Sous Vide Steak (2024)

Since learning how to sous vide steak years ago, it’s the ONLY way we cook it at my house. My husband is literally obsessed with cooking his steak perfectly medium rare and there is no other way to get that precision. Sous vide steak is truly the best way to cook steak because you can set your sous vide water bath to an exact temperature to make sure the entire steak is perfectly cooked (not just the center!).

Why sous vide steak?

When I tell you that using your sous vide to cook steak is the very best way, I am not joking. We use this method at my house every time we cook steak (– even before searing on the grill so that you can really manipulate the doneness. Set your water bath to an exact temperature to make sure the entire steak is perfectly cooked. Is your water bath 130ºF? Then the entire steak will be 130ºF, not just the inside!

What kind of steak is best for sous vide?

There are many different cuts of steak you can use for this sous vide steak recipe. We tested this recipe using: 1/2 lb. New York strip steak, 3/4 lb. ribeye steak, and a 1 lb. t-bone steak, and they all turned out delicious

Our favorite was the New York strip steak because it turned out so juicy and tender and this is what we photographed.

Here are other cuts of steak you can use:

• Ribeye
• Skirt
• T-Bone
• Porterhouse

Ingredients You Need

You only need a few ingredients before you add your steak to the sous vide. Here is everything you need.

• New York strip steak- we used New York strip for this sous vide steak recipe, but you can use any cut of steak. Just be sure the steak is at least 1 inch thick!
• Coarse sea salt + black pepper– you salt your steak before you place it in the sous vide. Be sure you use both coarse salt and pepper rather than finely ground.
• Fresh herbs- we used a combination of rosemary, thyme, and oregano for this recipe. You can use one or all of these herbs. You add herbs to the sous vide bag and it slowly adds herby flavor to the steak.
• Butter– don’t forget to add the butter to the sous vide bag before you add it to the sous vide. The butter melts in the sous vide and adds delicious butter flavor to the steak.
• Olive oil– the olive oil is for post sous vide when you sear your steak to brown the outside. Feel free to sub the olive oil for more butter.

Containers You Can Use for Sous Vide Steak

There are many different types of containers you can use for sous vide steak. We’ve tried lots of different options and you can use what you have. My go-to is a large pot, but you just need to make sure that you steak can be fully submerged with water.

• Large pot
• 12 qt. plastic bin
• Small cooler
• Kitchen sink

What is the best sous vide steak temp?

The sous vide temperature all depends on how you like your steak. Set the sous vide about 5 degrees lower than you want the internal temperature to be because once the cooking time is over, you sear or grill the steak for a nice and crispy outside.

• Rare-130ºF
• Medium Rare-140ºF
• Medium-155ºF
• Well Done-165ºF

Our recommendation is to set the sous to vide to 130ºF because after searing for 1 minute on each side, the internal temperature will be about 140ºF which is medium-rare.

How to Sous Vide Steak

1. First, fill a large container with water and attach the sous vide to the container. Set the sous vide to 130ºF and let the water come to temperature.
2. Salt and pepper the steak and let the steak sit for 10-15 minutes. Then place the steak into a stasher bag, Ziploc, or food saver bag with butter and herbs.
3. Place steak into the sous vide and let it sous vide for at LEAST 2 hours. You can leave it in the water for up to 4 hours.
4. Remove steak from the sous vide, discard liquid in the bag, and set steak aside on a plate.
5. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. When olive oil is fragrant, add steak to the pan and sear for one minute on each side.
6. Remove from heat and let the steak sit for 10 minutes. Serve with chimichurri and enjoy!

Check it out!

Guide to Sous Vide Cooking

Want to learn more about sous vide cooking? Check out our Guide to Sous Vide where we’re sharing everything we know about precision cooking!

How long to sous vide steak?

We recommend cooking steak sous vide for 2 hours for maximum tenderness, however, you can cook it for up to 4 hours.

Can you overcook steak sous vide?

Technically you can not overcook steak in the sous vide as it will sit in the same temperature of water for however long you leave it.

However, if you let your steak sit for longer than 4 hours, the tendons will begin to break down and it will no longer have that fabulous chew you crave with steak. It will be more shredded-like.

Sear your steak before serving!

While you can eat your steak straight out of the water bath, we recommend searing before serving so that the outside is nice and crispy.

On the stovetop

We love to use a cast iron skillet to sear our steaks. It gets hot really fast and leaves the perfect amount of char on the steak.

Add olive oil or butter to the cast iron skillet. Once the oil or butter has melted and is fragrant and the steak to the pan and cook for one minute on each side. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before eating.

On the grill

You can also grill your steaks once they are cooked. Preheat your grill to 450ºF and sear for one minute on each side over direct heat. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before eating.

What to Serve with Sous Vide Steak

Grilled Carrots– Thesegrilled carrotsare sweet and savory, perfectly cooked, and full of amazing flavor! Throw these grilled carrots on the grill and serve them alongside any of your favorite BBQ dishes.

Butter Lettuce Salad– This butter lettuce salad has a combination of vegetables, fruit, nuts, cheese, and is drizzled with a simple lemon vinaigrette. Everything on a bed of tender butter lettuce makes a perfect and delicious salad.

The Best Arugula Salad- This is a simple and deliciousarugula salad recipe. It is made with arugula, dried fruit, veggies, and fruit. It is the perfect side dish to any meal!

Oven Roasted Asparagus- Ovenroasted asparagusis the best way to eat asparagus! It’s a healthy side dish recipe that’s cooked to perfection.

Steak Salad: Use your sous vide steak on our delicious steak salad recipe for the ultimate healthy meal.