This Sous Vide New York Strip Steak delivers steakhouse-quality results from the comfort of your own kitchen. By cooking the steak sous vide, you ensure the meat is cooked evenly to your desired doneness, and finished with a golden-brown, flavorful crust in a hot skillet.
The combination of butter, garlic, and fresh thyme enhances the steak’s natural flavors, creating a dish that’s both tender and bursting with rich, savory notes. Serve this steak for a special dinner or an indulgent weeknight treat, pairing it with your favorite sides for a truly satisfying meal.
Full Recipe:
- 2 (1 1/2 inch thick) New York strip steaks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Olive oil, for searing
Directions:
- Preheat the sous vide water bath to 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare.
- Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper.
- Place each steak in a resealable vacuum bag with a tablespoon of butter, a garlic clove, and thyme sprigs. Seal the bags.
- Submerge the sealed bags in the sous vide water bath, cooking the steaks for 1 to 4 hours.
- Once done, remove the steaks from the bags and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat with a little olive oil.
- Sear the steaks for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, until a golden-brown crust forms.
- Remove from heat, let rest for a few minutes, and slice before serving.
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 1-4 hours (Sous Vide) + 2 minutes (Searing) | Total Time: 1-4 hours and 12 minutes
Kcal: Approx. 550 kcal per serving | Servings: 2 servings
Sous Vide New York Strip Steak: The Ultimate Steakhouse Experience at Home
Sous vide cooking has rapidly gained popularity among home cooks and professional chefs alike for its precision and ability to consistently deliver restaurant-quality dishes. One of the standout recipes where this method truly shines is the Sous Vide New York Strip Steak. Known for its tenderness and perfect sear, this dish offers a delicious way to enjoy one of the finest cuts of beef in the comfort of your home.
Why New York Strip Steak?
The New York Strip Steak is often considered one of the most flavorful cuts of beef. It comes from the short loin of the cow, a muscle that doesn’t get too much exercise, resulting in a tender cut with a robust, beefy flavor. This makes it an excellent candidate for sous vide cooking, as the method further enhances the tenderness without overcooking the meat.
Characteristics of New York Strip Steak:
- Rich flavor: It has a bold, meaty flavor that stands up well to seasoning and marinades.
- Firm texture: Though tender, it maintains a pleasant chew, which many steak lovers prefer over the more buttery texture of a ribeye.
- Good marbling: While it doesn’t have the heavy marbling of a ribeye, it has enough fat to make it juicy and flavorful.
The Magic of Sous Vide
Sous vide, which translates to “under vacuum” in French, is a cooking method that involves sealing food in a vacuum-sealed bag and cooking it in a water bath at a precisely controlled, low temperature. This technique offers a number of advantages, especially when preparing proteins like steak.
Benefits of Sous Vide Cooking:
- Precision and Control: With sous vide, you can control the exact temperature at which your steak cooks, eliminating the risk of overcooking. Whether you prefer your steak medium-rare or well-done, sous vide ensures that it is cooked evenly from edge to edge.
- Enhanced flavor: Cooking the steak in a sealed environment with herbs, butter, and garlic intensifies the flavors. The juices and aromas are trapped inside the bag, infusing the steak with deliciousness.
- Consistency: Sous vide guarantees that every time you cook, you get the same consistent results. No more worrying about unevenly cooked meat, cold centers, or dry exteriors.
- Stress-free cooking: The hands-off nature of sous vide means you can leave the steak to cook for hours without needing to constantly check on it. This allows you to focus on preparing other dishes or simply relax until it’s time to serve.
Achieving the Perfect Sear
While sous vide excels at cooking steak evenly, it doesn’t create that beloved crispy, caramelized crust. That’s where searing comes in. After the steak has been cooked sous vide, it is quickly seared in a hot skillet to develop a Maillard reaction—a chemical reaction that creates that irresistible golden-brown crust.
Searing Tips:
- Use a cast-iron skillet: Cast iron retains heat exceptionally well, ensuring an even and hot surface for searing your steak.
