This sous vide asian marinated flank steak is a straight mouthgasm. First off, sous vide flank steak is simply unbelievable. It is insanely tender and juicy with great flavor. The definition of perfection.
Then you add a marinade of soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic to the steak and you have the perfect flavor profile.
Do yourself a favor and make this recipe stat.
Packaging
An essential part of cooking sous vide is putting ingredients in an air-tight bag or container. The two most common techniques to package your ingredients are vacuum sealing and using the water displacement method.
A vacuum sealer removes all the air and seals the contents of a plastic bag through a vacuum. Ensuring the food is airtight and properly sealed prevents the bag from floating, which can result in uneven cooking. If you are in the market for a vacuum sealer, I’d recommend the Anova sealer.
The displacement method is a technique where you first place your food and marinades in a sous vide bag, submerge the bag in a container of water, and allow the pressure to force all the air out of the bag.
Both of these methods work for this recipe, so use whichever you feel more comfortable with!
Flank Steak Time and Temperature
Through loads of experimentation, we’ve found that cooking asian marinated flank steak at 54C/129F for 2 hours is the perfect combo. Cooking the flank steak for two hours break down the connective tissue (collagen), which results in extremely tender, juicy beef. Also, cooking the steak at a temperature of 129F ensures that the beef is a beautiful medium rare with great texture.
Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule).
Although this is our favorite time and temperature, we recommend you explore different combinations to find your personal favorite. Our cooking guide can always help you find your perfect time and temperature.
Can You Sous Vide Frozen Steak?
The quick answer is, absolutely! Cooking frozen foods sous vide is an ultra convenient, safe way to prepare your protein. Just take the food directly from the fridge, repackage it (unless you know the bag is sous vide safe) and let the sous vide work its magic.
The only thing you’ll need to adjust is the cook time. If you are cooking frozen flank steak sous vide we recommend adding an additional hour to the cook time, so three hours total.
Best Way to Sear Beef After Sous Vide
Searing is the most critical step in the sous vide process. Getting a deep, rich sear can make your food look like it is Michelin star quality. Failing to do so will make your dinner guests wonder why they let you cook again.
If you want to get an amazing sear on your steak, you’ve got to:
1. Pat the meat completely dry with a paper towel
2. Season generously with salt or seasoning of your choice
3. Sear at extremely high temperatures.
First, pat the meat completely dry using paper towels. After the meat is dry, lightly brush the steak with olive oil then season generously with salt and pepper or a seasoning of choice. Note that brushing with olive oil is optional, but will allow the seasoning to stick to the meat better and results in a deeper sear.
At this point you want to determine the best searing method. For flank steak, we suggest pan searing, grilling or using a searing torch. The trick is getting the pan, grill or torch extremely hot, then searing for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. This results in a quick, high-quality sear without overcooking the steak.
Special Equipment
Sous Vide Machine – This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are the Anova Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule.
The main difference between the two is that with the Anova you can control the device both manually and with a mobile device, and with the Joule you can only control the device by using your mobile device. Either way, both sous vide machines are top class and you can’t go wrong with either choice.
12-quart Container – Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a big roast in a small pot. I recommend a 12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.
Container Lid – If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatible lid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for hours care-free.
Cast Iron Skillet – If you are looking to take your searing game to the next level, we recommend investing in a cast iron skillet. By using a cast iron in this recipe, you’ll achieve a deep sear on the protein. Cast irons are also extremely handy for searing just about any and all sous vide meat. Lodge offers the best quality and price, which is why it is our favorite cast iron brand.
Next Level Sous Vide –Looking to take your sous vide skills to the next level? The Next Level Sous Vide eCookbook will push your culinary boundaries with 65 delicious recipes that are equally approachable and tasty. With pro tips and a detailed explanation of the sous vide process, you will be on your way to maximize your sous vide skills.
Check out our full list of recommended gear here.
Sous Vide Asian Marinated Flank Steak
Ingredients
- 2 lbs flank steak
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic
- toasted sesame seeds, garnish
- green onions, sliced for garnish
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preparation
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Set sous vide machine to 54C/129F.
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In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic.
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Put the flank steak in a freezer bag with the sauce mixture, and remove the air through a vacuum sealer or the displacement method. Drop beef in the bath for 2 hours.
Finishing
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Remove bag from bath. Take steak out of the bag, pat dry and lightly season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Heat a large skillet on high and add oil. Sear for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and place on plate to rest. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, serve and enjoy!
Jeff P says
Wow! This recipe is everything. The marinade makes the flank steak incredible.
737spanner says
I will have to make this soon. One question: does the steak get marinated PRIOR to cooking?
Jason Veselak says
If you have the time I would definitely marinade for prior to cooking!
Julia Toews says
how do you adjust for smaller steaks? I have one that is 1.5 lbs.
Jason Veselak says
I would still cook it at the same time and temperatures, but you may want to slightly scale back the marinade quantity.
Dawn peterson says
Planning to do this for group of 12 and will use 2 larger flank steaks from Costco. Can my 12 qt. plastic container cook both steaks at the same time?
