Emulsifier Free Sous Vide Steak
Sous vide is one of the most reliable ways to get a steakhouse-quality result at home, and this method delivers every single time. The ribeyes are seasoned with just kosher salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, and crushed garlic — nothing hidden, nothing processed, and absolutely no emulsifiers lurking in a marinade or sauce packet. Cooking in a sealed bag in a precisely controlled water bath means the meat reaches a perfect, even 130°F all the way through before it ever touches a hot pan. That final sear in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet with a little neutral oil and unsalted butter is what builds the deep mahogany crust that makes this feel genuinely special. Basting with foaming butter in those last thirty seconds adds richness without any additives or stabilizers — just real ingredients doing exactly what they're supposed to do. A short rest on a wire rack and a pinch of flaky sea salt at the end are all it takes to finish the job. Clean, bold, and completely from scratch, this is the kind of steak that makes you wonder why you ever ordered out.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
- 2 ribeye steaks (1 ¼ to 1 ½ inches thick, about 12 oz each)
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola or avocado oil)
For serving
- flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Attach the sous vide immersion circulator to a large pot or container and preheat the water to 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare.
- 2
Pat the steaks completely dry with paper towels, then season all over with the kosher salt and black pepper. Place each steak in a separate vacuum-seal bag or heavy-duty zip-lock bag with 2 thyme sprigs and 1 crushed garlic clove. Seal using a vacuum sealer, or use the water-displacement method for zip-lock bags: lower the bag slowly into the water bath, letting the water pressure push out the air, then seal the top just before it submerges.
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