Sous Vide Steaks - Just some very good info

nolaegghead · November 2012

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/how-to-sous-vide-steak.html

I like this article because it's based on blind tests, not on what "seems" like it should work best.

Anyway, here's what I got out of it.

For sous vide steaks, 130F (medium rare, round abouts) results in the best flavor because (and I'll put quotes around text from the article)

Cook temp:
"130°F (medium-rare): The meat has begun to turn pink, and is significantly firmer. Moisture loss is still minimal, at around 4%. Intramuscular fat has begun to render, which not only lubricates the meat, making it taste juicier and more tender, but it also delivers fat-soluble flavor compounds to the tongue and palate—beef at this temperature tastes significantly "beefier" than beef at 120°F. When tasted blind, even self-proclaimed rare meat lovers preferred this one, making it the most popular selection."

Searing:
"Conclusion: Don't bother with the pre-sear—you develop plenty of flavor with just the single, post-water bath sear."

Adding aromatics:
"Conclusion: Aromatics are fine, but leave out the butter if you want to maximize their flavor."

Additionally:
"The really expensive cuts of beef—NY strip, rib eye, Porterhouse, T-bone, Filet (tenderloin)—have historically been prized for their extreme tenderness, not particularly for their flavor. On the other hand, more flavorful cuts like hanger, blade, or flatiron steak are much more difficult to cook correctly—even a tad over or undercooked, and you're left with a tough, stringy, chewy mess. But cooked properly, they can be every bit as tender as the more expensive cuts, and with more flavor to boot!

That's why those cuts are commonly referred to as "chef" cuts or "restaurant" cuts—chefs love them because they are cheap, and with proper preparation, delicious.

Well, with a sous-vide cooker, anyone can properly cook those tricky chef cuts.

"

Skiddymarker · November 2012

OK, that's it. I am officially filtering your posts out and I am going to join the group that disagrees and trolls you for everything.... maybe Little Steven too... and Village Idiot.... damn there are too many of you who keep pointing out to me just how unhappy I am.

Looks great, thanks for sharing the info, as always - good stuff.

>-)

nolaegghead · November 2012

thanks, skiddy - I sort of have to get into it or I'll be unhappy - I'm out $650 on the equipment!

billyray · November 2012

@nolaegghead Well I'm all in with sous vide. I got the same unit you have. Got it from a guy in Canada who only used it 4 times. It is in the box with all the related materials. I bought 2 of the cambro tubs and lids from Polyscience. I'm keeping one at my residence and the other is going to our vacation home. I'll bring the cooking back and forth.

I have two questions, on the cooking times that give a wide range of time, do you use the shorter time or the longer one, or somewhere in between? Have you ever done a prime rib roast? I want to do one for Christmas about 8 lbs.? Any tips on this cook.

Thanks, Bill

nolaegghead · November 2012

I'm pretty new to it too. If there's a time range - that's the optimal range. If you're cooking something thicker than normal, you'll need more time to ensure you food reached the target temp throughout. Polyscience makes a membrane gasket like tape that you can stab the meat without breaking the vacuum.

Eventually too much time starts to have a negative effect - food with enzymes (meats) can get mushy tender.

I have not done a rib roast yet. My first sous vide cooker was home-made and was really small. It's gonna be something like 125-130 F for several hours. Read up on the safety sections, because there's also a max time limit if you're cooking low for safety reasons.

Little Steven · November 2012

Nola,

When are you doing a brisket flat? Need the info.

nolaegghead · November 2012

LS - Soon...soon. 167 for 18 hours, then onto the egg with a rub.

Little Steven · November 2012

Can't wait dude. Pork belly is my first one but brisket will be second.

nolaegghead · November 2012

So you got your SV unit in?

nolaegghead · November 2012

I have some spare ribs I that I thawed out almost a week ago I need to cook. I think I'm gonna throw them in the SV tonight and see what happens.

Little Steven · November 2012

No, It's my Christmas present. Just makin' notes right now.

nolaegghead · November 2012

Sweet. Just got a huge box of foodsaver rolls. SWMBO found them on sale. How fortuitous (evil laughter)

Little Steven · November 2012

I go to a foodsaver repair depot. Way cheaper than costco.

Lit · November 2012

Costco had the box of foodsaver rolls and bags on sale for $8 off last month. I now have like 10 rolls and I dont even know how many bags for $60.

njl · November 2012

I just bought the foodsaver at costco...thinking I could use it for freezing steaks longer without freezer burn and maybe some hot tubbing without worrying about the ziplock bag leaking. Haven't opened the box yet. Is the one they sell a reasonable deal?

