How Long to Sous Vide Steak?

The most important thing to do when cooking a steak is to make sure the temperature and doneness are correct.

The precise temperature control is provided by the sous-vide machine, which can be used to prepare steak, medium, or well-done steak.

If you love juicy and tender steak, you will like medium-rare doneness so you need to set the sous to video temperature to 130F (54C).

At this temperature, the steak’s muscle fibers start to contract, but there is a lot of red meat which holds the juice.

It is possible to cook a medium steak with slightly more fiber to 140F (60C), although it is slightly less juicy.

Why is it important to Sous Vide a steak?

sous-vide-prep

It’s a French word for cooking under a vacuum. This method involves vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it for a long time in a water bath.

The biggest challenge for cooking steak is that the meat often comes out over or undercooked, and the edges are always cooked more than the middle.

But with the sous-vide method, you can set the exact temperature, and get the desired texture with even doneness.

See also: Best Sous Vide Vacuum Sealers

Temperature and Time charts of different Sous Vide steaks

You need to decide what internal temperature you want to cook the steak at before you start cooking.

It is a good idea to cook most tender cuts to a temperature of around 130F (54C) to 140F (60C). Depending on your preference, you can either go up or down the degree.

Tenderloin

Steak DonenessSous Vide TemperatureCooking Time
Rare (cool red center)125°F (52°C)45 minutes to 2 hours
Medium-rare (warm red center)130°F (54°C) 45 minutes to 3 hours
Medium (warm pink center)140°F (60°C)45 minutes to 3 hours
Medium-well (slightly pink center)150°F (66°C)45 minutes to 3 ½ hours
Well-done (little or no pink)160°F (71°C)1 to 3 hours

Other Tender Cuts Such As Ribeye, Sirloin, Strip, T-Bone And Porterhouse

Steak DonenessSous Vide TemperatureCooking Time
Rare125°F (52°C)1 to 2 hours
Medium-rare130°F (54°C) 1 to 3 hours
Medium140°F (60°C)1 to 3 hours 
Medium-well150°F (66°C)1 to 3 ½ hours
Well-done160°F (71°C)1 to 3 hours

Skirt and Flank Steak

Steak DonenessSous Vide TemperatureCooking Time
Rare125°F (52°C)2 to 3 hours
Medium-rare130°F (54°C) 2 to 4 hours
Medium140°F (60°C)2 to 4 hours 
Medium-well150°F (66°C)2 to 3 hours
Well-done160°F (71°C)2 to 3 hours

Cooking a Sous Vide Steak

  • When the steak is ready, place it in a zip-lock bag and season it with salt and pepper and your favorite seasonings.
  • The bag should be vacuum-sealed using the water displacement technique.
  • Set the temperature according to the charts mentioned above.
  • Remove the bag from the water when the steak is done cooking and put it in the refrigerator.
  • If you want to cook it, chill it for 10 minutes and then grill or sear it for 1 minute per side, just to make it taste better.
  • If you want to serve your steak with your favorite sauce, slice it thinly against the grain.

FAQ

How long to Sous Vide Steak?

For a medium-rare steak, you can leave it in the water bath for as long as 3 hours, but a 1-inch tender steak cut should be cooked in the water bath for about an hour.

Adding more cooking time is necessary if you have a thicker steak. The cooking time guide and temperature on time charts for other types of steak are mentioned above.

How long does it take to Sous Vide Frozen steak?

Add extra thirty minutes to your cooking time if you are cooking a frozen steak.

Can you overcook steak in sous vide?

It’s not possible to overcook steak in the sous-vide, so cooking it longer than the suggested time range will cause it to be mushy.

Sous Vide steak recipe

Here is one of the delicious Sous Vide recipes you can try at your home. Check it out.

Ingredients Needed

  • 1 pound steak sirloin, ribeye, strip, t-bone, or porterhouse
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 2 cloves garlic minced 2 teaspoons
  • fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary optional

Steps to follow

  • Season the steak by rubbing oil on all sides of the steak.
  • Also season the steak with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and other optional herbs.
  • Add water to the container and set the Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 135F/56C if you want medium doneness.
  • You can see the charts if you want to cook it more or less.
  • Place the seasoned steak in a zip-lock bag.
  • Seal all but one corner of the bag and put it in a container with water. The zip-line has to be covered by water. Seal the rest of the bag.
  • Put the bag into the water bath. Make sure it is submerged.
  • Cook for 1 hour if you are using a 1-inch steak. It takes 1.5 hours for 1.5 inches, and 2 hours for 2 inches.
  • Remove the bag from the water bath and transfer the steak to the fridge or freezer.
  • Let it chill for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the steak from the bag and use paper towels to wipe off the moisture.
  • If necessary, add salt and pepper.
  • Place the skillet on the stove.
  • Add the remaining olive oil.
  • Once hot, sear the steak for about 1 minute per side.
  • Cut against the grain and serve with vegetables.

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