The Steak Cooking Method For The Perfect Temperature Every Time

One of the best-kept secrets for perfectly cooked meat is still the humble sous vide. For the uninitiated, a "sous vide" is an instrument that heats a water bath and maintains that temperature precisely for the required cooking time and beyond. All while your vacuum-sealed protein or veggies cook perfectly, surrounded evenly by liquid. 

This term "sous vide" translates in French to "under vacuum." Cooking your meat with the sous vide method eliminates the harsh direct contact of, say, a pan over flames, which can overcook the meat if you aren't paying attention. This means the sous vide method has unmatched tenderness, and frankly, it's kind of easier. You're able to work on other tasks in the kitchen, all while the meat is cooking in its own juices. There aren't many other situations in which you can relax and chop up some veggies or work on a side dish while you have a steak cooking. You can cook it to the perfect temp that you set on the sous vide's digital thermometer. Considering it takes about two to three hours to cook a steak to medium-rare temp, it's one of the best low and slow methods in existence. 

It may sound fancy, and you may not know it, but you've probably had a steak or other meat cooked in a sous vide. Restaurants use them worldwide. In fact, you can even make incredible mashed potatoes using this method. A sous vide is truly worth it. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind. 

When you cook a steak with a sous vide, the meat will be perfectly cooked to temp, but the cut will look undercooked and extremely unappetizing. That's just what it looks like when you essentially boil meat in water, even if it's protected by a vacuum-sealed bag. But if you set your sous vide to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, cut into it, you'll see it's cooked perfectly. It's just missing that crunchy texture from the sear, the rendered fat, and caramelization that brings out the flavors in the Maillard reaction. This is also why your sous vide is your grill's best friend, and a secret weapon in the kitchen. 

So, if you're looking to cook the perfect steak, consider getting a sous vide. Put some butter, salt, seasoning, aromatics, and a few sprigs of rosemary or herb of your choice in the bag, then set your sous vide to about 130 degrees Fahrenheit, just a few degrees below the temp of a medium-rare steak at 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook it to temp, then pull the bag with some tongs, open it with scissors, pat it dry, sprinkle a little more salt so you can develop your seared crust, and throw that bad boy on a ripping hot pan waiting with a splash of butter or oil, just like you would normally cook a steak. Give it a sear for about 30 seconds at a time, or until your crust preference. Congrats, you just made a perfect steak, and it was so easy.