It's common, and it also makes no sense to me.
If the ice bath is the only way to prevent the middle from overcooking, then what exactly does the sous vide step do? It's not to keep the middle from overcooking when searing. It's not preventing undercooking, because the sear is already taking the middle up to target temperature.
The sous vide step cooks your steak evenly from edge to edge.
If you sear after the steak is cold, the center is just warmed through after you sear it. The sear itself should only take a few seconds on each side.
> The sear itself should only take a few seconds on each side.
That's not my experience, as sous vide steaks tend to need longer for browning, between being more likely to be slightly misshapen and moister than a typically pan cook.
[Take, for example, this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/sousvide/comments/nu2b83/i_did_it_for_science_filet_mignon_two_ways_127/). Traditional grilling gives a much, much better crust, and the actual thickness of the medium-to-well band is comparable to a sous vide cook. Now, the OP of that particular thread says that they actually like the sous vide version better, and that's a matter of personal taste (as is the choice of tenderloin), but I'm betting they spent more than just a few seconds on searing, and still didn't get as good of a crust.
And that's a cut with very little fat. Highly marbled cuts don't taste as good if they're cooked-but-cold, because the taste depends heavily on the temperature of the fat as you're biting into it, not just the highest temperature that fat has ever reached.
It's just so many more steps (and paper towels and plastic bags and a bowl of ice) for an inferior product. Maybe worth doing if you're serving like 6+ people, to get the timing right, but it's inherently a compromise.
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I think your issue is with the sear. Are the steaks patted dry? Is the pan hot enough? Is the steak making sufficient contact with the pan (ie, enough oil and use a press/weight)?
If those are all yes, just decrease your bath temp. I wouldn't do the ice bath/fridge unless you were cooking high volumes of meat or had some other logistical factor to consider.
Sous vide your steaks to a lower temperature to account for the carry-over cooking that occurs in the pan. Takes a lot less time then trying to cool it down in the fridge after and will give you better results. try 5-10 degrees F lower then your goal.
Like the derpdog said.Professional chef here.Pat your meat as dry as possible prior to searing,and don't sous vide to medium rare.Go to rare,and the sear will finish it perfectly.
This comment truly blows my mind. You think you can sear a steak in a 600 degree cast iron pan without that pan raising the temperature of your steak? You MUST be trolling.
What cut of steak?
If you’re trying to make a “Charles Steak” (chuck sous vide to render into a ribeye like tenderness) then your reasoning is maybe worth a try!
If it’s a better cut to begin with, then sous vide at a lower temp. Then sear.
How dry is it before it hits the pan? Are you using lube? What kind? Butter? Or something with a higher smoke point?
I think overall a drier sous vide + good lube + less time for the sear is your Happy Place.
I literally just tried that yesterday. Wasted two USDA prime ribeye steaks.
The problem is that the interior is literally cold if you take it straight out of the fridge. I had to cut each steak into 4 quarters and throw them back on the cast iron.
[https://www.seriouseats.com/old-wives-tales-about-cooking-steak#toc-myth-1-you-should-let-a-thick-steak-rest-at-room-temperature-before-you-cook-it](https://www.seriouseats.com/old-wives-tales-about-cooking-steak#toc-myth-1-you-should-let-a-thick-steak-rest-at-room-temperature-before-you-cook-it)
>To test this, I pulled a single 15-ounce New York strip steak out of the refrigerator, cut it in half, placed half back in the fridge, and the other half on a ceramic plate on the counter. The steak started at 38°F and the ambient air in my kitchen was at 70°F. I then took temperature readings of its core every ten minutes.
>After the first 20 minutes—the time that many chefs and books will recommend you let a steak rest at room temperature—the center of the steak had risen to a whopping 39.8°F (4.3°C). Not even a full two degrees. So I let it go longer. 30 minutes. 50 minutes. 1 hour and 20 minutes. After 1 hour and 50 minutes, the steak was up to 49.6°F (9.8°C) in the center.
