How to Sous Vide October 25th, 2021

Prep Time: 0:00

Cook Time: 0:00

Print this Recipe Add to the Menu Print with Pictures

Sous Vide (pronounced /Soo·Vee/) is a cooking process that involves placing the food in a hermetically sealed bag and submersing it in water. The water can be heated to a specific temperature for long periods, resulting in a final product that is juicy and tender. This article provides general guidelines on using a Sous Vide to prepare various cuts of meat. The Cooking Temperature will determine the "doneness" of the meat. To ensure food safety, never use a cooking time/temperature that is lower than the value on the Pasteurization Chart listed below. Any whole fowl should be spatchcocked or quartered before cooking by Sous Vide. The recommendations listed here are based on my own experiences. Your mileage may vary.

Directions:
=========
Seasoning the Meat:
1. Add salt. Even if you add nothing else to season the meat, add some salt.
2. Avoid using fresh garlic (or other fresh "root" vegetables) in a long cook of more than 8 or 10 hours. Instead, use garlic powder. For additional details on food safety, you can research "Botulism" and "Food Safety" from the USDA website or your local Ministry of Health.
3. Limit added liquids by using dry powder seasonings when possible, as excessive liquids will make it more difficult to get a good seal in the Sous Vide bag. Alternatively, use "liquid" bags when a bag includes a lot of liquids.
4. Double seal each end of the bag. Ensure that the bag has enough headroom to seal each end twice.

Cooked Beef and Pasteurization
Food Safety Warning: Young children, pregnant women, the elderly, or anyone who may be immuno-compromised should not consume beef that has not reached a maximum internal temperature that is above 131° F.

To ensure food safety, it is recommended that any beef cooked more than 2 hours should be cooked at a temperature greater than 131° F. In order to reduce the risk of food borne illness from any beef that will be cooked at temperatures below 131° F, you should either:
1. Sear (immediately before) the beef is sealed in the bag.
2. Pack, vacuum and seal the beef in the bag.
3. Preheat the Sous Vide to the desired temperature.
4. Add the bagged beef to the water and cook the specified time.
OR
1. Pack, vacuum and seal the beef in the bag.
2. Pre-heat the Sous Vide bath to no less than then 150° F.
3. "Flash Pasteurize" the beef by placing the sealed bag into a Sous Vide bath at 150° F for 3 minutes (5 minutes if frozen). This will Pasteurize the outer surface of the beef.
4. Remove the bag from the bath (without unsealing the bag).
5. Cool the bag in an ice bath for about 10 or 20 minutes. Meanwhile, replace the water in the Sous Vide bath and heat to the lower cooking temperature, then Sous Vide the bagged beef at the recommended (lower) temperature for the specified time.

As a reminder, you cannot safely "Flash Pasteurize" poultry or ground beef.

Chilling the Bag:
After the cooking time has expired in the Sous Vide, remove the sealed bag from the heated water and rest the meat for 10 minutes.
Thin cuts of meat, should be chilled before searing to prevent over-cooking. To chill the meat, rest the bagged meat by placing the bag in ice water or in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.

Storing the Meat after Cooking:
If the Sous Vide bag was pasteurized properly, the contents should be relatively bacteria free. The unopened and sealed bag can be refrigerated up to 4 weeks or frozen up to 6 months.
DO NOT store the bagged meat at room temperature.
If a Sous Vide bag has been punctured or opened, the contents should be used within about 1 week.
In order to reheat refrigerated or frozen meat that is still sealed in the Sous Vide bag, set the Sous Vide to 5-10° BELOW the original cooking temperature and reheat the bag. Plan to reheat 15 minutes per inch of thickness if the meat was refrigerated, and 30 minutes if frozen.