Jason Veselak says
Hi Dawn, yes your 12 qt container should be able to fit both the large flank steaks. My suggestion though would be to package each flank steak in individual bags.
Rick says
Have you tried this recipe with other cuts of beef?
Jason Veselak says
I've tried it with a tri tip and ribeye and it was delicious!
David Jackson says
Raw garlic in the anaerobic sous vide environment has, potentially lethal, dangers. Does the relatively short cook time eliminate this risk from consideration? Thanks for any guidance.
Jason Veselak says
Hi David, food safety is something I take very seriously and consider before creating every recipe. For this particular recipe, adding raw garlic to the bag is very low risk since botulism stops making spores around 122°F to 126°F (50°C to 52°C). Since we are cooking the beef above that zone for a relatively short cook, the garlic should be safe. Just make sure you are using proper food handling protocols and there should not be an issue.
Shahal says
If I wanted to make it medium well, what time and temp would you suggest?
Jason Veselak says
Hi Shahal, 2 hours at 149F should be a nice medium well.
Anna says
Hi,
I am planning to make this recipe soon, but as it is a marinade and I do not have low sodium soy sauce, should I dilute with water or go ahead and use the full amount with regular soy sauce?
Thanks!
Jason Veselak says
Hi Anna, I would use about 1/3 of a cup of regular soy sauce and about 2 Tbsp of water to dilute to down. Hope this helps, and enjoy!
Fred says
This turned out sensationally! Thanks!
Stacey says
Hello - quick question - have you ever marinated the steak overnight or for 48 hours before sous vide? Would this hurt or make the beef too well done ?
Jason Veselak says
Hi Stacey, I've done an overnight marinade and it was fantastic. Have never done 48 hours because I worry it'll negatively impact the steak.
Stacey says
Thanks - just an fyi Jason - I did a 48 hour on it and OMG it was delicious!!!!! Came out perfect...
Jason Veselak says
Amazing!! I'm so glad to hear and thank you for updating me. I will definitely try a 48 hour cook now.
XPL says
Hi Stacey! Did you marinade the steak for 48hours and then cook it according to the recipe? Or did you cook it for 48hours please?
Jonicole says
Can I marinade and then freeze to cook at a later date?
Jason Veselak says
Yes you can!
Susan says
When I make a 2 pound sirloin I cook it at 133 for 6 hours and it comes out medium rare. Is 2 hours long enough?
Jason Veselak says
Yes, 2 hours is a great time for flank steak!
Liz says
I added two teaspoons of vinegar (half rice/half Japanese black rice vinegar), based on previous marinades using something acidic to assist tenderizing), let it sit in fridge for about 3 hours before cooking at 131 degrees for two hours (compromise between rare-loving and medium-loving diners). I had to fold my steak in half to fit it into my sous vide bag. It was excellent-very tender, juicy, and flavorful, definitely redder than in your picture (perhaps from folding it into a thicker piece)-a shade redder than medium rare, but cooked to a perfect texture and consistency. I boiled down the marinade to pour over the meat and rice. Served with sautéed spinach tossed with a little soy/rice vinegar/sesame oil, topped with shredded nori. A most excellent dinner. Not one leftover.
Rina says
I could on find flat iron steak unfortunately. Would you change the length of time for cooking?
Jason Veselak says
Hi Rina, it really depends how thick it is. I would say if it's under 2 inches then 2-3 hours should be perfect. Enjoy!
Chris says
Looks like a great recipe thanks. Trying it today. One question- Should the garlic be minced/chopped or just left as whole cloves?
Jason Veselak says
So sorry for the late reply! The garlic should be minced for this recipe.
Tim says
What Do you think about using the marinade after to make a sauce with some flour or cornstarch simmer and mixup with maybe broccoli? Or pitch the marinade and make the sauce from scratch?
Jason Veselak says
I think that is a phenomenal idea. The marinade with some cornstarch would go perfect with broccoli, veggies, or stir fry. I would recommend making extra marinade to use for this, as the marinade you use in the bag may have additional, unwanted flavors from the meat.
Amy says
I never comment on recipes, but this came out so absolutely incredible that I needed to come back and say so! I used a 1.75lb flank steak for the same amount of time and temperature; it was perfect. Thank you!
Linda says
Jason, I was recently introduced to sous vide cooking in my old age. I’m still cooking!
My first try with sous vide was cooking a flank steak which I had always done in a marinade and then cooked in an iron skillet. It always came out good except it wasn’t cooked evenly. Anyway, my question is this: after marinating the flank steak overnight, how long should I sous vide it to a med rare stage? Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned.
Linda
Jason Veselak says
Hi Linda, amazing to hear that you've been introduced to sous vide and are giving it a try! I would sous vide for 2 hours at 129F for medium-rare. It should be edge to edge medium rare, even after searing it off in a cast iron. If you have any more questions please let me know!
Rachel Bee says
Hi! I’m excited to try this tonight! Can you suggest a way to serve with rice noodles? Thank you!
Erin says
This was excellent!!! I let it soak up the marinade for a few hours before cooking and the flavor was incredible. This one goes in the regular rotation … texture, flavor, everything was perfection. Thank you!