Can you sous vide too long?
Well, yes and no. For example, leaving most cuts of steak for up to 4 hours will be fine, but after that, the texture of your meat will change. The steak may become mushy and stringy, kind of like the texture of pulled pork.
Does sous vide steak need to rest?
Yes, sous vide steak does benefit from resting after the sear, just like sear-only steak would. Meat rests so that the juices do not immediately pool out after cutting into it because of the constriction after being under high heat.
Does sous vide steak need to rest before sear?
No, for sous vide there is no need for steaks to rest before sear. The reason you rest steak after searing or grilling is so that the juices can redistribute after being constricted while searing. The juices aren’t constricted during sous vide method, as it’s not high heat.
Should you remove marinade before sous vide?
This will depend on the type of marinade you’re working with. Marinades that are acidic, which are traditionally used to tenderize the meat, aren’t needed with sous vide, as the cooking process itself will ensure tender meat. It’s fine to still use an acidic marinade if you wish still, but it’s important to take it off before you sous vide. Leaving the acidic marinade on in the sous vide will give an off flavor, since the alcohol or acid doesn’t evaporate as it does with searing.
Marinades that are non-acidic and are just for flavoring are fine to leave on during sous vide. Though your sous vide time will likely not be long enough to get a proper marination if you only put it on just prior to cooking. So, keep timing in mind when using flavoring marinades.
Should you sous vide dry aged steak?
Yes, you can and should. Following the right cooking instructions, it will turn out great. Though a steak that’s not dry aged will also turn out great.
Do restaurants like Ruth’s Chris use sous vide?
Restaurants do use sous vide quite frequently. Sous vide is a great way to ensure quality control, and effeciency getting orders out to tables. Ruth’s Chris does not use sous vide, though. They have a special infrared oven that reaches extremely high temperatures to broil the steaks.
Does sous vide need to be vacuum sealed?
No, you do not need vacuum sealed bags for sous vide. You can use regular Ziploc freezer bags. However, the healthier option would be to use silicone food bags, such as Stasher or Ziptop, as they fill not be leaching chemicals into your food. Personally, I would never use plastic bags for sous vide as the health concerns regarding plastic, particularly when heated, cannot be overstated enough.