- Preheat the pan: Make sure the skillet is smoking hot before adding your steak. A hot pan helps develop the crust quickly without further cooking the inside of the steak.
- Use a high smoke point oil: Olive oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil are great options for searing. Avoid butter for the initial sear as it can burn quickly, but feel free to add butter at the end for flavor.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Sear one steak at a time if needed to prevent the pan from cooling down.
- Pat the steak dry: Before searing, remove excess moisture from the steak by patting it with paper towels. This ensures a better sear.
Why Butter, Garlic, and Thyme?
When preparing steak, the addition of butter, garlic, and thyme creates a harmonious trio of flavors that complements the richness of the beef. These ingredients are added during the sous vide process and also basted over the steak during the final sear.
- Butter: Adds richness and a velvety mouthfeel. When basted over the steak during the searing process, it contributes to a golden, glossy finish.
- Garlic: Infuses the steak with a warm, savory depth that enhances the natural beef flavor without overpowering it.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme adds a light, herbal note that pairs beautifully with both the garlic and the butter, cutting through the richness with its earthy, floral tones.
How Sous Vide Revolutionizes Steak Preparation
Sous vide revolutionizes the way we prepare steak. Traditional methods such as grilling or pan-frying can be hit or miss when it comes to achieving the perfect level of doneness. One wrong move, and you can end up with a steak that’s overcooked on the edges and undercooked in the center. With sous vide, however, every part of the steak is cooked to the same precise temperature.
Additionally, sous vide allows for a more relaxed cooking experience. Since you can leave the steak in the water bath for anywhere between 1 to 4 hours, it gives you flexibility with your timing. You’re no longer tied to the stove, anxiously watching over your meat. Once the sous vide bath is done, all that’s left is a quick sear, making this method virtually foolproof.
Tips for the Best Sous Vide Steak Experience:
- Season generously: While the steak cooks evenly in the sous vide bath, it’s important to season it well before sealing it in the bag. Salt, pepper, and even a light marinade will penetrate the meat as it slowly cooks, infusing every bite with flavor.
- Experiment with flavors: Though garlic, thyme, and butter are classic additions, you can experiment with other herbs like rosemary, or even add a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce for an umami boost.
- Finish with a compound butter: For an extra layer of indulgence, top your seared steak with a dollop of compound butter (butter mixed with herbs, spices, or blue cheese) just before serving.
- Serve with complementary sides: Pair your steak with classic sides like mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a crisp green salad. You can also try more adventurous pairings like truffle fries or grilled asparagus for an upscale touch.
Best Times to Enjoy Sous Vide Steak
Though many reserve steak for special occasions, sous vide makes it easy to enjoy a perfectly cooked steak any night of the week. Whether it’s a romantic dinner for two, a family celebration, or simply a meal to treat yourself after a long day, Sous Vide New York Strip Steak fits any occasion. The beauty of sous vide is that it allows you to multitask, so you can prepare this impressive dish even on busy weeknights.
Hosting a dinner party? Sous vide is also a great way to cook multiple steaks at once, ensuring each guest gets a perfectly cooked steak to their liking. With minimal effort, you’ll wow your guests with a restaurant-quality meal they won’t forget.
Conclusion
Cooking a New York Strip Steak using the sous vide method guarantees perfectly tender, juicy meat with minimal stress. Whether you’re an experienced chef or a home cook experimenting with new techniques, sous vide is a game-changer for anyone looking to elevate their steak game. From the controlled cooking temperature to the perfect sear, you’ll achieve the precise doneness you crave without the guesswork. The addition of butter, garlic, and thyme enhances the natural flavors of the beef, creating a dish that’s as flavorful as it is simple to prepare.
Ultimately, the sous vide method offers an approachable way for any home cook to replicate the magic of a steakhouse-quality meal. The next time you’re craving a perfectly cooked steak, don’t hesitate to give sous vide a try. With just a few ingredients and a little patience, you can enjoy a mouthwatering steak that’s sure to impress.