Warning: My sous vide steak came out tasting like a boiled sponge

I followed a popular online recipe to the letter, cooking a 2-inch ribeye at 135 degrees for 3 hours. It was perfectly pink inside but had zero sear flavor and a weird, soft texture that felt boiled. Is there a trick to getting that real steakhouse crust without overcooking the middle?

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3 Comments

wendy_jackson5mo ago

Yeah that's the classic sous vide trap. Did you dry the steak really well before you tried to sear it? Like, pat it down with paper towels until it's bone dry?

6

tyler_wilson5mo ago

Buddy of mine did the exact same thing. Spent like 4 hours on a ribeye, took it straight from the bag to the cast iron. Ended up with a gray, steamed mess.

1

jesse_fisher5mo ago

It's like when people follow instructions too closely and miss the common sense step. You can have all the right gear but still mess up the basics. A super dry surface is that basic step everyone forgets to mention.

1