The Boiled Steak

Great post and thread!

Here's a pic of carmelized onions and a Sous Vide flatiron steak. It's from months ago at the least. I can't tell you what else we had with it.
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And a pic of an Arm Chuck roast (was that the name?) here it's fresh after being torched.
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Yet another SV steak. Maybe a rib eye, homemade canned harvard beets and possibly a grain whose name escapes me at the moment, cooked like rice.
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And one of my favorite accompaniments to a SV steak meal, fresh yeast rolls. Easier than you can imagine to make.
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The chuck there looks fab! I prepared a large chuck roast using Sous Vide technique (I have the Anova with BT but no wifi) for 30 hours on 56C/133F a while back and my brother thought he was having the leanest tenderloin he had ever tried, only with more flavor.

I have, like you say, also prepared a few bags at a time with some s and p, a dab of red wine and a little olive oil, and thrown them in the freezer after. Great to have there for when one doesn't have the time to prepare a decent Sunday meal yet craves something gourmandy. Just needs some mashed potato and whatever greens are in the fridge, reheat the meat in the bag, pour off the liquid and reduce it if need be. Sear the meat -- or don't. Voila!

Halvor, I'm surprised you don't get off flavors with adding EVOO to the bag. It has a reputation for not working well in the long cooking times and degrading. I was warned against it and have never done it. Fresh garlic is another of those things warned about, but granulated (dry) is fine. But I've never done either so I can't talk from experience.

OldSchoolSteel, They'll both do SV just fine, there are lots of affordable SV machines today. Nothing is 100% perfect and there are trade-offs involved with almost every purchase of any type, same with this.

The first one is a SV circulator and requires a separate vessel to hold the water for the bath if you cook more just use a larger vessel. The good thing about that, is if, as we do, you cook 25+ steaks at a time and then freeze them for future 1 hour meals, that can be done. For smaller quantities I either use a pot or a container that I dedicated to our SV circulator. When I cook big things or many steaks I use a "cooler" for the bath. That makes a circulator very versatile. One thing to look for is a clip that will take accept a vessel with thin walls or up to the thickness of an insulated cooler. But if you never intend to use a cooler that simplifies the decision. There are reviews of various SV circulators online.

The second type holds what it holds and that's all you have. The SV machine is one with the vessel. It's not my cup of tea, but lots of folks use that type.

I have a Sans Aire and it works fine. Why did I buy that? They were pretty much the first affordable SV circulator and were responsible for bringing the price down from laboratory circulators ($1200) to something that could be afforded. I got in on the Kickstarter program. It also easily accepts thin to thick walls. We've had ours for probably 2 years and it's still going strong, and it gets a lot of use.
https://sansaire.com/

I also suggest a vacuum sealer, especially if you intend to cook massive amounts for refreezing. But simple poly zip seal food bags will work for the cooking and possibly short term storage. The air can be expelled by slowly lowering the bag containing the food into the bath and water pressure will push the air out to allow for good contact with the water bath (while not actually allowing the food to contact the bath water directly). When the air is expelled the zip seal is used to seal the bag.

I use a butane torch to brown the food only because I've heard that some folks can taste the rotten egg smell that's injected into propane gas. There is a torch head that is said to totally get rid propane of that possibility, but it's $100 and I don't have one. A smokin' hot frying pan can also be used, but I don't like the burnt on sugar and sodium bicarb' from the browning solution. That will require washing and re-seasoning of the pan. The more involved the process the less likely I am to use it especially if it "destroys" my seasoned pans. So for me it's butane. I use an Iwatani. They aren't terribly expensive. To kep the expense of the butane cylinders down I buy them by the case. Of course Iwatani wants you to buy their overpriced butane and they promise dire problems if you don't buy theirs, but I have seen no negatives to buying Korean (?) butane at about 1/5 the cost.

For torching I find that marbling interferes with the process, so look for steaks that you wouldn't want to grill. Little to no marbling is best, and that means lower quality steaks. Trust me on this, they will be delicious and tender.

Our butcher runs specials periodically and the last time he got in 6 oz flatiron steaks that were presealed in plastic. We really stocked the freezer when he ran that as that cut is one of our favorite for SV and the steaks were 100% SV ready.

Another advantage to SV is that less expensive cuts can be used and they come out as tender as butter. I acquired some low grade ribeyes that were actually pretty bad. But I had the bright idea to SV them and the result is extremely tender and delicious. Corned beef is excellent done SV but it'll be in the bath for up to 3 days.

You can't imagine the non-carnivores that have had my SV and love it, and instead of eating a little and taking it home for future meals, clean their plate and comment on how good it was and register their surprise that they couldn't stop eating.

Pretty much any protein can be cooked SV, and veggies too, but I must admit that I'm not SV veggie expert. It'll also make yogurt. I also use ours to stop the fermentation of sausage that requires heat to kill off the added bacteria used to "sour" the product.

Just don't do as my brother did and cook a steak for his wife and not torch it to make it appetizing and tasty. Without torching it'll be missing the eye appeal and the meaty flavor everyone wants. The result of that mistake? She will NOT touch SV today. Doesn't even want to hear about it.

