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My sous vide steak recipe is a hands-off and foolproof method for perfectly cooked steak every single time. It’s the restaurant quality method that my family swears by.
I consider myself quite the expert at cooking steaks. While I love all cooking methods, my favorite is the more unique and hands-off approach- using the sous vide machine to cook it.
Why sous vide steak
I often get asked why sous vide steak, and my answer is simple. It ensures precise temperature control, consistently producing perfectly cooked, tender, and juicy meat. It also allows for a perfect sear without overcooking. It’s the most popular method fancy steakhouses and restaurants use, and now, you can do it yourself ar home.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- SO easy. Like my sous vide flank steak or sous vide ribeye, you don’t have to check your steak repeatedly as it cooks to a precise temperature. It’s the kind of set-and-forget main dish that leaves me time to make some side dishes to pair with it.
- Super customizable. You can use a blend of spices, marinades, or simply some salt and pepper.
- Maka ahead. When I have guests or am hosting a dinner, I like to sous vide steak because you can prep it up to four hours in advance!
If you’re looking for more sous vide recipes, try my sous vide salmon, sous vide chicken breast, sous vide chicken thighs, and sous vide pork chops next.
Key Ingredients
- Steak. I’ve cooked most cuts of steak in the sous vide machine and find the best steaks to use are ones that have the bone intact, including strip steak, T-bone steaks, and porterhouse steak. That said, you’ll find it difficult to mess up ANY kind of steak for this recipe.
- Rosemary and thyme. Fresh herbs to add some flavor.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves please, not the dried kind.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.
- Butter. To pan-sear the steak at the end.
How to sous vide steak
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Fill a pot with water, attach the sous vide, and set it to 130F. Let the water heat up.
Step 2– Vaccum seal. Add the steak to a ziplock bag along with rosemary, thyme, and garlic.
Step 3– Sous vide. Place the steak in the sous vide and let it cook for one hour to up to four hours.
Step 4- Sear. Remove the steak from the liquid, discard the bag and herbs, and sear both sides in butter for one minute on each side.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Choose the right temperature to sous vide. The temperature you sous vide the steak correlates to how you like it. For rare, opt for 130F; for medium-rare, 140F; for medium, 155F; and for well done, 165F. I like to set the sous vide to 130F because once it’s seared, it naturally rises to medium-rare (our ideal doneness).
- To change the flavor, add a marinade to the steak. Most liquid marinades work; you can even marinate the meat in the bag for up to 24 hours before cooking. I like to use my 3 ingredient steak marinade.
- Which pot is best? I’ve tested various containers and find a large pot or saucepan to work best. Regardless of which you choose, opt for one that is deep enough to submerge a steak.
- Use a cast iron skillet or carbon steel pan to sear the meat. It locks in the juices like no other and gives the steak a gorgeous crust in the least amount of time.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover steak can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days.
To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled steak in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Leftover idea: Sliced leftover steak is fabulous over a steak salad or in a steak bowl.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can sous vide a steak from a frozen state. Increase the cooking time by 10 minutes and sear an extra 2 minutes per side.
My family loves meaty steaks, so I cook them around the one-hour mark. If you prefer your steaks to be tender and soft, you can cook them for four hours. Please avoid cooking longer than that; otherwise, your steak will be brittle and almost shredded.
More easy steak recipes
Sous Vide Steak Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the sous vide water bath by filling a deep pot or saucepan with enough water to submerge a steak. Place the sous vide in the water bath and set it to 130F for a rare steak, 140F for a medium-rare steak, 150F for a medium steak, and 160F for a well-done steak.
- Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place the steak in a ziplock bag with rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Partially close the sealer, leaving a few inches open. If cooking multiple steaks, put them in individual bags.
- Slowly submerge the bag with the steak in the water-filled pot, deep enough to cover the entire steak, but do not let any water enter it. Pressure will force the air out of the bag and seal it once the air is all out.
- Cook for one hour or up to four hours.
- Once cooked, remove the steak from the bag. Heat butter in the iron cast skillet until it smokes then place the steak on top. Sear both sides for one minute and serve immediately.
Notes
- Rare Steak (125F/51.7C): Cook the steak between 120F and 128F (48.9C to 53.3C) for about 1 to 4 hours.
- Medium-Rare Steak (130F/54.4C): Cook the steak between 126F and 134F (52.2C to 56.7C) for about 1 to 4 hours.
- Medium Steak (140F/60C): Cook the steak between 136F and 144F (57.8C to 62.2C) for about 1 to 4 hours.
- Medium-Well Steak (150F/65.6C): Cook the steak between 146F and 154F (63.3C to 67.8C) for about 1 to 4 hours.
Nutrition
Originally updated November 2023, updated and republished February 2025
What is your recipe for sous vide steaks using an actual sous vide machine? Are the times and temps posted for a stovetop recipe the same? Thank you.
It’s been updated to include it 🙂
Please correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn’t it read a 5 degree buffer and not 50 ??
Sorry let me fix it!
I have a plastic bag sealer for putting things into the freezer. It sucks the air out and seals the bag. Could I use this for the bags?
You can experiment and see