This sous vide sirloin steak recipe is so juicy and tender that it melts in your mouth with an amazing seared crust. This recipe is so easy and by using the sous vide technique, you’ll get a perfect steak every single time. Pairing with a bright and zesty chimichurri takes this delicious steak to the next level. Bring restaurant quality steaks home without the steak house prices!

If you’re wondering how to make the best sous vide steak of your life, look no further. In this recipe, we’ll go over everything you need to know about making the most tender and juicy steak you can imagine. We’ll review everything that’s involved with making the perfect sous vide sirloin steak: what the sous vide cooking process is, the different ways to seal steaks in a sous vide bag, how long to sous vide steak for the best results, what to pair it with, etc.

Contents

1 What is sous vide?
2 Why sous vide for sirloin steak?
3 Why sirloin steak?
4 Temperature Guide
5 How to vacuum seal sirloin steak?
6 Equipment Needed
7 Ingredients:
8 Instructions:
9 What to pair with this
10 FAQs
11 Sous Vide Sirloin Steak Recipe

What is sous vide?

Sous vide, known as low-temperature long time cooking, is a culinary technique that cooks food at a very precise temperature using an immersion circulator in a hot water bath and yields the most consistent results every time. This method of cooking can produce results that are very challenging to achieve through traditional cooking methods. Sous vide literally translates to “under a vacuum” in French, and refers to the process of vacuum sealing the food in a plastic bag before placing it in a sous vide water bath or large pot.

Why sous vide for sirloin steak?

Everyone has their own preference to how rare or well done their steak is cooked, which makes being able to cook it at the exact desired temperature super important. The traditional way of cooking with direct heat can make it difficult to precisely control the internal temperature and temperature outside of the steak, usually resulting in either an undercooked or overcooked steak, with the edges being more cooked than the middle. In comparison, the sous vide method gives you complete control over the cooking temperature by keeping the water temperature constant which makes it so easy to get perfect results consistently. My personal preference is a medium-rare steak and I’ve found that 130°F (54.4°C) for 2 hours is the perfect temperature and time for a deliciously flavorful and tender steak. If you prefer your steak cooked differently, please reference my time and temperature guide below!

Sirloin steak is perfect for the sous vide process for the following reasons:

Consistency: Since the sirloin steak is cooked at a precise temperature for a specific amount of time, it will cook evenly edge to edge and you’re guaranteed to have great results every time.
Flavor: The sirloin steak is sealed in a bag, retaining all the savory meat juices as it cooks so it’s never dry and always comes out melt in your mouth juicy, tender, and flavorful.
Convenience: Unlike traditional cooking methods that require continued attention, sous vide cooking is similar to a slow cooker and allows you to basically set it and forget it while you do other important things, like take a nap! The sous vide machine will cook the steak at a consistent temperature and keep it there for as long as you like without any concern about under or overcooking.

Why sirloin steak?

There are a lot of different cuts for steak and the amount of fat marbling and connective tissue with vary depending on the cut of steak. For example, a ribeye steak has quite a bit of fat marbling, as well as some muscle tissue, whereas a filet mignon steak has much less fat marbling and connective tissue. Due to these differences, the ribeye and the filet mignon will have very different taste and texture profiles. I’ll be going over what the sirloin is and why it’s great for this sous vide steak recipe.

The sirloin steak, also known as a top sirloin steak or New York strip steak, comes from an area just behind the short loin on the top back end of the cow. Since it comes from a more muscular area, the sirloin steak isn’t as tender, nor does it have as much marbling, as other steaks. However, for those same reasons, sirloin steak is a much more affordable option when compared to the much more expensive ribeye, so it’s great for families or as an everyday option. In addition, even though it’s a leaner cut, it packs a wonderfully rich, beefy flavor not found in other steaks. Since it’s more muscular and doesn’t have as much marbling, if we were cooking sirloin steak via traditional methods on a hot grill, it would need to cook for longer time, but can turn tough really quickly if just slightly overcooked. By comparison, sous vide is a great way to cook the sirloin steak to that perfect medium rare without worrying about overshooting and turning it into rubber! As a good rule of thumb, I avoid getting steaks that are on the thinner side, and I recommend getting a 1.5-2 inch thick steak so that you can get a really good sear after the sous vide process without inadvertently overcooking the inside of the steak.

Temperature Guide

The great thing about sous vide is the ability to consistently control the cooking temperature, which results in the best steak ever, no matter how you like your steak done. I personally like my steaks done medium rare, but I’ve listed the different temperatures and cooking durations in the temperature guide below to cook your steaks to your preference.

Doneness	Sous Vide Cooking Temperature	Cooking Duration
Rare	120°F (48.9°C) – 128°F (53.3°C)	1-2 1/2 hours
Medium Rare	129°F (53.9°C) – 134°F (56.7°C)	1-4 hours
Medium	135°F (57.2°C) – 144°F (62.2°C)	1-4 hours
Medium Well	145 (62.8°C)-155°F (68.3°C)	1-3 1/2 hours
Well Done	156°F (62.8°C) and up	1-3 hours

How to vacuum seal sirloin steak?

We’ll go over several ways to seal your food for sous vide, ranging from a really expensive vacuum sealing system, like a chambered vacuum sealer, to cost-effective options, like Ziploc bags and how to use each method for this sirloin steak sous vide recipe. Spoiler alert: you don’t need a fancy and costly vacuum sealer.