The Au Jus:
Whenever possible, use the leftover liquid from the bag, as much of it is "pan drippings" from the meat. You can use an Au Jus separator to remove some of the fat from the juice, or chill in a freezer for half an hour and remove the solids. If you are pulling the meat (such as Pulled Chicken or Pulled Pork), the Au Jus can be added back into the shredded meat to make it more juicy. Or you can use the Au Jus as a finishing sauce by mixing it with a tablespoon of all-purpose flour or corn starch, then simmering it in a sauté pan. If you are thickening with flour, add 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon of the removed meat fat, back into the sauce.

The Sear vs. The Reverse Sear:
A Sear takes place before the Sous Vide cooking time.
A Reverse Sear takes place after the Sous Vide cooking time.

To Sear/Reverse Sear:
For thinner meats, chill before searing/reverse searing to prevent overcooking.
1. Heat the pan to the desired temperature.
2. For the Reverse Sear, remove the meat from the bag, reserving any liquid (if desired).
3. Use paper towels or a clean tea towel to thoroughly dry the surface of the meat.
4. Add about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan, spreading it quickly to ensure good coverage.
5. Sear the meat in the pan for the specified time, rotating with tongs to ensure that all sides are equally affected by the heat.

Beef Doneness Chart:
==================
Rare 122° F to 128° F
Medium Rare 129° F to 135° F
Medium 136° F to 140° F
Medium Well 141° F to 155° F
Well Done 155° F and up

As a reminder, pasteurization can only occur at temperatures over 130° F.

Roast vs. Steak
Oftentimes, a Roast or a Steak of the same name, are literally the exact same cut, the only difference being the thickness of the cut.
Generally speaking, a Steak is less than 1" thick.
And a Roast is 1" or greater in thickness.

Beef Treatment by Primal Cut

Primal	Cuts	Temp	Time	Finishing
Brisket	Brisket: Flat Brisket: Point	140°F 135°F	46 Hours	Slather with Sauce. Oven Roast at 225° F for 3 hours or until a bark develops
Chuck	Chuck Boneless Ribs Country Style "Ribs" Shoulder Ribs Texas Style Boneless Ribs	131° F	10 Hours	Slather with BBQ Sauce. Broil for 5 minutes per side Or until lightly charred.
Chuck	Chuck Roast	131° F	10 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Chuck	Chuck Roast (Shredded)	165° F	10 Hours	Dry well with paper towel Bake at 300°F for 1.5 hours. Rest for 30 minutes, then shred.
Chuck	Flat Iron Steak Top Blade Steak	131° F	1 Hour Add 15 minutes if frozen.	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Chuck	Chuck Flanken Style Ribs	165° F	2 Hours	Broiler 2 minutes per side Or until browned.
Chuck	Ground Chuck	150° F	2 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Flank	Flank Steak	131° F	12 Hours	Chill the meat, Medium-high heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Flank	Flank (for shredding)	160° F	6 Hours	Pull.
Loin	Porterhouse	131° F	3 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Loin	Filet Mignon	131° F	1 Hour per inch thickness	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Plate	Beef Short Ribs Flanken Style Ribs Korean Short Ribs	165° F	48 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Plate	Ground Beef	150° F	2 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Plate	Skirt Steak	132° F	24 Hours	Chill the meat, Medium-high heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Rib	Prime Rib Steak Prime Rib Roast Ribeye Steak Ribeye Roast	138° F	8 Hours (to render fat)	Medium-high heat, melted butter 2 minutes per side Or until browned.
Rib	Beef Ribs Boneless Ribs	131° F	24 Hours	Apply BBQ Sauce Broil high, 2 minutes per side Or until lightly charred.
Rib	Beef Short Ribs	131° F	36 Hours	Apply BBQ Sauce Broil high, 2 minutes per side Or until lightly charred.
Round	Eye of Round Cold Cuts Eye of Round Roast	131° F	12 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned. Slice into thin slices.
Round	Bottom Round Roast Top Round (London Broil)	131° F	6 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Round	Top Sirloin Steak (less than 1" thick)	131° F	2 Hours to cook OR 8 hours to tenderize	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Round	Top Sirloin Roast Sirloin Cap Picanha Roast Rump Cover Rump Cap	131° F	10 hours to tenderize	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Round	Bottom Sirloin Sirloin Tri-Tip Roast	131° F	12 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned. Slice across the grain.
Shank	Shank	131° F	48 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.

