Sous Vide Steaks for large group

Woody

I have a family event this weekend and wanted to grill up some steaks.  Will have a number of people wanting medium and others medium rare.  Will be running to/from kids sporting events and would like to throw the steaks in my Joule ahead of time so I can start remotely.  This will also allow a quick sear to complete the multitude of steaks in a shorter amount of time.

My question to the group is:
Would it seem reasonable to launch Joule at the Medium temperature for an hour with only those steaks planned for Medium in the bath for the first hour and then add the Medium Rare steaks into the bath reducing the temp to Medium Rare scale and leaving all steaks in for an additional hour?

blind99

This sounds really complicated.  Especially Since someone has to be there to throw the second batch of steaks in. I would just throw them all in the sous vide together at whatever lower temp you like, say 133. Sear the batch you want more well done first and move them to a cooler side of the grill and sear the second batch. 

If you end up doing the remote start I'll be interested to know how long it takes to go from ice water to final temp. 

20stone

blind99 said:

This sounds really complicated.  Especially Since someone has to be there to throw the second batch of steaks in. I would just throw them all in the sous vide together at whatever lower temp you like, say 133. Sear the batch you want more well done first and move them to a cooler side of the grill and sear the second batch. 

If you end up doing the remote start I'll be interested to know how long it takes to go from ice water to final temp. 

+1 on this.  I'd make up the difference in final temp on the grill.

Photo Egg

How many steaks are you planning on cooking? What kind?

johnnyp

Finishing for longer on the grill will work. 

Alternatively, you can cook them well in advance using the shock, then sear method.  Cook in two batches to the required doneness, remove from the hot water bath and plunge into an ice water bath to immediately stop the cooking and get the temp below the danger zone. Refrigerate and then sear them as if you were cooking them from raw.  They are already done, you just need to sear both sides and warm

fishlessman

i have not done this yet but thers more options. you could sear then sous vide to done day before, fridge it, warm it back up at a low temp for an hour in the vide to a lower temp, then hit it on a hot grill or skillet. would make the day of easier.   has anyone done this, ive only heard of this......the presear and final sear is supposed to make the cook even more uniform

FATC1TY

I'd cook them all to 120. Toss in fridge and then season and sear when needed to final temps. 

westernbbq

Err on the side of med rare....

Photo Egg

FATC1TY said:

I'd cook them all to 120. Toss in fridge and then season and sear when needed to final temps. 

Then you still have to check the internal temp of each steak to make sure it's not cold in the center and worry about loosing the nice Medium, Medium Rare area that you get with Sous Vide. This would be almost like starting over?

Woody

Thanks for all the tips.  I think I will try the heat to 133, sear the Medium steaks first and leave in the egg to continue cooking while searing the medium rare steaks.
As for being around for the drop of the second steaks, I may be there preparing the rest of the dinner at that time.  But like the simplification of one temp.  

The plan is to do about 9 strip steaks.

Foghorn

By the time you rest and sear you're "medium rare" steaks could be 140+.

I'd probably go for a little lower temp.

I've been chastised by my wife for overcooking on more than one occasion.