Perfectly Seared Ribeye Steak

Back in December of 2022, the first episode of Season 3 of From the Source aired as a sneak peek. Honestly, I love this episode, and I’ve known Will from White Oak Pastures a long time. They truly raise some of the best grassfed beef in the world. Will believes that animals should have the opportunity to express instinctive behavior. A long time ago, they gave up a lot of commodity beef technologies to get back to basics – the result is a incredibly amazing ecosystem.

Sous vide is a method of cooking food where food is vacuum-sealed in a bag and then immersed in water at a consistent temperature. This method is commonly used in restaurants because of its ability to achieve a consistent result time after time. In regards to grassfed steaks, sous vide works amazingly well. The accuracy of the temperature of the steak, and the time that it takes to cook results in a perfectly cooked, tender steak. The sear at the end gives it an even, brown crust with no gray area between. This method requires that the steaks are started about 14 hours before the meal is to be served, so start the day ahead!

Seared sous vide steak. As seen on From the Source, Season 3.

Seared sous vide steak. As seen on From the Source, Season 3.

Perfectly Seared Ribeye Steak

Katie Button

From the Source, Season 3 - Beef

Print Recipe

Prep Time 14

active cooking 10

Course Main Course

Servings 2 servings

Equipment

This recipe requires a heat proof container that is sturdy, and large enough to hold enough water to submerge the steaks, an immersion circulator (sous vide) to maintain the temperature and circulate the water, and a sealable bag.

Ingredients

2 12-14 ounce ribeye steaks at least 1.5 inches thick
4 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic smashed
2 tablespoons beef tallow

Instructions

For the container, look for something that is fairly large and deep like a stock pot or heavy plastic bin. It should be 10 inches high and about 12 inches wide.
Fill the container with warm water. Place the immersion circulator into the water making sure to secure it well to one side. The water should be about an inch below the maximum fill line to allow room for the steaks.
Set the circulator temperature to 130 F. Allow the water bath to reach 130 F before placing the steaks into the bath.
Season both sides of the steaks liberally with salt. Place each steak into a separate gallon ziplock bag with 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 clove of garlic. Seal each bag, leaving 1 inch open. Lower the bag into the water. As the bag lowers, the water pressure will push the air out of the opening. When the bag is almost fully submersed, push the rest of the air out with your hand, and seal the bag tightly. Clip the top of the bag to the edge of the container, making sure the steak remains fully submerged. If needed, add more hot water so the water level meets the fill line. Cover the top of the container around the base of the circulator with foil to help maintain temperature, sous vide the steaks for 14 hours.
After 14 hours, remove the steaks from the bags. Gently pat them dry.
Bring a cast iron pan with beef tallow or a grill to very high or direct heat. Sear or grill the steaks on high heat for about 1-2 minutes on either side to caramelize. Serve immediately.