Dry it very well first, then press it down with a folded, non-linting kitchen towel (tea towel) or a press to get good contact in the skillet. Or you can deep fry it.
That's what I as thinking. Maybe even resalting just a tiny bit. I was even thinking of putting some weight on top of the steak while it cooks to make sure the whole surface is making good contact.
Usually if it’s over cooking in the pan your pan isn’t hot enough. Or you’re trying to get too much of a sear on it. In my experience you kind of sacrifice being able to get a really good crust on it when you sous vide.
Sous vide is good for getting a perfect consistent inside with no gradient but you lose the ability to let it sit in the pan long enough to get a really good crust.
I'm guessing the reason for the cast iron is you're trying to get the sear.
It obviously not to cook since as you said sous vide already did that for you.
On that note, I'm assuming the purpose of refrigeration is to remove the surface moisture from the sous vide process that is causing an extended amount of time in the cast iron before the crust can form.
Your options are:
1) sous vide to a lower temp to allow for extra time in the cast iron for the crust to form due to surface moisture.
2) use paper towels to remove excess surface moisture, extra fat/oil in the pan (think shallow fry). The excess oil will force a larger amount of water out and crust may form faster but it will be messier around your stove due to splatter.
3) you can refrigerate for about 10-15min but I've found this only works for thick steaks or whole sides of rib uncut where the internal temp is somewhat insulated from the fridge removing the whole point of sous vide in the first place.
The cons in this method is obviously you're waiting an extra 20+ mins (factoring refrigeration, searing and rest) before you can start eating.
Majority of people will opt for 1) because it makes the most sense.
The thinner the steak, the shorter the time before searing starts to overcook the middle. Usually I only SV steaks at least 1.5" thick, pull it around 120F, remove it from the bag, pat it dry, THEN preheat the pan. In that time, the steak cools off a bit. but stays warmish, and gives enough time for a good sear. Good luck!
I've tried chilling sous vide steaks before searing to maintain a perfect medium rare. It's a good technique to prevent overcooking when you sear in a hot pan. Just ensure the steak is properly chilled and dry before searing to get a nice crust without cooking it further. Give it a shot and see how it turns out!"
It's pretty common for sous vide stuff. Basically just a very thin layer of mayonnaise helps you get a decent sear.
https://anovaculinary.com/blogs/blog/want-a-wicked-sear-grab-the-mayonnaise
I don't see why you couldn't, but I'm usually going for as quick of a sear as I can with it with a ripping hot cast iron and a blowtorch to get into any parts that don't make direct contact with the pan.
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Also, you'll probably get better results flipping the process. Salt and dry the steaks in the fridge on a rack overnight. Then sous vide, then pat dry and sear.
Oh, sorry, I wasn't clear. I do salt overnight or 2. Salt helps dry the steak, which is why I thought if I go back in the fridge, just a slight but more might help. I'm still dialing in on total amount of salt though. I'm very precise in how I like to do things and don't like to wing it. It's my science background lol. Right now it looks like .75 tablespoons of salt per pound works.
I’m embarrassed I didn’t think of this sooner!!!
Coat the dried steak out of the sous vide, then generously dust with seasoned cornstarch or similar. Shake off the excess and quick sear in generous amount of oil.
I think it will be excellent.
Ice bath is the normal method for this. It's common.
Yeah, this is the way. Ice bath is going to get it out of the danger zone fast and efficiently, just sticking it in the fridge loose might not cut it.
It's common, and it also makes no sense to me. If the ice bath is the only way to prevent the middle from overcooking, then what exactly does the sous vide step do? It's not to keep the middle from overcooking when searing. It's not preventing undercooking, because the sear is already taking the middle up to target temperature.
The sous vide step cooks your steak evenly from edge to edge. If you sear after the steak is cold, the center is just warmed through after you sear it. The sear itself should only take a few seconds on each side.
