What if I told you the secret to cooking steak perfectly every single time relied on the temperature of water and not the temperature of a grill, would you believe me? If you have ever watched a cooking competition on the Food Network or ordered a steak in a high end restaurant, you have likely already been exposed to sous vide cooking without even knowing it. Sous vides are often used to cook a perfect steak with just a quick sear in a cast iron skillet. So let me show you how to make a perfectly cooked medium-rare steak using the sous vide method. Trust me, this will completely change the way you think about cooking steak and will become your go-to method for a juicy steak! Full recipe card below!

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What is a Sous Vide Machine?

A sous vide is a method of cooking where the food is cooked by submerging it in a water bath. Sous vide cooking is very popular among chefs because of its precision in cooking to the perfect temperature eliminating over cooking. This is why sous vide steaks are very common in the culinary world. They eliminate human error which is frequently the cause of tasteless over cooked steaks using traditional methods.

The sous vide gadget is long and cylindrical and almost resembles a stick blender but functions very differently. It attaches to the edge of your cooking container and heats up the water maintaining a constant temperature.

I have the Anova Sous Vide that I clip onto the side of a large pot. You can also order a sous vide container, but unless you are cooking a lot at once, I don’t think it is really necessary and it’s just another thing to store.

How to Use a Sous Vide

In my opinion the easiest way to use the sous vide is to download the app and go from there. When you are ready to start cooking, you fill up your cooking container with warm water and attach the sous vide to the edge. Power it on and open the app. Select the item you wish to make and set the temperature.

For submerging the meat you will need to place each piece in sealed bags for which there are two options. You can use a vacuum-sealed bag or you can use a Ziplock bag. I often use a Ziplock freezer bag for smaller items like chicken, but for a larger cut of meat like this, I think it is easier to use a vacuum sealer.

If you decide to use a plastic bag instead, make sure you get all the air out before you seal it and submerge it in the water. The best way to do this is to use the water displacement method. With the bag mostly sealed, slowly lower the bag into the water and as the water starts to cover the meat it will become easier to push the air out with your hands and seal the bag. I recommend doing this before the water is all the way heated so you don’t burn yourself.

Once the steaks are in the bags and the water has reached its cooking temperature, drop the sous vide bags in and use a clothes pin to secure the bag to the side of the pot so they don’t float. You want the entire steak to be submerged in the water.

Technically you can eat your steak as is when it comes out of the sous vide, however it will not look all that appetizing. It will not have a nice brown sear coming out of the water bath. That comes from a hot pan. This is what they look like after cooking in only the sous vide.

For best results, after the time on the steak sous vide has ended, give the steak a quick sear in a hot skillet on the stovetop with some butter, garlic cloves, and fresh herbs. I recommend using a stainless steal pan or a cast iron skillet. This will give you a nice crust like you are used to seeing at the best steakhouses.

What Temperature to Use?

What temperature you cook your steak at will depend on how you like it cooked. The temperature on the sous vide will be the ending internal temperature of the meat after the cooking process. The temperature range for a medium rare steak is 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit while 135-140 is closer to medium. I like to set mine a little bit lower than the range since this is just the initial cooking time and it will be cooked a little more on the stovetop. So you want to give yourself a little room so you don’t push it past your desired temperature. For that reason I think 128-129 is best for medium rare steak that will sear in the pan too.

Cook Time

I cook steak in the sous vide for an hour. Technically you can let the steaks sit in the water bath even once they are done and they will remain at the exact temperature set and will not become over cooked. But the longer they sit in the water the more the connective tissue breaks down and the texture of the steak changes. For that reason I don’t leave them sitting for too long but if I am in the middle of making a side, twenty minutes won’t hurt it.

The Stovetop Sear

As I mentioned above, this step is critical in achieving a nice crust on the outside of the steak. For this step the pan needs to be very hot and the steak needs to be dried off or the steak will not get crusty. Use paper towels to pat the steak dry then heat up a pan up with vegetable oil or avocado oil. Do not use olive oil for this part. The smoke point of olive oil is too low and you will likely have to open the windows to avoid setting off your fire alarm. Sprinkle a little water on the pan with your fingers. When the water droplets sizzle and dance, the pan is ready.

