Recipe for flanksteak sous vide
The perfect flank steak, cooked using sous vide.
This cut can be difficult to prepare on the grill or in the oven as it is thin and can easily become overcooked. Using sous vide ensures that you achieve a perfect piece of meat every time.
Read on as I guide you through the sous vide process from start to finish.
What is flank steak?
Flank steak is sometimes also called bavette, which is the French name for the cut. It is sliced from the belly, meaning the part behind the cow’s breast, and not far from the tenderloin.
Flank steak belongs to the semi-tender cuts (along with culotte and cuvette) and contains a fair amount of muscle fibers, giving it a delicious texture and plenty of flavor.
The cut is relatively long and flat (it is also the cut used for plank steak) and the meat is very tender as long as it’s cooked with care. It’s best to cook flank steak to a medium rare or less, as it can become a bit dry if overcooked. Unlike many other cuts, it doesn’t need a lot of cooking time to be perfect: 7 minutes on each side in a pan or on the grill is usually enough.
Flank steak is quite popular during grilling season, but it’s one of the somewhat overlooked cuts for the rest of the year. That’s really a shame because not only is it affordable, it’s also wonderfully delicious—all year round!
Flank steak sous vide
Flank steak can easily become overcooked. By using sous vide, you avoid the risk of overcooking it, which can easily happen since the cut is so thin. With sous vide, you ensure that the result is always tender, juicy, and perfectly medium rare because you have full control over the temperature the meat should reach.
Not only do you have complete control over the core temperature, but the meat also gets the same temperature and cooking from inside to out, so you also avoid the “gray edge” that typically occurs when using traditional cooking methods such as pan or grill.
Flank steak sous vide time and temperature
When using sous vide as the cooking method, you only need to be aware of the time and water temperature. I’ve seen many different recommendations regarding time and temperature for flank steak, but I think this recipe gives the best result.
The cooking time is much longer in sous vide than in a pan or on the grill, but the result is so much better, and you can do a lot of other things in the meantime. It is also perfect to start in the morning while you prepare other things for when the guests arrive.
The cooking time is divided into two “phases,” namely core time and hold time. Core time is the time it takes for the meat to reach the desired core temperature, while hold time is the additional time it takes for the meat to become tender and pasteurized. Most of the cooking time for flank steak is hold time since the cut is relatively thin.
The water temperature depends on how you like your meat. I think it should be medium rare, so it is perfectly juicy, tender, and delicious.
Flank steak sous vide searing
The flank steak is essentially ready to eat as soon as it comes out of your sous vide, but before serving it, it needs to be seared first. This can be done in various ways, for example, on a pan, griddle, grill, or with a blowtorch. The most important thing is that the heat is at its maximum. The flank steak only needs to be heated for a very short time so that it does not continue cooking—remember, it has already reached the perfect temperature.
No matter the method you use, you need to turn the heat up all the way.
Flank steak sous vide slicing and resting time
Flank steak should be sliced in a special way, namely at an angle of about 70° to the steak. Cut it into thin slices, sprinkle with a bit of flaky salt, and serve immediately. The meat does not need to rest before slicing.
Flanksteak sous vide
Ingredients
- 2 kg Flank Steak
- Salt and Pepper freshly ground
- 14 gram Oil for frying
Instructions
- Set your sous vide to 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Season the meat with freshly ground salt and pepper and place it in a vacuum bag.
- Seal the bag and immerse it in the water bath.
- Let it cook for 7 hours.
- Take the bag out of the water bath and unpack the meat.
- Pat the meat dry with a clean kitchen towel and season again with freshly ground salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet and sear the meat on both sides - about 1 minute on each side.
- Carve the meat as previously described and serve immediately with your favorite side dish.
Notes
