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Sous Vide Steak

Sous Vide Steak is a great beginner sous vide recipe. If you follow these step-by-step instructions, you’ll cook a wonderful steak cooked precisely to temperature each and every time.

Sous Vide Steak

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The Joule

I recommend the Joule Sous Vide appliance if you’re new to sous vide cooking.

It has a fantastic app that you can download that will help guide you through the cooking process for pretty much anything you’d like to cook.

You set the temperature and cook time within the app then your food will be cooked precisely at temperature until the app tells you that it is cooked.

After your food is cooked, you can leave it for up to 2 hours in most cases, and your food will still be perfect.

You will also need a sous vide container or a large stockpot to use as a cooking vessel.

I always use a large stockpot because I like to buy things that pull double-duty in my kitchen.

I don’t have a lot of space to store items that I won’t use very often.

Whichever container you choose, be sure to put it on a heat-proof surface because it will get hot while your food is cooking.

New York Strip Steak ready for Sous Vide

Step #1 – Pick a Tender Cut of Steak

With Sous Vide cooking, you can cook a nice thick piece of steak with ease.

You can use any tender cut of meat that you like.

I used New York Strip steak, but you could use rib eyes, tenderloins, or T-bones just as easily.

Look for steaks that are between 1-2 inches thick.

Thicker steaks will increase the cooking time but they will still turn out perfectly every time.

Thicker steaks will save you time on searing as well.

It’s much easier to sear one large steak than several smaller ones.

Step #2 – Bag the Steaks

The easiest way to bag your steaks is to use a gallon-sized zip-top plastic freezer bag.

The freezer bags are thicker plastic and less likely to break or leak.

When you submerge the steaks in the water, the pressure of the water will push the air out of the bag.

You can also use a vacuum sealer, such as a FoodSaver, to seal the food storage bags before you place them into the water bath.

Make sure you place your steaks in a single layer in the bags, no matter which method you use.

You can use more than one bag in the sous vide water bath at the same time.

Joule Sous Vide Screen Images

Step #3 – Choose Your Thickness and Doneness

How do you like your steak cooked?

Your desired doneness will determine the cook temperature.

I like my steak medium but choose the doneness that you prefer.

  • 126 degrees F = rare
  • 129 degrees F = medium-rare
  • 133 degrees F = medium
  • 140 degrees F = medium-well
  • 147 degrees F = well done

The thickness of your steaks will determine the sous vide cook time.

  • 1/2-inch steaks = 30 minutes
  • 3/4-inch steaks = 45 minutes
  • 1-inch steaks = 60 minutes
  • 1 1/2-inch steaks = 90 minutes
  • 2-inch steaks = 120 minutes

After your cook time is up, you can leave your steaks in the water bath for up to 2 hours without overcooking the food.

If you have a Joule Sous Vide like I do, you’ll set your thickness and doneness right in the Joule app.

Steak cooking Sous Vide

Step #4 – Preheat the Water then Submerge the Steaks

The photo above is my sous vide set up.

I use a large stainless steel stockpot with my Joule Sous Vide immersion circulator.

Some people may prefer to use a plastic bin for their sous vide cooking, but I like to use a stockpot because it can do double-duty in the kitchen.

Fill your stockpot or plastic bin about 3/4 full of water.

You can fill it with warm water from the tap to save on preheating time!

Then clip your sous vide immersion circulator to the side of the pot.

Joule Sous Vide screen image
Yes, my Joule’s name is “Julia”. Don’t ask.

Step #5 – Set the Timer and Let It Cook

The Joule app will show you the temperature of the water, to a tenth of a degree.

That’s the beauty of sous vide cooking.

You always know precisely what temperature your food is cooking at so you will always know when your food is done.

After you put in your steaks, be sure to set the cook timer so that you can keep track of your steaks.

The Joule will let you know what your steaks are cooked to your programmed doneness.

Sous Vide Steaks before Searing

Step #6 – Sear Your Steaks

After your steaks reach temperature, it’s time to take them out of the bag and sear them.

I like to use a cast iron skillet, but any heavy skillet will do.

Let the skillet heat on the stovetop until it’s screaming hot then add a pat of butter (about 1 Tbsp) and put your steaks in the pan.

If all steaks will not fit in the pan at one time, you will have to sear them in batches.

Let each side of the steak sear for about a minute then turn over with a pair of tongs.

Sous Vide Steak

Enjoy!

Sous Vide Steak is great served with Instant Pot Baked Potatoes and Air Fryer Corn on the Cob or maybe a side salad.

The Joule sous vide cooker makes it easy to have steak any night of the week.

Sous Vide Steak

Q & A – Can you cook a frozen steak sous vide?

YES! You’ll cook at the same temperature based on your desired doneness, but a frozen steak will take longer.

Here’s a chart with the cook times for frozen steaks.

  • 1/2-inch steaks from frozen = 45 minutes
  • 3/4-inch steaks from frozen = 70 minutes
  • 1-inch steaks from frozen = 90 minutes
  • 1 1/2-inch steaks from frozen = 135 minutes
  • 2-inch steaks from frozen = 180 minutes
Sous VIde New York Strip Steak

Pin the Sous Vide Steak image below to your Sous Vide or steak boards!

Sous Vide Steak
Sous VIde New York Strip Steak

Sous Vide Steak

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Sous Vide Steak is a great beginner sous vide recipe. If you follow these step-by-step instructions, you'll cook a wonderful steak cooked precisely to temperature each and every time. 

Ingredients

  • 2-4 New York Strip Steaks
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil
  • butter, for searing

Instructions

  1. Fill stockpot or sous vide container 3/4 full of water. Place on heat-proof surface and add immersion circulator. 
  2. Heat water to temperature based on your preferred doneness for your steak. (126 degrees F = rare, 129 degrees F = medium-rare, 133 degrees F = medium, 140 degrees F = medium-well, 147 degrees F = well done).
  3. While water is heating, season steaks and place them in a single layer in a 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag. (For three steaks, I placed two steaks in one bag and one steak in another bag.) Add a drizzle of olive oil. 
  4. When water is heated, lower each bag into the water making sure the meat is fully submerged. Fold top of bag over the side of the stockpot. Clip bag to the side, if needed.
  5. Set timer for cook time. Cook time depends on thickness of your steak (1/2-inch = 30 minutes, 1-inch = 60 minutes, 1 1/2-inches = 90 minutes). 
  6. After cook time is finished, remove bags from sous vide and remove steaks from bag. Preheat heavy skillet over high heat. Place 1 Tbsp butter or olive oil in skillet then sear steaks 1 minute on each side. 
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

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