I just don't get it.

[(Mike S.)]

I'm in a bit of a quandary over something I read on producing a "restaurant quality steak."
I read Meathead's article on "The Big Chill: Amp up your Sous-Vide-Que with an ice bath." Now the part I'm having a problem getting is we are taking the time to cook sous-vide, but then we're supposed to chill it back down and hold it. Next, we build a fire and create a 2 zone cooking area and then proceed to cook it all over again, from COLD to this time including a SEAR, and this is somehow saving some time?

Am I missing something here?

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

[JCBBQ]

I would guess that that step of cooling is only if you aren't serving right away or if you want to add smoke to your steak. It's totally unnessesary in mho if you don't care for smoke on your steak as I do. I take them straight from the SV onto the flames. Pat dry of course and season prior to searing.

[(Mike S.)]

You know, I guess I should have thought of that, myself. Still not so sure about those restaurants that apparently follow the practice, I still don't see it as a "time saver." But I think you are right. I know it doesn't hurt to leave the steak in the bath, as it cannot overcook. I guess it could come in handy for those days that I want a steak, but not sure when I'll be able to get to it. Nice to know the sear can be applied, any time.

Mike S.

[HouseHomey]

Just keep in mind you will raise the internal temp faster when searing from hot and there is a chance of overlooking your steak. From cold you get more crust. Also smoke sticks better to cold. In addition if you are making multiple steaks you can pull the rarer one and turn up the SV, then again and so on. Then Sear. No smoke... go straight to Sear.

Also you can do more then one thing at a time if your searing hot. An hour into the SV light the coals, fix your your grill to screaming hot, pull and Sear.

If your holding, chill to below 90° in an ice bath ASAP..... hold as you will the BOOM, Bobs your uncle.

lots of good stuff amigo, all delicious in many a different way.

dont forget the pics.

[FireMan]

The problem might be what you were reading. I lost all interest in "restaurant quality whatever" a short while after joining the Pit. Now my goal is only for AR quality everything, and the ideas & suggestions are flowing here. Read on bro & have fun.

[Steve R.]

I couldn't agree more!

[Deaf Arty]

Amen!

[Ernest]

Restaurant quality makes no sense to me. I cook at home because I'm really not impressed with most restaurants.
Then you have restaurants that claim "home cooked"

[texastweeter]

I think the sear is what they are worried about here.

[Ernest]

Umm, there's no need to cook it again after the short chill. It's really just to prevent it from overcooking while searing.
I let my steak cool off while I build the searing fire. I don't even bother with shocking it. Just take it out of the bath and out of the bag.
Wrap in a paper towel to get the surface dry while the fire is getting to warp 10.

[FireMan]

Double yup!

[TheCountofQ]

Not to hijack the thread, but the ice bath shocking kind of has me dumbfounded too. Not on steaks. I understand the theory and can see the benefit under certain circumstances (but I haven't shocked one yet). But pre preparing collagen rich cuts ...chicken wings, thighs, beef shank, and such ...once its been in the ice bath, that collagen gels right up, making it next to impossible to dry the meat before searing, which I believe is extremely important for a really good sear.

How do you all handle all the collagen on beef ribs and chuckies? Just no ice bath?

[FireMan]

Ernest brought up a great point with the restaurant quality thing. I'm at the point that if I want a "dinner date" with my wife I cook. Unless we're taking a trip some where, I go to a restaurant to "grab" something or get a quick bite, not for its quality & ambiance. Quality is at home, and I don't particularly like paying for ambiance. You guys & gals help me immeasurably.

[Ernest]

TheCountofQ when collagen is broken it's denatured. There's no coming back.
Ice bath purpose is mainly to chill the meat quickly for food safety.

[TheCountofQ]

Ernest, Yes, I understand about the food safety. Everything I have read says to do the ice bath in the same (unopened) bag that the meat was sous vide in. So that leaves you with meat covered in gelatin. That is the part I don't like. Not the gelatin... as I want it, just not meat covered in a sticky goo that keeps one from thoroughly drying the meat. So, I am lost on how to deal with it in a pre prep situation.

Sounds to me like it (the purge) needs drained before the chill, or reheated in a bath again, before the grill/smoke.

Or am I missing something??

[Ernest]

TheCountofQ just wipe it off. Works just fine for me.
Icing is not necessary if you don't plan on refrigerating for a while.
you don't want to get hot food in the refrigerator,

I don't ice chicken if I'm going to eat right away. I SV chicken thighs, wipe dry and flash fry.
But if I'm storing for the week, I'll ice right out of the hot tub time machine and into the refrigerator in the unopened bag. It's "pasteurized" at this point. When ready to use, open the bag and wipe dry, sear.

[TheCountofQ]

I've not had much luck with the "scraping it off" part, myself. Am glad it's working for you though. I may just need to get it on the grill/smoker for a bit first, then dry it off after it re-melts into liquid.

[Ernest]

Or drop it back in the hot tub time machine long enough just to melt the gelatin. That should get a good wipe down

[Karon Adams]

When I do a really great steak, the leftovers next day are always delicious I usually eat it cold, sliced nice and thin. on that note, I can certainly enjoy and entertain the idea of reheating completely and adding in smoke, then searing off at the end. this could be terrific. it would make sense for a restaurant to be prepping in this way. prep a few dozen or whatever, steaks via sous vide on Monday, chill and bring up as needed. would work nicely.

Currently, my forays into great steak are leaning towards the aging process. I'm hoping that I may be able to purchase a nice bit of meat, soon, and toss it in a back corner of the fridge for a few weeks and let it do it's thing, then pull it forward for dinner. a little practice at the process, and I may decide to do so quite a bit, and make it my go to.