Yeah, more than you wanted, I know. but I love to cook, eat, and I like techniques that are simple and easy. That's Sous Vide.

NO no ShadowsDad , thats the info I was looking for. My butcher will actually individually vacuum seal each steak if I request. Right now I had them seal 3 per package. My next question is, does the steak or meat "require" any kind of solution or marinade before the bath, or can I just take the vacuum sealed steaks straight from the butcher and cook them? Then season and brown them after they cook in the bath? (this would save me from cutting open the pkg, adding something to the meat, re ziplocking and then cooking)
Also, I only raise and butcher heifer cows, except for the "old bossie" that just went down. Their steaks are smaller, so to make up for that, have the butcher cut them thicker. But I knew ole bossie was old so had them cut the steaks at around 1/2" thick or so.

This method interests me as I also raise my own lamb/mutton, and my cousin has a hog farm and my family of three has eaten almost a whole 275 lb hog in 4 months. We are true carnivores in my house.

From now on I would have him pack them one per package. Especially if the steaks are making the package thicker. An (in essence) thicker steak, chop, whatever, takes significantly longer to achieve doneness. The individually packaged flatirons that we buy are approx' 1/2 inch thick and individually packed...just perfect.

As far as adding stuff, you can, but I don't. I find the incredible flavor imparted my the maillard reaction and the torch to be all that I need. A bit of salt and pepper after cooking is all that I want. It's also how I serve it to non-carnivores. Of course to SV corned beef I add additional spices to the bag before sealing.

When I was getting started I found this site below to be extremely informative. It has all sorts of references that you'll need too. Just cursor down below the book. I assume the book goes into more depth, but I never bought it. http://douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html

There is so much online Sous Vide information today. It's incredible.

That old Bossy? That's prime for SV, especially if it's tough. You may need to keep it in the bath for a few hours longer, but that's no big deal. It's very difficult to over cook with SV. It can be done, but it's not easy. That's another advantage of it. It was ready at 5PM, but something came up and you can't eat until 8? No big deal, just keep it in the bath and finish it when you can. Now the next day it might be overcooked.

I've cooked beef, lamb (delicious!), pork, chicken, and made yogurt in ours. One criticism of the lamb, I love the smell of roasting lamb. But my wife hates the aroma. There is none of that aroma with SV. Good for her, bad for me. I've never cooked mutton since it's not big in Maine and it's an acquired taste, but it would be the tenderest mutton you ever ate. I'd bet on that.

Halvor, I'm surprised you don't get off flavors with adding EVOO to the bag. It has a reputation for not working well in the long cooking times and degrading. I was warned against it and have never done it. Fresh garlic is another of those things warned about, but granulated (dry) is fine. But I've never done either so I can't talk from experience.

I hadn't heard of neither of these no-gos in fact. I did a search, and indeed it says to avoid oil that is EV because it can go bitter or metallic in taste. I have never experienced that, though I have always used relatively neutral ones and not the ones I use for dipping bread or for salads etc. Moreover, I usually add a lightly crushed clove of garlic and a twig of rosemary or thyme or whatever I have at hand. The oil (or any kind of fat - butter would work) is essential, apparently, as it enhances and draws out flavor. Salt, pepper and fat adds to the meat, but whatever else I add is mostly for the juices which I use in some form with the meat.

This is for long-cook, non-lean meats though. If I sous vide lean meat like a rib eye, I'd skip any liquid beyond a click of butter, but I'd still add the twig of herbs and the garlic.

(I add the same to the frying pan if I don't sous vide, too; after a bit of searing in neutral oil, add the herb, garlic and butter, let it infuse a little, then scoop spoons of butter on top of the meat. Does wonders!)

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your thread olschoolsteel I hope you may take something away from the above too, though, should you decide to go for a circulator or bath. I wish I had the opportunity to rear my own animal too.

It's ok halvor . I like how this thread has evolved and I have definitely learned from each poster as it has grown. Funny how this things go. I created what I thought would be and awesome menthol soap thread, and I was the only poster on it. I confess to boiling a steak, and we are up to 2 pages. DFS works in mysterious ways!
I think I might have my answer now to Carne Asada. I usually throw most of my flank steak in the crack pot for chili or stewed meat. We all know as soon as heat touched flank steak it turns to rubber. But now maybe I can cook up some of this flank and round steak for Carne Asada and Fajita. I followed shadowsdad link to the sansaire site and from there noticed it was offered in Target. Went to the Target site and they sell the Anova SV for the same price as Amazon. I think I am going to stop by and get one here in a few days.

As far as kicking this thread sideways, this isnt B&B and we just follow a dicussion wherever it takes us sometimes. I will not be the grouchy man below:

Flank and skirt steak are both excellent done SV! Just don't forget to torch it to develop the flavor.

Hopefully Target will have "floor" models so that you can see what they're all like before buying.

