Sous Vide Ribeye Steak Recipe with Time Temp Chart

Cooking a perfect medium-rare ribeye steak shouldn't be hard. Traditional methods, such as grilling or pan-searing, however, could often lead to disappointment - undercooked, overcooked, or unevenly cooked. Even experienced chefs can sometimes mess it up. Fortunately, using a sous vide cooker, which may sound fancy but is actually quite accessible, can be a game-changer. Favored by many high-end restaurants, it makes your steak really juicy, incredibly tender, and evenly cooked from edge to edge. In this recipe, you'll find detailed steps as well as a time and temp chart for sous vide ribeye steak. 

Ingredients:

• Ribeye steak, ideally 1 inch thick
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh herbs
• Butter
• Oil
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika

Equipment:

• INKBIRD Sous Vide Machine
• Water bath container
• Vacuum sealer
• Tongs or grill spatula
• Large skillet or cast-iron pan

The Benefits of Sous Vide Ribeye Steak

Sous vide is an amazing cooking technique since it’s almost impossible to overcook food. You can achieve the desired doneness for a vacuum-sealed ribeye steak by cooking it slowly in a water bath at a precise temperature for a set time. And, because the temperature is controlled, you can get consistent doneness every time. Plus, the long, low-temperature cooking helps the marinade to soak into the steak, maximizing its flavor and richness.

However, if you like a more traditional way to cook steak, try my reverse-sear steak recipe.

Sous Vide Ribeye Steak Time Temp Chart

Sticking to the times and temperatures in the chart below will help you cook a perfectly tender and juicy ribeye steak. Feel free to fine-tune it within the range to suit your taste. If you’re using an INKBIRD sous vide machine, it simplifies everything with preset recipes, so you just need one tap to get it right.

INKBIRD ISV-101W

Smart Sous Vide Cooker with Diverse Preset Menus

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How to Sous Vide a Ribeye Steak?

Step 1: Preheat your sous vide cooker. Fill the water bath container with enough water, making sure it covers the steak but stays below the max level of your sous vide cooker. Preheat the water to your desired temperature based on the sous vide ribeye time temp chart provided above. Or, if you have an INKBIRD sous vide cooker like the ISV-101W, you can easily choose from various doneness levels right on the machine or through the app, and adjusting the time and temperature is just a single tap away.

Step 2: Season the ribeye steak. Season your steak with salt, pepper, and any herbs or spices you prefer. I like to keep it simple with just salt, freshly ground pepper, and a sprig of rosemary for that natural flavor.

Step 3: Vacuum seal the steak. Place the seasoned ribeye steak in the vacuum bag and seal it up. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, just use the water displacement method to get it sealed.

Step 4: Sous vide ribeye steak. Submerge the sealed steak into the preheated water bath and set the timer based on the chart. I usually go for the medium-rare steak temp, which is at 131℉ (55℃) for about 1-1.5 hours. I don’t recommend cooking the steak for over 4 hours, as this softens its muscle fibers and makes it taste less like meat.

Step 5: Heat your cast-iron pan. Remove the steak from the water bath, gently pat it dry with paper towels, and set it aside. Then, heat your cast iron skillet or pot over high heat and add plenty of oil. I would recommend canola or avocado oil. Heat until it starts to smoke.

Step 6: Sear the ribeye steak. Sear the ribeye steak on the fatty side first, then flip and cook for roughly 1 minute on each side. If you haven’t added butter yet, add it into the skillet about 30 seconds before the steaks finish cooking to give them a richer texture.

Step 7: Slice the sous vide ribeye steak. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve right away.

FAQs

Why sous vide ribeye steak?

Here are some advantages of cooking ribeye steak sous vide:

• Cook evenly for consistent results
• Ensure tender and moist steaks
• Enhance the flavor of the marinade
• Easily achieve desired rare and medium-rare doneness

How long to sous vide a ribeye steak?

Cooking a ribeye steak sous vide usually takes between 1 to 4 hours, depending on the thickness of the steak and the desired doneness. If you don’t cook it long enough, it might not cook evenly or could be undercooked, but leaving it too long can break down the meat fibers and make it overly tender.

Can I sous vide a frozen ribeye steak?

Yes, you can sous vide frozen ribeye steak straight from the freezer without thawing it first. Just remember to adjust the cooking time since it’s frozen. Usually, adding an extra hour to the standard cooking time works well. For more info, take a look at: Can You Sous Vide Frozen Steak?