Sous Vide Ribeye Steak
Mains
Ingredients
- 1 thick-cut ribeye steak, ideally 4–5 cm thick
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral high-smoke-point oil
- (2–3 sprigs thyme or rosemary, optional)
- (1 tbsp plant butter, optional)
- (1–2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed, optional)
- Flaky sea salt, to serve
Method
- Preheat the sous-vide water bath to 55°C for medium-rare or 57°C for medium.
- Season the steak generously on all sides with salt and black pepper and add thyme or rosemary, if using.
- Place the steak in a sous-vide bag. Vacuum seal, or use a zip-lock freezer bag and the water-displacement method to remove as much air as possible.
- Submerge the steak completely in the water bath and cook for 1–4 hours. For a typical 4–5 cm ribeye, about 2 hours is a good target.
- Remove the steak from the bag and pat it very thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
- Heat a heavy cast-iron or stainless-steel frying pan over the highest heat until smoking hot. Add the oil.
- Add the steak and sear for 15–30 seconds, then flip. Continue flipping every 15–30 seconds until a deep brown crust develops, about 1½ minutes total.
- During the final 30 seconds, add the plant butter, garlic and fresh herbs if using, and baste the steak with the foaming butter.
- Hold the steak with tongs and sear the fatty edge and remaining sides until browned, about 45 seconds total.
- Serve immediately, with flaky sea salt if desired. Note that a sous-vide steak does not need a conventional resting period.