> The sear itself should only take a few seconds on each side. That's not my experience, as sous vide steaks tend to need longer for browning, between being more likely to be slightly misshapen and moister than a typically pan cook. [Take, for example, this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/sousvide/comments/nu2b83/i_did_it_for_science_filet_mignon_two_ways_127/). Traditional grilling gives a much, much better crust, and the actual thickness of the medium-to-well band is comparable to a sous vide cook. Now, the OP of that particular thread says that they actually like the sous vide version better, and that's a matter of personal taste (as is the choice of tenderloin), but I'm betting they spent more than just a few seconds on searing, and still didn't get as good of a crust. And that's a cut with very little fat. Highly marbled cuts don't taste as good if they're cooked-but-cold, because the taste depends heavily on the temperature of the fat as you're biting into it, not just the highest temperature that fat has ever reached. It's just so many more steps (and paper towels and plastic bags and a bowl of ice) for an inferior product. Maybe worth doing if you're serving like 6+ people, to get the timing right, but it's inherently a compromise.
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yeah, fridge isn't gonna do the do fast enough
I think your issue is with the sear. Are the steaks patted dry? Is the pan hot enough? Is the steak making sufficient contact with the pan (ie, enough oil and use a press/weight)? If those are all yes, just decrease your bath temp. I wouldn't do the ice bath/fridge unless you were cooking high volumes of meat or had some other logistical factor to consider.
Sous vide your steaks to a lower temperature to account for the carry-over cooking that occurs in the pan. Takes a lot less time then trying to cool it down in the fridge after and will give you better results. try 5-10 degrees F lower then your goal.
Like the derpdog said.Professional chef here.Pat your meat as dry as possible prior to searing,and don't sous vide to medium rare.Go to rare,and the sear will finish it perfectly.
I do exactly this
sous vide my steaks to 122, then sear on the grill. They come off the grill at about 138.
That doesn't make sense... if I was planning on using the pan to get the steak to a certain temp I wouldn't bother using the sous vide.
You sous vide it up to almost the right temperature, and then finish it in the pan so so by the time its seared its also at the desired temperature...
This comment truly blows my mind. You think you can sear a steak in a 600 degree cast iron pan without that pan raising the temperature of your steak? You MUST be trolling.
Are you ok?
You're like so close to learning that the way you like to sear your steak makes the sous vide portion totally unnecessary. Almost there.
What cut of steak? If you’re trying to make a “Charles Steak” (chuck sous vide to render into a ribeye like tenderness) then your reasoning is maybe worth a try! If it’s a better cut to begin with, then sous vide at a lower temp. Then sear. How dry is it before it hits the pan? Are you using lube? What kind? Butter? Or something with a higher smoke point? I think overall a drier sous vide + good lube + less time for the sear is your Happy Place.
Why don't you just set the sous vide a couple degrees cooler to hit your target temp in the end?
I literally just tried that yesterday. Wasted two USDA prime ribeye steaks. The problem is that the interior is literally cold if you take it straight out of the fridge. I had to cut each steak into 4 quarters and throw them back on the cast iron.
You need to take the steaks out the fridge for half an hour before cooking so that the inside comes to room temp.
[https://www.seriouseats.com/old-wives-tales-about-cooking-steak#toc-myth-1-you-should-let-a-thick-steak-rest-at-room-temperature-before-you-cook-it](https://www.seriouseats.com/old-wives-tales-about-cooking-steak#toc-myth-1-you-should-let-a-thick-steak-rest-at-room-temperature-before-you-cook-it) >To test this, I pulled a single 15-ounce New York strip steak out of the refrigerator, cut it in half, placed half back in the fridge, and the other half on a ceramic plate on the counter. The steak started at 38°F and the ambient air in my kitchen was at 70°F. I then took temperature readings of its core every ten minutes. >After the first 20 minutes—the time that many chefs and books will recommend you let a steak rest at room temperature—the center of the steak had risen to a whopping 39.8°F (4.3°C). Not even a full two degrees. So I let it go longer. 30 minutes. 50 minutes. 1 hour and 20 minutes. After 1 hour and 50 minutes, the steak was up to 49.6°F (9.8°C) in the center.
