Question about reverse sear method for steak (oven)

[Scam]

So, the new kitchen is up and running so what better way to test it out than a nice fat ribeye steak from the butchers, with a potato dauphinoise etc. this weekend

I have an Anova sous vide, and love the results, but my new ranger oven can actually go down to 30c. I've been reading up that the reverse sear method can actually give better results than sous vide as it helps dry out the exterior and give a better crust when you sear it in the pan. So I'd like to give it a whirl. Reading the Serious Eats guide his approximate timings are all for a 120c oven although he does say;

Preheat oven to anywhere between 200 and 275°F (93 and 135°C); if your oven goes lower, you can set it to an even lower temperature, though it will take longer to cook.

I believe my oven goes as low as 30c, perhaps in 5c intervals. So if I were to set it at 45-50c I could just bung it in for 1-2hrs like sous vide right? Or would it take longer than sous vide?

The only issue I have here is that I don't have a wireless thermometer that goes in the oven. I do have a Thermapen though, but obviously that involves taking the steak in and out of the oven...

 

[Ormy1]

I tried the reverse-sear method, similar to the one at your link, and I did not enjoy the result. While the steak is cooked the correct amount (I like rare) there's a dryness to the texture that bothers me. The goal is evaporate water from the surface of the steak to make it sear/brown better, but I found it removed too much moisture from the entire steak for my liking, I like my steak very juicy. It's likely something I was doing wrong (or just a crap quality oven) rather than issues with the method itself though, even though I tried maybe half a dozen times with minor variations in oven temp and time in the oven.

So what I do instead is this: 4-6 hours before I want to eat I take the steak out the fridge, season with salt/pepper/garlic, wrap in cling film (to keep moisture in) and put it on top of my gaming computer, then when I'm ready to eat it goes in the skillet with butter. Works for me very well and costs zero extra time vs the reverse sear method at the link. I'd guess the area above the gaming computer is around 25-35C in the winter, maybe 30-40C in the summer. Gaming computer is under a desk so enclosed above and on 3 sides. EDIT: 4-6 hours is for frozen steaks, so much of that time is defrosting. If the steak is only refrigerated then much less time is needed, an hour or two at most to prevent excess bacterial growth.

 

[tom_nieto]

@Ormy1 - 10 internet points for you my man! That’s excellent.

 

[Philtor]

Why all this technical stuff to cook a steak?

Leave it out at room temp for 30 mins, chuck in a pan with garlic, onions and shrooms. Few mins each side and then baste with butter. Finish with half an oxo cube over the top and leave to rest.

Putting it on top of a gaming computer? Seriously? lol

 

[monkentage]

Reverse sear is great for a large steak, a rib or something or a fillet joint because it cooks perfectly evenly instead of well done > medium > rare > raw like when done normally. It is pointless for a normal steak though, so is sous vide.

OP buy a wireless or don't bother its not worth the effort continually measuring a steak.

 

[Scam]

Putting it on top of a gaming computer? Seriously? lol

Not sure if @Ormy1 is joking or not. Leaving meat at 30c for 4-6hrs sounds like a nice way to grow some bacteria on it to me

Anyway, it’s all about consistency. Unless you’re a grill chef doing 30 steaks a night you’re not going to be consistent just chucking it in the pan. And if it’s a thick cut you’ll end up with the outer parts well done, and rare in the middle. With sous vide or reverse searing you can consistently get 50c (or whatever you want) throughout, rendering the internal fat better at a slower temp (providing a much juicer steak) and not having approx 0.5 secs between a great steak and an “ok” steak.

I’ll be honest though, the biggest game changer for steak is salting at least 1hr before. If you want juicy, do that.

 

[Scam]

Steaks were salted, went in the oven at 50c at 6pm. Reckon they’ll be up to temperature by 8pm?

 

[aVdub]

Mine only goes down to 70°C but I reverse sear at 130°C and have a probe in the steak, which I remove from oven when temp is reached and then slap into a hot pan to finish.

