Hello, I am using my Anova for the first time and trying to select ribeye steak on the app…when I do it goes to a strip steak almost by default it seems every time with a two hour cook time …but the ribeye option I am trying to select is a 1 hour cook.
Sounds like a bug in the app. But, it really depends on the thickness of your steak (which you don’t mention).
If it’s a really thin steak, you don’t want to cook it in the sous vide bath very long. (and you’ll be challenged to not over-cook it on the sear, post sous vide cook).
You get much more forgiving, reproducible results by getting thicker cuts.
My bad …new to this all.Steaks were 1" thick…strange though.Every time I selected ribeye it went into strip steak mode.
There’s a major design flaw with the guides in the app where you can’t adjust the time to take into account the thickness of the meat or “chill” that is, frozen meat. I’ve undercooked some pork because of it.
Until the Developers fix the flaw, it’s best just to use the guide as reference along with other resources then manually set the temperature and time with the app or on the cooker.
That’s gonna be the plan. tried the poached egg recipe on anova this morning …FAIL. I’ll try chefsteps method manually next time.
Hi Alyssa,
Anova Precision WiFi but in Bluetooth mode only with iPad Mini 1st Gen and latest updated Anova iOS app.
Steps to replicate:
- Connect up Anova Precision Cooker to iOS app
- Go to the Guide
- Select Steak and choose any steak and desired cooking level.
- Select bar at bottom to bring up page to show the cooker interface with temperature and time.
- Try tapping on Time to change it from the preset time
- No response.
Only workaround is to back out of the guide completely and manually set temperature and time on the device or in the app.
As an example, frozen meat needs about an extra 50% time to be added to the preset time in the guide. So instead of 60 minutes, would like to reset the time to 90 minutes to stay within the guide with the directions and finishing steps.
As a “feature request” it would be nice to specify thickness where time is adjusted based on thickness as indicated in some other community posts.
Thanks, Max
Another technical support cat
Ribeye and strip steak are somewhat similar in that both can be a little tough, hence the need for more cooking time. While the doneness is a function of temperature alone, the tenderness can be increased by more cooking time. If you want to “cheat” and get good results with a moderate cook time on tough cuts, don’t be afraid to use a little meat tenderizer. With tougher cuts, I pack the individual cuts in the cooking bag right from the store with a dusting of meat tenderizer. They might sit in the refrigerator from hours to days.
My biggest point here is to think rather than using a recipe blindly. Why was the particular cooking time selected? How will the starting temperature affect cooking time? Frozen meat right from the freezer will take longer than room temperature meat. (yes, right from the freezer works fine.) What searing temperature gives the best flavor? The Maillard reaction is what you want for flavor, not charring. That just makes the meat taste like you dropped it in the charcoal. Torch or stove top? Don’t use propane -
the odorants will stay in the meat. How long for the particular thickness you are searing? Why dry the meat before searing? How dry is dry enough?
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Better to learn something needs fixing before you make a meal for company. When something goes wrong, figure out why and make adjustments.
For a good general approach, check out “Modernist Cuisine.”
As far as I’m concerned the reason for using these devices is for ‘precision’ cooking not automated cooking. Why not forego trying to set the cooker’s parameters using an app/recipe and just decide what you want to accomplish and set it either manually or via the app?
That’s what I’ve decided to do.I’m simply using my own set temperatures and time…still experimenting a bit here and there with the cook time part.Having fun with it all the while.Thanks
Try what Meathead from amazing ribs calls the big chill, cook the steak to what ever temp you like then put it in either an ice bath or the refrigerator to cool it down. Then when you sear you will be able to do so properly with out overcooking the meat.
Umm. I’ve actually posted a couple experiments of doing just that in my recent posts on here. 
You need to do an ice bath to stop the cook dead in its tracks and adequately cool the steak throughout, but that doesn’t mean you can get relaxed about how long you sear, either. Super-hot grills aren’t exactly forgiving…the radiant heat can make a huge difference in a heartbeat!! (more testing is required to get something reliable for a truly magnificent crusting via sear on an outdoor grill with sous vide cooked meat).
I use a chimney (afterburner method) with a grillgrate on top or if I want to add a little smoke, I’ll get my weber up to about 100 degrees or so, set the steaks in until they get back to around 80 degrees or so, then finish with a sear. They are not as crusty that way, but the smoky flavor makes up for it.