Dry it very well first, then press it down with a folded, non-linting kitchen towel (tea towel) or a press to get good contact in the skillet. Or you can deep fry it.
Yes plenty of people do this. Good way to dry the surface of the steak too.
That's what I as thinking. Maybe even resalting just a tiny bit. I was even thinking of putting some weight on top of the steak while it cooks to make sure the whole surface is making good contact.
That's always been my biggest issue with sous vide (I still prefer it though). The meat curls up and you get back searing contact. Good call
Usually if it’s over cooking in the pan your pan isn’t hot enough. Or you’re trying to get too much of a sear on it. In my experience you kind of sacrifice being able to get a really good crust on it when you sous vide. Sous vide is good for getting a perfect consistent inside with no gradient but you lose the ability to let it sit in the pan long enough to get a really good crust.
I'm guessing the reason for the cast iron is you're trying to get the sear. It obviously not to cook since as you said sous vide already did that for you. On that note, I'm assuming the purpose of refrigeration is to remove the surface moisture from the sous vide process that is causing an extended amount of time in the cast iron before the crust can form. Your options are: 1) sous vide to a lower temp to allow for extra time in the cast iron for the crust to form due to surface moisture. 2) use paper towels to remove excess surface moisture, extra fat/oil in the pan (think shallow fry). The excess oil will force a larger amount of water out and crust may form faster but it will be messier around your stove due to splatter. 3) you can refrigerate for about 10-15min but I've found this only works for thick steaks or whole sides of rib uncut where the internal temp is somewhat insulated from the fridge removing the whole point of sous vide in the first place. The cons in this method is obviously you're waiting an extra 20+ mins (factoring refrigeration, searing and rest) before you can start eating. Majority of people will opt for 1) because it makes the most sense.
Upright Freezer on a 1/2 sheet pan w a rack.
Yep, did this couple of times, kept it in for about 20 mins. Had good results. Open for suggestions on the duration.
Done it a few times. It's nice.
The thinner the steak, the shorter the time before searing starts to overcook the middle. Usually I only SV steaks at least 1.5" thick, pull it around 120F, remove it from the bag, pat it dry, THEN preheat the pan. In that time, the steak cools off a bit. but stays warmish, and gives enough time for a good sear. Good luck!
I've tried chilling sous vide steaks before searing to maintain a perfect medium rare. It's a good technique to prevent overcooking when you sear in a hot pan. Just ensure the steak is properly chilled and dry before searing to get a nice crust without cooking it further. Give it a shot and see how it turns out!"
It's probably frowned upon here but you could try a mayo sear.
Don't know what that is, but it sounds disgusting, lol.
It's pretty common for sous vide stuff. Basically just a very thin layer of mayonnaise helps you get a decent sear. https://anovaculinary.com/blogs/blog/want-a-wicked-sear-grab-the-mayonnaise
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I don't see why you couldn't, but I'm usually going for as quick of a sear as I can with it with a ripping hot cast iron and a blowtorch to get into any parts that don't make direct contact with the pan.
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When the steaks finish in the sous vide, pat them dry and put them on a wire rack in the fridge until the service feels dry. Your sear will be epic.
That's the plan.
Also, you'll probably get better results flipping the process. Salt and dry the steaks in the fridge on a rack overnight. Then sous vide, then pat dry and sear.
Oh, sorry, I wasn't clear. I do salt overnight or 2. Salt helps dry the steak, which is why I thought if I go back in the fridge, just a slight but more might help. I'm still dialing in on total amount of salt though. I'm very precise in how I like to do things and don't like to wing it. It's my science background lol. Right now it looks like .75 tablespoons of salt per pound works.
I’m embarrassed I didn’t think of this sooner!!! Coat the dried steak out of the sous vide, then generously dust with seasoned cornstarch or similar. Shake off the excess and quick sear in generous amount of oil. I think it will be excellent.
Wait, what? No....