It takes around the same time (oven dependant I guess) as sous vide and the results are about the same, just without the faff of vacuum seal + getting water tempts right.

 

[Scam]

Panicked slightly. They weren’t really doing much with 45mins to go. Thermapen was only reading the oven as high 30s so perhaps it struggles to hold such a low consistent heat? (It’s a new range!). Bumped it to 85c, went for a walk and we’re hitting 49/50c for the steaks now. Turned it back down whilst the potatoes continue in the other oven, hopefully steaks won’t overcook in the meantime.

 

[godinman]

How did it turn out?

 

[Scam]

How did it turn out?

Ack, not great. Great crust but erring to medium well (when I was aiming for medium rare). Looked pinkish inside but I suspect the long time in the oven and fiddling with temps may have overly dried it out. It was strange- there was plenty of juice but it was definitely dry. Every days a school day!

 

[drakulton]

Does the steak have RGB and was it overclocked or undervolted?

 

[BUDFORCE]

Why all this technical stuff to cook a steak?

Leave it out at room temp for 30 mins, chuck in a pan with garlic, onions and shrooms. Few mins each side and then baste with butter. Finish with half an oxo cube over the top and leave to rest.

Putting it on top of a gaming computer? Seriously? lol

Agree this thread is really overthinking stuff that doesnt need to be.

 

[EvilRob]

Just follow Kenji's temps and timing next time and it'll turn out fine. My favourite method to cook a nice thick T&G ribeye.

A temp probe that goes in the oven is a very worthwhile investment imo. Doesn't have to be wireless.

 

[Scam]

A temp probe that goes in the oven is a very worthwhile investment imo. Doesn't have to be wireless

Yep I tried to be clever since my oven temp went as low as 50c. Should have trusted Kenji as usual A thermometer/probe is definitely on the list to purchase..

 

[Hotwired]

Not sure if @Ormy1 is joking or not. Leaving meat at 30c for 4-6hrs sounds like a nice way to grow some bacteria on it to me

It's perfect temperature for bacteria Any place selling food would have their licence chucked in the bin if preparing steaks involved leaving them at body temperature for 6 hours.

On sous vide charts showing temp and time required to kill bacteria in food I don't think any go below 50 degrees.

 

[godinman]

Most steaks I cook tend to just need 2-3 minutes a side and then a good rest. I've never really got the basting lark, maybe useful on really thick steaks? I did try basting in butter after seeing it on YouTube but it just tasted too buttery (maybe that's the point!).

Another thing I don't understand is the obsession over a 'crust', they act like it's the be all and end off of steak cooking, I'd rather not have a charred layer over my steak thanks...

An offset smoker is on the shopping list this year, so I'll have to have a crack at reverse searing then as I do like a bit of colour on the surface, not to the extent of the YouTube steak'tards tho.

 

[EvilRob]

Yep I tried to be clever since my oven temp went as low as 50c. Should have trusted Kenji as usual A thermometer/probe is definitely on the list to purchase..

Oven temps are notoriously inaccurate, so when I reverse sear I use one probe next to the steak to get an accurate ambient temp and one probe in the meat.

 

[EvilRob]

Most steaks I cook tend to just need 2-3 minutes a side and then a good rest. I've never really got the basting lark, maybe useful on really thick steaks? I did try basting in butter after seeing it on YouTube but it just tasted too buttery (maybe that's the point!).

If it's just a normal supermarket steak I do the same. If it's something like this I like to put in the effort to cook it perfectly, with an edge to edge medium rare and a nice seared (not burnt) exterior with plenty of Maillard going on.

 

[mattyfez]

Well, first off, you fry/grill a steak... not oven, so sit back down, step away from the steak (feed it to the dog or something) and order a McDonalds....

...because Mcdonalds is all you deserve to eat.

People be talking about temp probes? what is this, an alien invasion?