It's ok halvor . I like how this thread has evolved and I have definitely learned from each poster as it has grown. Funny how this things go. I created what I thought would be and awesome menthol soap thread, and I was the only poster on it. I confess to boiling a steak, and we are up to 2 pages. DFS works in mysterious ways!
I think I might have my answer now to Carne Asada. I usually throw most of my flank steak in the crack pot for chili or stewed meat. We all know as soon as heat touched flank steak it turns to rubber. But now maybe I can cook up some of this flank and round steak for Carne Asada and Fajita. I followed shadowsdad link to the sansaire site and from there noticed it was offered in Target. Went to the Target site and they sell the Anova SV for the same price as Amazon. I think I am going to stop by and get one here in a few days.

As far as kicking this thread sideways, this isnt B&B and we just follow a dicussion wherever it takes us sometimes. I will not be the grouchy man below:

Great Movie and probably my favourite movie line ever - I use it frequently. Walt Kowalski raised grouchy to an art

On the subject of your tough old cow, I admire that you respect the animal sufficiently to ensure that she did not die in vain. There is a great section in a book by Chef David Chang (Momofuku) where he discusses the technique for preparing a massive porterhouse steak in a cast iron pan/oven and basting - he basically says that given what the animal and the rancher put into the whole thing, if you ruin this piece of meat you're just an A-hole. I would agree with that.

Agreed Marko , every animal on my farm has a death sentence. But from the day their hoof hits the ground I pamper them with everything I can give them to make the days they have here happy. It just so happens that I didnt know her full age when I bought her last Sept. I dont usually keep a cow past their 2 yr mark but the butcher said she was up there in age. But like I said previously, I will find a way to eat it! Having a freezer full of meat is better than no meat at all.

Also, I dont remember who asked, but some people see a definitive difference between mutton and lamb, and to them, they will argue to their death. Me, not so much. I see it as a difference in terminology. It goes like this;
A lamb is a sheep that is less than a yr old. Mutton is any sheep over a yr old. For me, having raised sheep now since 2010, I noticed that a lamb doesnt start to put on real weight and muscle until just after their first birthday. Since most all wool sheep are born in the spring, I let them go a full yr, then butcher in the fall, so basically at their 16 month mark. If they havent filled out by then, I might feed them through the winter till the next spring lambing season. Most people see mutton as an old skinny sheep that was butchered past its prime. It's mostly a misconception in terms and ideals. But my job is to help them pack on weight and butcher them in their prime so the only "old ones" on my farm might be a designated ewe for breeding purposes only.
I enjoy the pride in knowing that everything that goes into them ends up on my dinner table. My wife is Native American and her family raised sheep since she was a baby so she technically knows more about them than me. When I walk into a Commissary or meat market and see a leg of lamb for 45 bucks and its imported from New Zealand, I have my own private scoffing chuckle.

I dont know if the pictures will open for non-members of the forum, but I wrote down the slight hell I went through just to get her loaded and off to the butcher. But if the pictures open for you, you can see I had my hands full with her. She was a pissed off sketchy old lady.
http://www.haytalk.com/forums/topic/4257...to-market/

Agreed Marko , every animal on my farm has a death sentence. But from the day their hoof hits the ground I pamper them with everything I can give them to make the days they have here happy. It just so happens that I didnt know her full age when I bought her last Sept. I dont usually keep a cow past their 2 yr mark but the butcher said she was up there in age. But like I said previously, I will find a way to eat it! Having a freezer full of meat is better than no meat at all.

Also, I dont remember who asked, but some people see a definitive difference between mutton and lamb, and to them, they will argue to their death. Me, not so much. I see it as a difference in terminology. It goes like this;
A lamb is a sheep that is less than a yr old. Mutton is any sheep over a yr old. For me, having raised sheep now since 2010, I noticed that a lamb doesnt start to put on real weight and muscle until just after their first birthday. Since most all wool sheep are born in the spring, I let them go a full yr, then butcher in the fall, so basically at their 16 month mark. If they havent filled out by then, I might feed them through the winter till the next spring lambing season. Most people see mutton as an old skinny sheep that was butchered past its prime. It's mostly a misconception in terms and ideals. But my job is to help them pack on weight and butcher them in their prime so the only "old ones" on my farm might be a designated ewe for breeding purposes only.
I enjoy the pride in knowing that everything that goes into them ends up on my dinner table. My wife is Native American and her family raised sheep since she was a baby so she technically knows more about them than me. When I walk into a Commissary or meat market and see a leg of lamb for 45 bucks and its imported from New Zealand, I have my own private scoffing chuckle.

I dont know if the pictures will open for non-members of the forum, but I wrote down the slight hell I went through just to get her loaded and off to the butcher. But if the pictures open for you, you can see I had my hands full with her. She was a pissed off sketchy old lady.
http://www.haytalk.com/forums/topic/4257...to-market/

I wasn't able to open the pictures but I was able to read the text - sounds like an adventure. I am constantly impressed by the diversity of the members here on DFS, all walks of life from all over the world. Thank you for sharing this story.
Marko