Looking for a foolproof way to make a perfectly cooked medium-rare sirloin steak? The sous vide cooking method will guarantee juicy, tender results every time. Get the perfect time and temps for your tastes and you’ll impress your dinner guests every time. Prepare to take your steak game to the next level!
Sous vide is known for steak, and for good reason! It’s the easiest way to ensure that your steak is always cooked perfectly. Since the cooking environment is the exact temperature you want the interior of your meat to reach, it’s literally impossible to overcook it. It is possible to over-tenderize it, but not if you stick to a cook time less than 4 hours. To learn more about the basics of sous vide cooking, make sure to check out my Beginner’s Guide to Sous Vide Cooking.
Once you conquer the sirloin steak, you’ll want to try all the other sous vide beef recipes! There are plenty of recipes here on my blog and in my cookbooks.
How to Season Sirloin Steak
When it comes to a cut like sirloin that’s well-balanced when it comes to fat content, there are so many ways you can go for seasoning! I’m going to keep it simple with salt and pepper, but marinades, a good steak seasoning, or anywhere your creativity takes you will be excellent with this cut.
When I sous vide meat, I always season aggressively. Specifically, I’m using kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper in this recipe.
Times and Temperatures for Sous Vide Sirloin Steak
The sirloin cut has even marbling and no large pieces of fat, so I prefer to stick to lower temperatures since rendering fat isn’t as big of a concern. My favorite time and temp is 129 degrees F for 2 hours. This time and temp will give you a perfect medium rare that’s a little on the rare side to give you wiggle room when searing.
| Result | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 123-127 degrees F | 1.5-3 hours |
| Medium-Rare | 128-133 degrees F | 1.5-3 hours |
| Medium | 134-138 degrees F | 1.5-4 hours |
| Medium-Well | 139-143 degrees F | 1.5-4 hours |
Wondering why the rare and medium-rare times have a maximum cook time of 3 hours? If we’re ever cooking under 130 degrees F, we should not cook longer than 3 hours for food safety reasons.
How to Sous Vide Sirloin Steak
This process is way easier than you’d think: buckle up!
Start by vacuum sealing your seasoned steak with a vacuum sealer.
Don’t have a vacuum sealer? No worries! There are lots of other air removal methods. The water displacement method is great for steaks.
Once sealed, it’s time to sous vide! Preheat a water bath using an immersion circulator to a temperature from the chart above (my favorite is 129 degrees F).
Once the steak is done cooking, remove the bag from the water bath and the steaks from the bag. It’s time to sear!
Once seared, you are ready to eat! I like to eat sirloin steak with creamy horseradish sauce or a compound butter like blue cheese butter.
That’s it! I told you this would be easy.
Common Questions
Ideally, season your steak 30 minutes or even a full day before you plan to cook it (a dry brine is amazing for steak!). Even if you don’t have this kind of time, I find it’s best to season steak before sous viding. You can lightly season again before searing if you wish, but this usually isn’t necessary.
Absolutely! I do this all the time. In fact, it’s a great meal prep strategy. Just remove the steak from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature 20-30 minutes before you plan to sear.
You can absolutely sous vide steak from frozen, no need to defrost. It’s better if the steak is already seasoned, but you can always season later if you’re in a pinch.
You can also view this recipe as a step-by-step web story here.
Get the Recipe:
Medium-Rare Sous Vide Sirloin Steak
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz sirloin steaks
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp ghee, or butter
Instructions
- Preheat a water bath using an immersion circulator to 124 degrees F for rare, 129 degrees F for medium-rare, 135 degrees F for medium, or 145 degrees F for well done.
- Season your steaks liberally with the kosher salt and pepper. Don't be shy!
- Vacuum seal the seasoned steaks or use another air removal method with a zipper top plastic bag or reusable bag.
- Add the sealed steaks to the preheated water bath and make sure they're submerged, using sous vide magnets if desired. Cook for 1-3 hours.
- Remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the steak from the bag and place on a plate or cutting board. Pat the steak completely dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat until the skillet is smoking. Make sure to turn on the vent over your stove. Once smoking, add the ghee. Add the steak and sear for about 30 seconds on each side, until browned. Be careful to not go too long or you'll risk overcooking the steak.
- Remove the sirloin steak to a cutting board and slice, if desired. Serve with creamy horseradish sauce, chimichurri, or blue cheese butter.
