Sous vide seasoning timing

[ecully]

Curious how y'all do your seasoning when cooking sous vide. My process is to dry brine with just Kosher or smoked salt and leave it open in the fridge overnight so the salt has time to do its thing. It's this next step that I have a debate in my brain. I can go two different ways:
1) Bag the sucker as is
2) Add a rub and bag

Of course, with #2, the rub just washes off with the purge. Either way, when I sear, I add a rub (flavored, Dalmatian, etc.) after the SV. I like to use a cast iron pan or stick it on the Weber kettle to maximize that luscious Maillard browning. If I'm using a rub that does not contain sugar, no problem; the results are outstanding. The problem is when I use a rub with any kind of sugar, such as Memphis Dust -- the sugar tends to burn. If I reduce the time or temp of the sear, I lose the benefit of the SV as it overcooks at the edges. If I go full blast, the 'sugar' rub get ugly.

So I guess my question is -- is there a benefit to using the sugar rub in the bag and not adding it for the searing? Or perhaps I need to change my searing process?

Here are some pix for illustration purposes:

Pork chop -- delicious, but the sear was less then ideal...




For steaks, I use a rub with just butcher cut pepper, onion and garlic powders, and salt. I've started using Kenji's searing method when using the stovetop with a torch:




Or on the Weber grill:




Anyway -- would love to get some input.

Thanks!

[barelfly]

I don’t SV as much as I use to, but I never used a rub then bagged for the SV cook. I always added that after when I finished the protein either on the gasser or CI/CS skillet.

That sugar is going to be the challenge with that sear, which you pointed out. Not sure if you have tried a lower heat, or flipping more frequently/quicker?

Others will chime in and provide additional thought on this. Hopefully you get that dialed in to your perfect liking!

[Jerod Broussard]

I do a quick sear before the bag. It helps the post bag sear.

[Donw]

Maybe it is just me but when I sous vide something that I want to sear with a sugar based rub I first chill down the meat some and then use a cast iron skillet heated to about 325. That is a temperature within the Maillard reaction range.
Then flip, flip, flip until returning the meat just shy of my target temp. This prevents the sugars from reaching very far into the caramelization temperature range and never going as far as the sugar’s burning range. Takes a little more time but I’ve got plenty of that to spare. Good luck on your journey.

[ecully]

I'll try this -- thanks!

[Hulagn1971]

Wish I could offer some help here. Never tried to season beef, pork, or chicken with a rub that has sugar in it after sous vide then searing. I stick to salt, pepper and other spice based rubs. I believe HouseHomey sears prior to sous vide on his stuff...and he knows his stuff.

[WI Bubba]

My method is to dry brine if needed, then into the hot tub, then season and finish. I generally don't use sugary rubs if I'm going to do high heat sear because if the problems with burning the sugars. With steaks, I don't season them until they ready to serve. But they also get the low temp cook on the pooper and not in the bath.

[Jfrosty27]

By the looks of that steak, I would not change a thing if I were you. Yum. 😋

[DaveD]

I always season meat before bagging for SV, and I dry brine *everything* overnight first no matter what I'm cooking or how. Yes, it will mix with the purge, but it's still in there interacting with the meat at the SV temp. I then pat dry and give a light dusting of some kind of grill seasoning - typically Uncle Chris's Extra Fancy - right before searing.

Personally I don't tend to use sugar-bearing rubs on beef at all, so I never have that issue of burning of the sugar on high heat. And the only pork I tend to SV are thick-cut chops, and I tend to go savory with those seasonings too.

Good luck!

[bbqLuv]

Pic looks more like a beef than pork--But looks really good.
You done did good.

[klflowers]

I apply rub before the bath just about every time. I only use rubs with sugar on pork chops, and when I take them out, I pat them dry and re-season if I think too much came off in the bag. I get the CI or kettle screaming hot, and I flip constantly to reduce the sugar burn

[HouseHomey]

I sear the crud out of everything. Just leave the sugar out of the bag. I don’t see the need for it in my case.

i don’t use much sugar at all unless I’m grilling things like chicken/wings with a honey hog or something like that. I never use sugar in a bag.

As far as the crud in the bag… I throw that junk out and use a clean sauce.

I bag a lot of pork belly, turkey, chicken and octopus but not much beef anymore. Today I tend to prefer braises fro pork belly and beef. Hope this helps