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Sous Vide vs. Egg Reverse Sear

500
500 Posts: 3,184
edited February 2020 in EggHead Forum
I have some prime sirloin steaks from Sam’s Club. I’m new to Sous Vide and not convinced it’s better to cook Sous Vide for an hour at 125* then dear on the Egg vs. a 300* indirect cook then reverse sear all on the Egg. When I’ve had Sous Vide steak, it was tender but pretty bland. It didn’t pick up any grill wood smoke flavor to me. Convince me otherwise. 
I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
Member since 2009
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Comments

  • unoriginalusername
    unoriginalusername Posts: 1,146
    It’s handy in some situations and I will give it the beauty contest for band to band doneness but it doesn’t taste better that a great reverse sear in my opinion. 

    Sv



    Reverse sear 

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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Comparing the two is about timing and convenience. I’ll do a sous vide steak when I have company but we are doing things that might influence when we eat supper. Maybe we are out hunting/fishing and not sure when we’ll eat. Maybe we are playing games with the kids and having appetizers - and I know they’ll not be ready to eat when I say so...

    I believe reverse sear is the best way to cook a steak - but it’s ready when it’s ready. So if I have a situation that’s all about the food - and they are ready to eat when the steaks are ready - I’ll cook reverse sear. 

    Both deliver a quality steak. You just can’t get smoke on the sous vide steak other than while it is searing. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • Cire69
    Cire69 Posts: 12
    Try sous vide the day before, chill, then smoke to temp the next day and sear...best of both worlds.
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  • phil28
    phil28 Posts: 42
    I sous vide my first steaks (Costco prime sirloins) this week. Bought a SV heater on sale at Monoprice for $48. SV'd to 135F for 3 hrs then seared over charcoal in a chimney sitting on the BGE. In the past I've always just used the BGE. While the Sous Vide steak was more tender and very consistently medium rare throughout, the sear was not enough to impart that wonderful crust and smokey taste I get using the BGE. Maybe I need to sear differently, but so far nothing has compared with the BGE. On the BGE I usually cook to 115 at about 300-350, remove the steak and crank up the temp, then sear. 
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    Are you guys goin heavy on smoke during the roast phase of RS?   
      I’ve found that a good cut will be the best if cooked hot and fast. Low rent steaks are better SV’d for 2-3 hrs then seared hot but without flames just killing the meat.  I like crusty but not crazy charred 

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Sous Vide vs. Egg Reverse Sear

    Sous vide then searing is reverse searing.  Just using a different device for the low heat stage of the process. The low heat stage is all about cooking the interior to an even level of doneness. SV, BGE, Weber, oven doesn’t really matter - the interior will taste the same.  Cooking over a live fire with some wood can add a smoke taste if that is what you like for your steak. The sear portion brings the flavorful crust.

    For me, the end result between using SV or the BGE for the low temp portion of reverse sear is not significant. SV does bring a lot of flexibility in timing. SV also makes it easier to hit a target temp.


    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,174


    This is is a reverse seared ribeye finished caveman style.  I’m happy with that.
    Flint, Michigan
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  • JethroBodeen
    JethroBodeen Posts: 526
    I'm thankful to have gotten to borrow a SV machine. It is not something that I am remotely fond of. Perfect doneness is where it ends with me. But, I also dont own an IP or air fryer etc...
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  • llrickman
    llrickman Posts: 654
    I like to Sous Vide a good steak the sear it caveman on the egg directly on the coals. seems to impart more of that smoke flavor
    2 LBGE
    Digi Q
    green Thermapen
    AR

    Albuquerque, NM
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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
    edited March 2020

    Sirloin strips sv 2hrs at 129 and cowboy sear. Best sirloin I’ve ever had.

    for ribeyes and ny strips will still reverse sear but sv takes the cheaper cuts up a few notches *for sure!
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited March 2020
    500 said:
    I have some prime sirloin steaks from Sam’s Club. I’m new to Sous Vide and not convinced it’s better to cook Sous Vide for an hour at 125* then dear on the Egg vs. a 300* indirect cook then reverse sear all on the Egg. When I’ve had Sous Vide steak, it was tender but pretty bland. It didn’t pick up any grill wood smoke flavor to me. Convince me otherwise. 
    You are not wrong. A properly executed reverse sear is just as good or better...sous vide is just easier. 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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