I plan to cook about 5 - 6 lbs of porterhouse at once in a 5 Gallon container, targeting to hit a temperature or about 120/125 F (closer to rare, giving me some leeway to sear them while keeping the finished temperature to ~medium rare). Can someone tell me how long I might need to sous vide the steaks to get them at the target temperature (starting the steaks at sitting out of the fridge for about an hour before the sous vide). Thanks!!!
About the same as one steak. That is assuming that they are in a single layer or better yet, each in its own bag.
Thank you for the reply.
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What @RichardOL says.
But one thing to mention, 120-125F is bleu, not rare.
If you want medium rare when it hits the plate, I’ve found that 129F for the cook and then an ice bath, followed by patting them dry and then a blazing hot sear will get me right to that lower end of medium rare.
YMMV.
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Thanks. Was thinking of going right from sous vide to sear, no ice bath. I did a test with a ribeye, took it from the sous vide at 129, and I found the temp more done than I’d like after the sear. Of course, the porterhouse will also be way thicker, so will adjust. Thanks again for all the tips.
The ice bath is critical to dropping the core temp of the meat to below the level at which it was cooked. This way, when it sears it gives you a little extra time and you ideally only cook the outer layer / crust rather than continuing to cook the inside and getting the traditional bulls-eye effect. Also, if it’s not dried off, then you are steaming the meat as the surface moisture evaporates.