DadCooksDinner: I vacuum seal the steaks in a plastic bag, and put them in a water bath at the exact finishing temperature we want.
Mom: You’re boiling the steak? But I want it rare!
DadCooksDinner: The water is set for rare. It takes a few hours to get there, but the steak will never go past that temperature, so it won’t go past rare.
Mom: I don’t get this. At all.
DadCooksDinner: It’s been cooking since we got here . Now I take it out of the bag, pat it dry, sear it on the grill, and serve it up.
[DadCooksDinner Sears the steaks. Mom keeps peeking over his shoulder.]
Mom: This will never work…
DadCooksDinner: Mom, I’ve done this for you before, with a beer cooler. You loved it.
Mom: You did? I don’t remember that. Be careful with those steaks, now, don’t overcook them.
[DadCooksDinner Steaks are done. Starts slicing.]
Mom: [Gasps] Those are perfect! Can I have a piece…just to check?
DadCooksDinner: Of course, Mom. Hey, only one piece! We have a lot of people to serve. Mom! Wait…oh, never mind. Enjoy.
Recipe: Sous Vide Grilled Top Sirloin Sandwiches
Equipment
- Sous Vide water bath (I used a SousVide Supreme Demi, but you can improvise one with a beer cooler)
- Vacuum sealer
- Grill (I use a Weber Summit. Here is the current version of my grill.)
Ingredients
- 1 (2 pound) top sirloin cap roast (aka Culotte or Picanha)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 loaf crusty french bread
- Arugula
- Flaky salt for sprinkling (I love Fleur de Sel de Camargue, but any flaky salt will do)
- Balsamic vinegar
- Goat cheese
- Dijon mustard
Directions
1. Sous Vide the Sirloin
Sprinkle the sirloin roast with the salt and pepper. Put the roast in a large (gallon/3.9 liter) vacuum pouch, and cover with the thyme and garlic. Seal the bag and sous vide at 130°F/54.5°C for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours.
2. Set the grill for direct high heat
Set the grill up for cooking on direct high heat, and clean the grill grate. For my gas grill, I preheat with all the burners on high for 15 minutes, then brush the grate clean with my grill brush. If you have a sear burner or infrared burner, this is the time to use it – you want the grill as hot as possible.
3. Prep the french bread and sirloin
While the grill is heating: Cut the french bread in half lengthwise, then crosswise into sandwich sized pieces. Remove the sirloin from the bag and discard the herbs and garlic. Pat the sirloin dry with paper towels.
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| Patting dry with paper towels |
4. Sear the sirloin over direct high heat
Put the sirloin on the grill over direct high heat. Sear, flipping every minute, until the roast is well browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Move the roast to a carving board. Put the french bread on the grill, cut side down, and grill until just starting to brown, about 30 seconds. Immediately remove the bread to a platter – grilled bread goes from toasted to burnt in moments.
5. Slice the roast and serve
Slice the roast as thin as possible. To assemble a sandwich: Spread Dijon mustard on the bottom piece of bread, pile on some sliced beef, then top with a small handful of arugula. Sprinkle with the coarse salt and drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar. Spread goat cheese on the top piece of bread, and put it on top of the sandwich. Repeat until all the sandwiches are built, then serve.
Notes
- No sous vide water bath? No worries. You can rig up a beer cooler, if you’re patient.
- Add your favorite herbs to the vacuum bag – whatever you like on beef. I used thyme because I had a lot on hand. (That’s right, I was just wasting thyme.)
- I doubled this recipe, and served it at a family party. The adults ate sandwiches as described in the recipe; the kids took their bread and beef, then topped it with a squirt of barbecue sauce.
- In other words, top these with whatever you like with beef. I used goat cheese and arugula because I got it with my CSA box this week. Or, use whatever you want to top the sandwich – the only requirements are the bread and the beef.
- As you read this, Mom’s writing me out of the will for the opening story. I hope you enjoyed it. Hi Mom! Love you!
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts:
Sous Vide Grilled New York Strip Steaks with Herbs
Sous Vide Grilled Chicken Breasts with Japanese Glaze and Dipping Sauce
Click here for my other sous vide recipes.
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