Vacuum Sealer: this is one of the two most common methods of sealing food for sous vide. Although previously used exclusively by professional chefs, vacuum sealers are becoming more commonly used at home everyday. One of the most popular brands used by the home chef is Food Saver, with the Foodsaver 4840 model being highly regarded. Some brands have their own specific vacuum seal bag while other bags can be used interchangeably with multiple brands.
Resealable bag (like Ziploc): this is the other most common way for sealing food and is super convenient and cost effective! This technique uses the water displacement method to seal food. With the water displacement method, place the steak and fresh herbs in a resealable bag, like a Ziploc bag, and almost zip it fully closed, leaving a small opening. Slowly submerge the bag into a water bath and it will force out as much air as it can through the small opening. Keep submerging the bag until the top of the bag is almost at the water line, then seal the bag completely.
- Pro tip: I prefer using gallon-sized freezer bags for a more durable, yet still cost effective, option. I also recommend double bagging for longer sous vide times, sous viding at higher temperatures, or if the contents have something that can potentially puncture the bag, like exposed bones.
Silcone bag (like Stasher): this option combines the versatility and ease of a Ziplock bag with the strength of a vacuum-sealed bag. They’re really durable, are dishwasher and freezer safe, and can be reused a ton. I really like Stasher’s silicone bags for these reasons. All you have to do is put your ingredients into the bag, almost seal it fully closed, leaving a small opening, and manually roll the bag from the bottom to the top, forcing out as much air as you can, before sealing it completely.
- Pro tip: Due to the thickness of the silicone bag, increase the cooking time by about 5-10 minutes.
Glass jar (like a mason jar): While very useful for food recipes that start off in a liquid form (like an egg bite) or grains (like beans), mason jars are not suitable for this steak recipe, so I won’t be going into a lot of detail about it. Just know that it can be a very easy and convenient option depending on the type of food you’re preparing.

Equipment Needed

Sous vide machine (aka immersion circulator or precision cooker): this is the most important piece of equipment you’ll need as this recipe would not be possible without it! I personally use the Anova sous vide product line.
A large sous vide container for a water bath: you can use almost any container you have for the water bath, like a heat resistant plastic box or a large pot. You’ll just want to make sure it is large enough to fit the sous vide cooker and your food. I like this 12 quart container for my sous vide recipes.
- Pro tip: A compatible lid for your container comes in handy for longer cook times because the water can evaporate during the process. If you don’t have a lid, you may have to check on the water level from time to time and add more if needed. Since this recipe is only 2 hours, you won’t need a lid.
A vacuum sealer, Ziploc bag, or silicone resealable bag: this will hold the steak and seasoning during the sous vide process. I will be using a Ziploc gallon-sized freezer bag for this recipe.
A cast iron skillet or blowtorch: you’ll use this to sear the cooked sirloin steak after the sous vide process.

Ingredients:

One of the great things about this recipe is that you only need a few ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your kitchen and if you don’t, can easily pick up at your local grocery store.

1 sirloin steak (1 lb)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

2-3 raw garlic cloves, finely minced

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes (optional, to sprinkle on top after searing, I like the Maldon brand)

Instructions:

Heat water to 130°F (54.4°C) with a sous vide machine.
Rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil over all surfaces of the steak.
Season all sides with coarse sea salt, black pepper, and minced garlic.
If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can also use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder instead, but I prefer fresh garlic.
Place 1 sprig of rosemary, as well as any other optional herbs, on both sides.
Place the seasoned steak with fresh herbs into your sous vide bag of choice and seal.
- If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, use the water displacement method with Ziploc bags or other methods listed above.
Place the bag into the sous vide water bath and use a clip to keep the bag from moving around.
- I like using these binder clips for this purpose. You may also need to use some weights or magnets to keep the bag down. I’ve found these magnets to be useful.
Cook for 2 hours (for about a 2 inch steak).
- As a general rule of thumb, plan 1 hour cooking time per 1 inch steak thickness.
Lay some paper towels on a cutting board.
After 2 hours, remove the bag from the water bath.
- Optional step: Immediately chill an ice bath or refrigerator for 5 minutes in lengthen searing time.
Remove the steak from the bag and transfer it onto the paper towels on the cutting board. Pat the steak really well with an additional paper towel to draw out any moisture. Set aside at room temperature for a few minutes. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- This is a really important step as you won’t get a good sear if the steak has a lot of retained moisture.
Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a cast iron skillet or frying pan on medium-high heat.
Once the skillet is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates, place the steak down for 1-2 minutes, and then flip onto the other side for another 1-2 minutes for a quick sear.
Remove from heat and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.
- Optional step: sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top or spoon chimichurri sauce over the steak for some zest!

sous-vide-sirloin-steak-recipe-served-with-chimichurri-sauce

What to pair with this

Mashed potatoes
Roasted vegetables, like potatoes, brussel sprouts, or asparagus
Chimichurri sauce

FAQs

Is sous vide safe for steak?
- Both cooking temperature and cook time contribute to overall food safety. So although the USDA recommends that beef be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (62.8°C), sous vide steaks are safe because even though it’s cooked at a lower temperature, it’s also cooked for a much longer time period.
Can I sous vide frozen sirloin steak?
- Yes, you can definitely sous vide frozen sirloin steak! To account for that, I would recommend adding an additional hour to the total sous vide time.
Can I sous vide a steak for too long?
- Although you can’t overcook a steak with the sous vide in the traditional sense, you don’t want to sous vide it for much longer than recommended as the texture of the steak will change to be more mushy.
What are the different ways can I sear steak?
- Besides using a cast iron skillet, you can use a blow torch to sear steak.

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