Add one steak, a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, and the garlic cloves from the bag to the pan. Flip the steak after 2 minutes and add a tablespoon of butter to the pan. It should melt very quickly. Tilt the pan to pool the butter and use a spoon to baste the steak with the melted butter. Only sear each side for 2 minutes to avoid pushing the steak past medium rare.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This makes the juiciest steak with so much flavor! I made it for my mom who is a big meat eater and she said it was the best steak she had ever had. And now that we are so spoiled with good steak at home, we rarely order steak at a restaurant because we are often disappointed. For the cost of one ribeye out you can have your own sous vide and many tasty steaks! Bonus, it keeps the oven free for side dishes.

Ingredients

Trust me on these ingredients for the best homemade sous vide steak recipe! While this recipe only requires a few ingredients, they will give you the best results for a juicy and tender steak that needs no sauce at all.

Ribeye Steaks – Ribeye steaks are often at the top of the list when it comes to steaks both in price and taste. Ribeyes are a fattier cut of steak that comes from an area of the cow that is naturally tender making them a highly sought after cut. Unfortunately, this region of the cow is also limited in area making them more exclusive and more expensive. Every few months my local grocery store runs a special on ribeye steaks that actually makes these a reasonable price and I stock up.

While you can use any cut you want, the results will vary a bit with leaner steaks. You can definitely sous vide filet mignon or tenderloin steaks, but may need to add a little extra seasoning since they tend to have less flavor since they are leaner. For a similar beefy flavor to a ribeye I would use a New York strip steak. You can use fresh steak or frozen if you are like me and have a deep freezer full of vacuum sealed meat. Just make sure you thaw your steak fully in the fridge before cooking.

Garlic – When I cook I almost always use jarred garlic because it’s easy and keeps a long time in the fridge, however, in this recipe I think whole garlic cloves work better. I add three cloves of garlic to each sous vide bag and transfer them to the pan for the sear. There is no need to chop them up, just peel them and add them to the bag. The garlic will flavor the steak as it cooks in the sous vide.

Thyme – Thyme is an aromatic herb with sweet and savory notes that add a depth of flavor and element of freshness to a steak. When using fresh thyme there are frequently notes of mint, lemon, and pepper. I used fresh sprigs for the sear and dried thyme for the sous vide.

Rosemary – Rosemary sprigs add a floral and woodsy flavor. Like thyme, rosemary is an aromatic herb with floral and pine notes that pair very well with meats. It adds a bold depth of flavor and element of earthiness to a steak. I used fresh sprigs of rosemary for the sear and dried for the sous vide.

Olive Oil – I use olive oil in the sous vide bags to coat the steaks along with fresh seasonings.

Salt & Pepper – Like all dishes a little salt and pepper goes a long way. I add some of both to each sous vide bag to season the steak while it cooks.

Avocado Oil – I use avocado oil or vegetable oil for the sear. As I mentioned above, avocado oil has a higher smoke point (the point at which oil begins to smoke) so it is a better option when cooking at a higher temperature like you need for searing.

Butter – I use butter in the sear to baste the steak. This adds a rich flavor. I do not recommend substituting this for margarine because it will not taste the same.

* Note to my readers. I strive to bring home cooks reliable recipes you can count on. Every recipe on this site is tested and made by me personally in my own kitchen and given to my harshest recipe tester critics for invaluable feedback. This site does not review its own recipes or participate in paid reviews nor does it purchase recipes and photos from third parties. Photos are taken of each recipe and not artificially generated. All reviews are real trustworthy reviews and if you make a recipe and have feedback, please feel free to contact me.

Storage

In the event you have leftover steak, place steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When to Sous Vide Ribeye Steak

I don’t know about you, but this is definitely a special treat meal that doesn’t happen all the time. But when it does I am in heaven! It’s perfect for celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries, mother’s day, or father’s day when eating out isn’t in the budget. For the price of two ribeye steaks at a high end restaurant you could buy a sous vide and feed a family of four! But honestly you can make these anytime you want a high end steak dinner. No matter when you decide to make them, these will definitely become a household favorite!

Looking for sides to go with your steak? Try my corn casserole recipe without sour cream, chunky potato soup, parmesan garlic fries, homemade sweet bread, or white cheddar shells macaroni and cheese.

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