Sous Vide Cowboy Steak

I'm so excited to share another sous vide recipe with you and this way to prepare steak is my most favorite sous vide recipe we've tried so far.  After many years of experimentation, David (our notorious grill master) has perfected the best, most mouth watering, melt-in-your-mouth delicious cowboy steak, rivaling any 5 star restaurant...Prepared sous vide style and finished with a pan sear to ensure a nice golden-brown crust.  A cowboy steak is a thick (2 ½”-3”) bone-in ribeye cut between the ribs, and feeds 1-2 easily and is one of our favorite cuts of beef.  It's savory and richly marbled so as to guarantee sheer bliss with every bite, although most any other cut of beef would work with minor adjustments on your sous vide cooking time, depending upon the thickness of the cut of meat (see chart below).  Happy sous vide-ing everyone!

1 cowboy steak 2-1/2 pounds and 1-3/4 to 2 inches thick, bone-in of 6-8-inches long (we always prefer bone-in)

1/2 stick Butter

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves (or thyme)

4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

1 - 2 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 - 2 tablespoon olive oil,  (if pan-searing)

Set Up the Sous Vide:

Fill a large water-proof container with water, place the sous vide inside, and preheat it to the desired temperature.  Rare: 120°F, Medium Rare: 131°F, Medium135°F. Refer to the chart in the post for more temperature options.

Season the Cowboy Steak:

Mix the butter with tarragon leaves, garlic, salt and pepper.  Slather steak with mixture on both sides of steak.  Wrap a folded pad of paper towel around the end-tip of the steak bone, securing it in place with string.  This will cushion the sharp bone from piercing the vacuum bag. 

Place the steak into the bag and add the fresh rosemary sprigs.  Remove the air and seal the bag. Place it into the water bath and cook according to the desired doneness temperature (refer to the chart below in the notes).

To Finish-Sear the Steak on the Stovetop (our preferred method):

Open your doors and windows and turn on the stove vent. 

Heat a cast-iron pan (the flat one without sides) set over high heat for 5 minutes or until it is smoking hot.  Meanwhile, remove the vacuum bag from the sous vide cooker and transfer the steak to a platter. 

Remove the rosemary sprigs.  Pat both sides of the steak with paper towels to remove the moisture.  Brush a little olive oil on both sides of the steak.  

Place the steak directly on the pan.  Sear the steak for 30 seconds then flip to the other side.  Repeat the sear-flipping every 30 seconds until the steak develops a deep brown sear.   Do not sear longer than 1-1/2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into servings. Serve immediately.

To Finish Sear the Cowboy Steak on the Charcoal Grill:

Fill and light a charcoal chimney with briquettes. When the top charcoals are white and ready, tip them into the grill basin and spread them evenly in one layer. Adjust the grate to about 4-inches above the briquettes.  Close the grill lid and heat the grill for 5 minutes.

When most of the charcoal briquettes have turned white and they are no longer smoking, remove the vacuum bag from the sous vide cooker and transfer the steak to a platter.  Pat both sides of the steak with paper towels to remove the moisture. 

Open the grill cover and place the steak on the grill.  Cook for 1-1/2 minutes, total, flipping the steak every 15-30 seconds until a rich, deep crust has formed. Use the long bone and/or tongs to turn the steak. Do not sear more than 1-1/2 minutes.

Transfer the steak to a cutting board, slice into servings and serve immediately.  

To Finish Sear the Cowboy Steak on a Gas Grill:

Set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate.

Pat both sides of the steak with paper towels to remove the moisture. 

Open the grill cover and place the steak on the grill.  Cook for 1-1/2 minutes, total, flipping the steak every 15-30 seconds until a rich, deep crust has formed.  Do not sear longer than 1-1/2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board slice for serving. Serve immediately.

Notes:

Wrap the end of the bone with a cushion of paper towel to prevent the sharp end from puncturing the vacuum bag.

When adding the steak to the vacuum bag, first fold the top of the bag over making a cuff of about 4-5 inches, add the steak, flip the top back up and seal. This will keep the bag clean and give a good seal.

A trick we learned, is that you can use Ziploc freezer bags if you don't have a vacuum sealer.  To ensure you get most of the air out, place the meat or veggie in the bag, submerge the open bag slowly in a pot of water.  As you do that the air is forced out by the pressure of the water.  Seal the bag when the water is almost reaches the top of the bag, not allowing water in.

To get a rich crisp crust quickly, blot the steak with paper towel to remove moisture before adding it to the grill or pan.

Adding a dollop of butter to the steak at the end of searing or grilling will add additional flavor and richness. 

Sous Vide Cooking Times:

1-inch thick = 1 hour

1-1/2 inch thick = 1-1/2 hours

2 inches thick = 2 hours

**Recipe adapted from Savor the Best