Sous vide chuck roast or chuck steaks?
I've never cooked sous vide before, but am now equipped to try thanks to the holidays.
We have a 3 pound chuck roast -- I'm not sure what the exact cut shape is, but it's vaguely cube shaped. If we cut the roast into steaks (1-2 inches thick) before bagging and cooking, what effect would this have on the cooking time and/or quality?
Best Answer
That's the first thing I did with my Anova circulator.
It turns chuck into ribeye! (so to speak) Notice no grey border? And the perfect medium rare?!
I don't know about sous-vide cooking chuck as a roast (although I do have a recipe), because I haven't done it (yet). It turned out so great as a steak that I'll probably do at least one more as steaks before I do a roast. I live alone so I'd rather have 5 steaks vacuum packed in the freezer than 1 beautifully cooked roast.
That is chuck, circulated for 60 hours (no joke, although I did one for 36 hours that was almost as good) at 131F. The long time is necessary to break down all of that delicious connective tissue.
Then I seared in a NASA hot cast iron skillet.
It was so good! I sprinkled with salt and pepper just before I seared, that was all the seasoning I used. Great steak for the price of hamburger :)
Good luck! Enjoy!
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Is chuck steak better than chuck roast?
If you want single steaks that you can marinate and pan sear, then chuck steaks are the way to go. But if you're looking forward to cooking a pot roast in the Crock Pot or in the oven in a roasting pan with some potatoes and veggies, the chuck roast is the best option.Can you use chuck steak instead of chuck roast?
A chuck steak is that same piece of meat, but cut into 1- to 2-inch thick slices. Measure out equal portions and use a longer chef's knife for an even edge to each slice. So you can make a few chuck steaks out of chuck roasts. In fact, save money by buying a chuck roast, slicing it into steaks, and freezing it.Can I sous vide chuck steak?
One way chuck steaks can be grilled or broiled is if they have been properly marinated. Marinating allows this tough cut of beef to become tender while cooking. However, to ensure the steaks are perfectly cooked, sous vide the chuck steaks first and then finish them with a quick sear on the grill!How long do I sous vide chuck steak?
DirectionsHow to Cook a Cheap Chuck Steak That's Better Than a Ribeye
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Answer 2
Sous vide cooking is a function of temperature and the surface area to volume ratio of the food in question.
If you have a high surface area to volume the cooking time will be shorter. Steaks would have a higher ratio than the roast so they would take less time than the roast. The amount of the time difference is difficult to predict exactly over such a long time scale, but a rough calculation of the ratio I spoke of would be a good starting point for a compensation factor.
If you have the time and your water bath can accommodate, I'd suggest keeping the roast whole and finishing in a skillet. It's much more impressive than a steak.
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