Retired dairy cow ribeye, sous vide and seared
Two hours at 55°C, then a hard sear. Edge-to-edge pink, and all the flavour an eleven-year-old cow puts into a steak.
Ingredients
- 1 retired dairy cow ribeye steak, 3 to 4 cm thick (about 500 g)
- Flaky sea salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp beef dripping or a high-heat oil
- 1 sprig thyme and 1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
- 25 g butter (optional)
Method
- Set your Anova in a pot of water and heat the bath to 55°C for medium-rare.
- Season the steak with salt and pepper, add the thyme and garlic, and seal it in a vacuum or zip-lock bag with the air pressed out.
- Cook for 2 hours, and no more than 4. A 3 to 4 cm steak takes well over an hour just to reach the bath temperature; the extra time softens the older muscle.
- Lift the steak out and pat it completely dry. A dry surface is what gives you a crust.
- Get a heavy pan smoking hot with the dripping. Sear for about 45 seconds a side, adding the butter for the last 30 seconds and spooning it over.
- There’s no need to rest it: slice across the grain and serve straight away.
Tip
Retired dairy beef has deep yellow fat, from years of grass. Don’t trim it off: render it in the pan first and sear in its own fat.