I'm going to be doing sous vide for the first time this weekend, but I need to know...

Do you sear the meat first, then sous vide, or do you sous vide then reverse sear the meat?

Any other pointers or advice?

I always sear after but that's just me.

Steak at 128 or so, for at least an hour or hour and a half. Rocket-hot pan, sear one side, sear the other, serve; no real need to rest if you sear for less than 30 seconds (did I mention a real hot pan?)

If you feel like resting, ok, but no more than a couple minutes...it wasn't that hot to begin with, just enough to make it rare.

after.

After.


And get that cast iron as hot as you can before searing.    I use a coleman propane burner, outside, and burn the seasoning off the skillet during preheating.    Pat the meat dry after removing it from the plastic bag, coat with a little high-temp oil, then 30s each side.  


You are going to take pictures, right?

Always after.

After. 500 degree pan for 60 seconds on each side.

Do you rest it any before searing or straight from the bag to the cast iron?

If you sear before that would be like steaming French fries after you fried them.

Afterward.  And I don't think you need to rest it before searing.

Although I still say soaking good meat in a pool of tepid water is just wrong.

The meat will go on shortly....

What's with the butter?   When the meat is sealed in a bag no additional fat/moisture is necessary.

Looks like it is going to be a late dinner


Pasteurization Time for Meat (Beef, Pork, and Lamb)
(starting at 41°F / 5°C and put in a 131–151°F / 55–66°C water bath)
55°C56°C57°C58°C59°C60°C
Thickness131°F133°F134.5°F136.5°F138°F140°F
5 mm2 hr1¼ hr60 min45 min40 min30 min
10 mm2 hr1½ hr1¼ hr55 min45 min40 min
15 mm2¼ hr1¾ hr1½ hr1¼ hr60 min55 min
20 mm2½ hr2 hr1¾ hr1½ hr1¼ hr1¼ hr
25 mm2¾ hr2¼ hr2 hr1¾ hr1½ hr1½ hr
30 mm3 hr2½ hr2 hr2 hr1¾ hr1½ hr
35 mm3¼ hr2¾ hr2¼ hr2 hr2 hr1¾ hr
40 mm3½ hr3 hr2½ hr2¼ hr2¼ hr2 hr
45 mm4 hr3¼ hr3 hr2¾ hr2½ hr2¼ hr
50 mm4½ hr3¾ hr3¼ hr3 hr2¾ hr2½ hr
55 mm5 hr4¼ hr3¾ hr3½ hr3 hr3 hr
60 mm5¼ hr4¾ hr4¼ hr3¾ hr3½ hr3¼ hr
65 mm6 hr5¼ hr4¾ hr4¼ hr4 hr3¾ hr
70 mm6½ hr5¾ hr5¼ hr4¾ hr4¼ hr4 hr

Yes, it will be a bit late.

As for the butter.... there are few things in life that butter cannot make better.

I was invited to a catering companies party so they could show off some new food. They had Sous vide short ribs that were awesome. I talked to the chef and he seared them before.  But that might just be to allow the minions to pull them out of the water and slice.