simple, yet flavorful chimichurri sauce. Prepare the chimichurri sauce right after you place the steak in the sous vide. The sauce’s bright flavors of parsley, garlic and vinegar will meld together in the time it takes the steak to cook.
Sous Vide Tri Tip – Santa Maria Style
Image via Sous Vide Ways
Cooking tri tip for six hours is just long enough to break down the connective tissue, yielding an extremely tender roast that tastes as good as it looks. Pair this with simple sides like Mashed Turnips and Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette.
Whole30 Sous Vide Ribeye with Cauliflower Mushroom Risotto
Image via Fit Mom Journey
Ribeye steak becomes impossibly tender in the sous vide. Cook the steak with rosemary and thyme aromatic flavor, then finish it in a hot pan with a bit of ghee. With cauliflower mushroom risotto and sauteed vegetables on the side, you’ll have a dinner spread your body and tastebuds will love.
Sous Vide Flank Steak
Image via Casa de Crews
Flank steak is a tougher cut of meat, but in the sous vide, it’s transformed into a juicy main course. Use this steak in salads or tacos, or simply enjoy on its own with mixed greens on the side. The recipe calls for 10 hours of cooking time, but feel free to experiment. Check out the sous vide steak cooking time guide at the bottom of this article.
Sous Vide Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Image via Pastured Kitchen
Stew meat is meant to be slow-cooked to break down the connective tissue — but it’s not just for stews. In this recipe, you sous vide the meat in a tangy marinade, then pair the final product with sauteed bell peppers and broccoli. Finish your dish with a satisfying sauce made with Paleo-friendy ingredients like arrowroot powder and coconut aminos.
Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce
Image via Upstate Ramblings
Beef tenderloin is an elegant centerpiece, and it’s easy to prepare in your sous vide. At the end of its cooking time, start the mushroom sauce. You’ll use the steak’s juices to finish the sauce and make a delicious gravy. To make this recipe more Bulletproof, skip the flour. If you want a thicker sauce, use an alternative thickener like arrowroot powder, tapioca starch or Collagelatin.
Garlic Herb Butter Sous Vide Steak
Image via No. 2 Pencil
Filet mignon is one of the most expensive cuts of steak, and the sous vide cooking method transforms it into buttery perfection. The garlic butter topping is just icing on the cake (or steak). Keep this recipe more Bulletproof by searing your steaks in ghee or avocado oil, rather than vegetable oil.
Sous Vide Beef Filet Tail Over Sweet Potato Mash
Image via Pastured Kitchen
Beef filet tail is a less common cut, but you’ll want to add it to your dinner rotation after trying it. Beef filet tail comes from the tenderloin, aka the most tender beef muscle. In this recipe, you coat the filet in compound butter, then cook it sous vide for four hours. Pair it with sweet potato mash and a side salad for a balanced and nourishing meal.
Sous Vide Red Curry Crusted Beef Prime Rib with Thai Cucumber Raita
Image via Food for Net
This recipe’s secret weapon is the red curry crust. After cooking the prime rib, brush the steaks with curry paste before searing them in a hot pan. To keep it more Bulletproof, look for a curry paste and tamarind paste made without any added sugar or additives. Fish sauce adds a salty, umami kick to this recipe’s cucumber raita, but make sure you read the label: quality fish sauce should only contain fish and salt. If fermented ingredients aren’t your friend, swap fish sauce with coconut aminos and salt to taste.
Sous Vide Chile Colorado
Image via Anova Culinary
Chile Colorado is a Mexican dish: “colorado” translates to “colored red,” and it’s traditionally made with beef or pork in a red chili sauce. This sous vide recipe uses pork shoulder, but beef chuck would work well, too. The stewed chile sauce is essential in this recipe, so if you’re sensitive to nightshades, skip this one.
Sous Vide Rib Eye with Basil Compound Butter Hearts
Image via I am a Food Blog
This simple sous vide ribeye steak recipe is decadent and delicious on its own, but the garlic butter heart takes it to the next level. If you don’t have a heart-shaped cookie cutter, just use an ice cream scoop or spoon to dollop the butter over the sliced, finished steak — it’ll still taste (and look) amazing.
How long does it take to sous vide a steak?
- Steak, rare: 1-2 hours at 129°F
- Roast, medium rare: 6-14 hours at 140°F
- Tough cuts, well done: 8-16 hours at 185°F
Cooking time varies, depending on the cut of meat and your preferred doneness. Some sous vide machines will automatically set the time for you, but if you want to do it yourself, check out this detailed guide.
Can you overcook steak sous vide?
It’s very difficult to overcook steak sous vide because the water bath is set at a precise temperature throughout the duration of cooking. You’re more likely to overcook it when you take it out of the sous vide and give it a final sear on a hot pan. Make sure you’re only searing the steak for about one to two minutes per side.
Is sous vide steak safe?
Yes, as long as you take a few precautions. It’s common to use vacuum-sealed plastic bags with sous vide, but you want to ensure they’re food-safe and BPA-free. You can also use reusable silicone plastic bags, like these bags developed by Stasher and Anova Culinary.
Read next: Bulletproof Cooking Methods: How to Make Your Food Do More for You
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