U_tarded · November 2012

its the one I have, its solid, kinda wasteful on the rolls because it takes about 2 inches of the food saver bag on each end to seal it.

nolaegghead · November 2012

U_tarded said:

its the one I have, its solid, kinda wasteful on the rolls because it takes about 2 inches of the food saver bag on each end to seal it.

We had a greedy foodsaver. Hated it. Now we have a cheaper model the we love. Can seal with no vacuum. On the very edge.

njl · November 2012

I haven't even opened the one from Costco yet. If there's a better cheaper one, where? This one's definitely returnable.

Village Idiot · November 2012

Thanks, Nola ! It's time to break out my Sous Vide machine again after my disasterous roast.

billyray · November 2012

Village Idiot said:

Thanks, Nola ! It's time to break out my Sous Vide machine again after my disasterous roast.

Gary, what happened with your roast, I don't want to make any mistakes with the rib roast I'm going to do.

Lit · November 2012

I like my costco foodsaver. You might waste an inch or so on each side but it also has the ability to seal fars, marinate food if you buy the marinator container, it has the pulse mode so you can seal liquids and you get like 80' of bag and then premade bags at Costco for under $40.

Village Idiot · November 2012

billyray said:

Village Idiot said:

Thanks, Nola ! It's time to break out my Sous Vide machine again after my disasterous roast.
Gary, what happened with your roast, I don't want to make any mistakes with the rib roast I'm going to do.

BillyRay,

I'm not sure. I left it in the bath for about 4 days. When I cut the wrap, it was the most rotten smell I've ever smelled. I can STILL smell it in my memory. I'm thinking there was some bacteria already active when I sealed it, and it multiplied while in the bath.

I had made one roast before, and it was wonderful. I think it's time to get back in the saddle after being thrown.

nolaegghead · November 2012

VI - any chance you were below 131F?

From wiki:

"Generally speaking, food that is heated and served within four hours is considered safe, but meat that is cooked for longer to tenderize must reach a temperature of at least 55 °C (131 °F) within four hours and then be kept there, in order to pasteurize the meat."

Village Idiot · November 2012

nolaegghead said:

VI - any chance you were below 131F?

Possible. I'm sure I was close to that.

nolaegghead · November 2012

There's fine line between incubation and pasteurization, and if you're near that line, all kinds of things can fail to sway you to the dark side of that equation - temp off a couple degrees high, bad circulation, etc.

Village Idiot · November 2012

I've got two flat iron steaks defrosting in the fridge that I bought today (not easy to find). Friday, I'll put them in the sous vide. Thanks, Nola !

paqman · November 2012

A roast with a 5 inches diameter in a 131F water bath will reach a 125.3F core temperature after 6 hours and will NOT be pasteurized to core. It is potentially dangerous if the core of the food is not pasteurized within 6 hours.

The same roast in a140F water bath will reach aproximately 135F after 6 hours and will be pasteurized to core. In theory, the water temperature could then be reduced to 135F or lower (not below 126F) for up to 72hours.

Source = Polyscience sous vide toolbox iphone app (which is the same as sous vide dash). I believe the app is based on the tables published by Douglas Baldwin.

http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html

It might be a better idea to slice the roast in steak size pieces...

nolaegghead · November 2012

paqman said:

A roast with a 5 inches diameter in a 131F water bath will reach a 125.3F core temperature after 6 hours and will NOT be pasteurized to core. It is potentially dangerous if the core of the food is not pasteurized within 6 hours.

The same roast in a140F water bath will reach aproximately 135F after 6 hours and will be pasteurized to core. In theory, the water temperature could then be reduced to 135F or lower (not below 126F) for up to 72hours.

Source = Polyscience sous vide toolbox iphone app (which is the same as sous vide dash). I believe the app is based on the tables published by Douglas Baldwin.

http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html

It might be a better idea to slice the roast in steak size pieces...

That's a good point. I think standing rib roast doesn't necessarily benefit from sous vide as a large roast - it's comes out well and moist cooking at low temps in an oven. The chef's cuts - short ribs, hanger, chuck - stuff with lots of connective tissue and collagen that dry out in an oven are the candidate cuts where sous vide make a remarkable difference. Individual steaks also benefit.

Village Idiot · November 2012

That makes a lot of sense, paqman, and I bet that was my problem. Lesson learned !!!

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Sous Vide Steaks - Just some very good info

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