Sous Vide Steak | Why Pre-Sear + Post-Sear = Perfect Steak
Steak and sous vide are a match made in heaven—perfect doneness, every time. But here’s the twist: if we pre-sear before cooking, we kick off the Maillard reaction early, building deeper flavor and ensuring the best final crust.
Recipe guidance:
- Equipment: sous vide bath (we use Joule® Turbo), ziplock bag, skillet, rack, sheet pan, oil, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, bay leaf
- Pre-sear: Heat 15 g oil, sear steaks over high heat, turning every 15 sec for 1 min.
- Bag + sous vide: Add 30 g oil + aromatics, seal, and cook:
• ½ in (1.3 cm): 30 min
• ¾ in (2 cm): 45 min
• 1 in (2.5 cm): 1 hr
• 1½ in (3.8 cm): 1 hr 30 min
• 2 in (5 cm): 2 hrs
- Finish: Pat dry, sear again 1–2 min, flipping every 30 sec until crust is golden.
- Slice against the grain and serve.
Temperature guide:
122 °F / 50 °C: Very rare
126 °F / 52 °C: Rare
129 °F / 54 °C: Medium-rare (our favorite)
133 °F / 56 °C: Medium
140 °F / 60 °C: Medium-well
147 °F / 64 °C: Well-done
154 °F / 68 °C: Very well-done
Key tips:
- Pre-searing = deeper flavor and better final crust.
- Always measure steak thickness to nail cook time.
- Pat steaks completely dry before the post-sear for maximum Maillard.
? Full sous vide steak guide here: https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/sous-vide-steak
https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/presearing-for-sous-vide