Other Foods

Type of Meat	Cuts	Temp	Time	Finishing
Beef Lamb Pork	Gyro Meat	165° F	2 Hours	Slice thinly and refrigerate up to 1 week. Just before serving: Medium-high Heat, 30 seconds per side Or until browned.
Chicken	Chicken Breast	143° F	1.25 Hour 1.5 Hours frozen	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Chicken	Chicken Legs/Thighs	165° F	1 Hour	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Chicken	Whole Chicken Cornish Game Hen	148° F	4 Hours 4.5 Hours frozen	Medium-high Heat, 60 seconds per side Or until browned.
Eggs	Hard Boiled (in shell)	165° F	45 Minutes	Chill in ice bath.
Eggs	Soft Boiled (in shell)	145° F	45 Minutes	Chill in ice bath.
Eggs	Pasteurized (uncooked in shell)	135° F	75 Minutes	Chill in ice bath.
Lamb	Leg - Bone-in Leg - Boneless	131° F	3 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Pork	Boston Butt (Carnitas)	156° F	6 Hours	Shred, fry in lard
Pork	Boston Butt Boneless Picnic Roast Boneless Pork Butt	156° F	6 Hours	Shred
Pork	Boneless Pork Ribs Boston Butt Boneless Ribs Country Style Boneless Ribs	156° F	6 Hours	Broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until char forms
Pork	Center Loin Roast Center Rib Roast Loin Roast Loin Steak Tenderloin Roast	143° F	3.5 Hours 4 Hours frozen	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Pork	Baby Back Ribs Pork Loin Back Ribs	165° F OR 145° F	12 Hours 36 Hours	Broil high, 2 minutes per side. Apply BBQ Sauce Then broil high, 3 more minutes per side Or until lightly charred.
Pork	Spareribs St. Louis cut ribs	165° F	8 Hours	Apply BBQ Sauce Broil high, 2 minutes per side Or until lightly charred.
Seafood	Lobster Tail/Claws	134° F	1 Hour	Serve with butter
Turkey	Turkey Breast	146° F	2 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Turkey	Turkey Legs/Thighs	165° F	3 Hours	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Turkey	Whole Turkey	Divide into light/dark cuts and cook separately.
Vegetables	Carrots (peeled)	190° F	1 Hour	Medium-high Heat, 90 seconds per side Or until browned.
Vegetables	Whole Potatoes	190° F	1 Hour

In order that ensure Sous Vide cooking is safe for poultry, air pockets in the vacuum bag can be minimized by spatchcocking all whole poultry.
Due to differing cooking requirements, Turkey light meat and Turkey dark meat should be sealed into separate bags and cooked at different temperatures.

Minimum Pasteurization Times/Temperatures
=====================================
Chicken and Turkey (with 12% Fat)
135°F (57.2°C) 88 minutes
140°F (60.0°C) 35 minutes
145°F (62.8°C) 14 minutes
150°F (65.6°C) 5 minutes
155°F (67.8°C) 2 minutes
160°F (71.1°C) 90 seconds
165°F (73.9°C) 8 seconds
166°F (74.4°C) 0 seconds

Beef, Lamb, and Pork
130°F (54.4°C) 121 minutes
135°F (57.2°C) 37 minutes
140°F (60.0°C) 12 minutes
145°F (62.8°C) 4 minutes
150°F (65.6°C) 72 seconds
155°F (68.3°C) 23 seconds
158°F (70.0°C) 0 seconds

Eggs (in shell)
135°F (57.2°C) 75 minutes

Unshelled Egg Whites
132°F (55.6°C) 6.2 minutes
134°F (56.7°C) 3.5 minutes

Unshelled Egg Yolks
140°F (60°C) for 3.5 minutes