Posted on December 22 2017
If you're like us, you want a beautiful dinner for your family (or guests) that looks and tastes like a million bucks, but is super easy to prepare. Sous Vide cooking a beef tenderloin does just that. Making the juiciest and most flavorful beef tenderloin, sous vide style, will definitely impress all who sit at your dinner table!
We love this original Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin recipe from The Black Peppercorn. It has immense flavor and is cooked to perfection. What is also great about this recipe is that you can easily prepare it before hand, then sit and visit with your New Year's guests.
Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin
First, sear the beef tenderloin in a skillet (cast iron is ideal) set on high heat, with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, for a minute or two on all sides until browned. Usually meat does not need to be seared before sealing, but with this recipe, if you want the extra browned edges like us, it's a great idea.
Next, remove the beef tenderloin and let it chill before putting it into a vacuum seal bag. You can do so by placing the meat in an open bag and setting in an ice bath for about 10 -15 minutes. Once chilled, you can add a few tablespoons of butter into the bag and then vacuum seal it. If you are making ahead, go ahead and freeze or store it in the fridge.
Don't have a sealer? View some of our favorite vacuum seal machines here.
When you are ready to cook, set your sous vide machine to the appropriate temperature. Check your machine settings for the right temperature. When the machine tells you it's ready, submerge your vacuum sealed beef tenderloin into the water bath and cook for 2 hours. Again, check your machine settings for temperature and appropriate cooking times. Here is an example of temperatures to use:
Rare – 130F
Medium rare – 137F
Medium – 140F
Well – 147F
Once your meat is ready, remove from the water bath and cut open using tong and oven mitts (it will be hot!). Here is a great time to pat the meat dry and sear it again on all sides for added browned outside layer. After you have browned the beef tenderloin, place on cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes to let the juices redistribute before serving.
Enjoy!
Special Note: When it comes to sous vide cooking, remember the "4 S's of Sous Vide Cooking": Season, Seal, Swim, Sear.
Additional Resources:
Sous Vide Meat in 6 Easy Steps
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Thanks for asking! You are correct that you could just sear it once for the nice crispy effect at the end. I like to sear it at the beginning as well, as it sears the garlic or whatever else you are using for seasoning into the meat a bit, as well as searing in the juices (which you vacuum bag will do as well). Totally agree it’s your call!
Now, I’m hungry for some beef!!
I don’t understand. If you are going to sear it after cooking it, why bother searing it before cooking? Wouldn’t you get the same searing effect without cooking the meat any further by searing in an extremely hot cast iron skillet minus the first sear?