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My sous vide flank steak recipe teaches you how to make tender and succulent meat with mouthwatering flavors. It’s easy to make and super versatile. Serve it sliced with sides for a healthy dinner, or top salads or rice bowls for a high-protein addition.
Table of Contents
I’m proud to say that I’ve mastered sous vide steak. Sous vide cooking was one of my favorite cooking techniques I learned in culinary school. It’s easily the most reliable way to cook steak because it seals in the natural juices and cooks the steak at a consistent, precise temperature. All you have to do is sit back and wait for it to finish! I finish the steak in a hot skillet for a gorgeous seared crust, and every bite is irresistible.
Sous vide flank steak recipe highlights
- Quick and easy: Besides the simple prep work at the start, the sous vide takes care of all the hard work.
- Best texture: The low and slow cooking helps tenderize and preserve the natural juices in the meat. This is perfect for tougher cuts, like this particular steak.
- Consistent results: The water bath is temperature-controlled to help consistently cook your steak to the exact doneness you desire.
- Easy to customize: I keep this base recipe simple, but you can load the sous vide bag with different seasoning blends, herbs, and aromatics to personalize the flavor profile. I’ll include a few options in the recipe card.
Key Ingredients
- Flank steak. One of the best cuts of steak for sous vide cooking because it’s naturally lean and tender. I recommend choosing a well-marbled cut that’s approximately 1 to 1 ½ inches thick. If it’s too thick or uneven, you can pound the meat with a meat mallet for a uniform thickness.
- Balsamic vinegar. It imparts a complex, sweet-tangy flavor to the marinade and helps tenderize the meat.
- Seasonings. I’m keeping things simple with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili flakes.
- Dijon mustard. Just enough for a tangy and complex flavor.
- Butter. To sear the steak at the end.
How to sous vide flank steak
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1 – Stir the seasonings in a bowl. Place the steak in the sous vide bag and pour the mixture over the steak. Vacuum seal the bag.
Step 2 – Fully submerge the bag in the water bath and cook to your desired doneness. Remove from the water bath and discard the marinade.
Step 3 – Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet, then sear the steak on both sides. Let it rest before slicing and serving.
Time and temperature for flank steak
Use these cooking temperatures and times as a guide to sous vide the steak to your desired doneness. As a general rule, avoid cooking for longer than 3 hours. You risk the steak being mushy versus tender.
- Rare: Cook at 125°F (51.7°C) for 2 to 3 hours.
- Medium-Rare: Cook at 130°F (54.4°C) for 2 to 3 hours.
- Medium: Cook at 140°F (60°C) for 2 to 3 hours.
- Medium-Well: Cook at 150°F (65.6°C) for 2 to 3 hours.
- Well-Done: Cook at 160°F (71.1°C) for 2 to 3 hours.
Keep in mind that these cooking times and temperatures may vary depending on the thickness of your steak and your preferred level of doneness. My family prefers a slightly firm texture, so I sous vide for about 2 hours. For a softer and tender texture, aim for 3 hours.
Arman’s recipe tips
I love sharing my winning tips as a culinary arts graduate- these are some of my tried and true secrets for getting the best results from your sous vide flank steak:
- Don’t skip the sear. I know it is an extra step, but searing the steak at the end traps in all the juices and gives it that gorgeous crust. This is also what ALL the top steakhouses do!
- Pat dry before searing. Dry the steak with paper towels before the final searing step. Any excess moisture can prevent the crust from developing.
- Rest before slicing. Place the flank steak on a cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes after searing. This makes the meat extra juicy and flavorful.
- No vacuum sealer? Use the water displacement method. This is just a fancy way of sealing a Ziploc bag. Once you’ve added the steak, seal it 80% of the way, then slowly place it in the sous vide and let the warm water naturally press out all the air. Once it is almost submerged, seal it completely.
Storage instructions
To store: Store the cooled leftover flank steak in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 3 or 4 days.
To freeze: The leftover steak also freezes well for about 2 to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat: Place the steak in a baking dish and reheat in the oven at 325°F until it’s warmed through. Alternatively, warm the slices in a skillet over medium heat.
Sous Vide Flank Steak
Ingredients
- 32 ounces flank steak
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 135F.
- Combine the salt, black pepper, garlic, chili, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a bowl.
- Place the flank steak in the bag and pour the mixture inside over the meat. Vacuum seal the bag.
- Place the bag in the sous vide bath, making sure it is fully submerged. Cook for 2 hours or up to 3 hours.
- Remove the flank steak from the water bath and discard the spices from the bag.
- Heat a cast iron skillet with butter over medium high heat. Cook the flank steak for a couple of minutes on both sides, until it starts browning and set aside.
- Let the meat rest for 10 minutes then slice and serve.
Notes
- Marinade ideas: You can marinate the flank steak before adding it to the sous vide bag, or pour the liquid directly into the bag. Experiment with different sauces, like teriyaki, 3-ingredient steak marinade, bulgogi sauce, or stir fry sauce.
- Storage: Store the cooled leftover flank steak in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 3 or 4 days.
- Steak water temperature: Rare: Cook at 125°F (51.7°C) Medium-Rare: Cook at 130°F (54.4°C) Medium: Cook at 140°F (60°C)Medium-Well: Cook at 150°F (65.6°C) Well-Done: Cook at 160°F (71.1°C)
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
You can if you want! Marinating flank steak is a great way to make the meat even more tender and juicy. To do so, place the steak and marinade in a vacuum-sealed bag and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours before proceeding with the sous vide instructions.
Yes! I often do this and it doesn’t need much changes at all. The only thing is to increase the cooking time by one hour.
I tried this last night and it was so much easier than i thought and the family loved it!