I love a good Cinderella story—especially when it involves meat.
Recently I fell for sous vide (pronounced “soo-veed”). What is sous vide? It’s a cooking method where you seal food—meat, poultry, fish, even desserts or eggs—in a plastic bag, then submerge the bag in water and cook it at a precise, low temperature with an immersion circulator (sous vide stick) for hours. The sous vide stick maintains the water at an exact temperature without fluctuation, producing consistent results every time.
That precision is what lets you take an inexpensive roast and turn it into something that tastes like a tender, juicy prime rib. It’s like culinary magic.
How I Made It
Start with an immersion circulator clamped to a pot, and a solid roast—top round or bottom round works great.
Season the roast lightly with kosher salt. Heat oil in a large skillet until shimmering and sear the roast on all sides until it develops a deep, caramelized crust. Transfer the roast to a plate to cool.
In the same skillet, add a dry red wine and a sprig of thyme. Simmer briefly to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits, then remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Place the roast into a gallon freezer bag (double-bag if you’re not using dedicated sous vide bags or a vacuum sealer). Add beef broth, the cooled wine, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Seal the bag leaving a small opening for air to escape.
Submerge the bag in warm tap water up to just below the seal so the water forces air out of the bag, creating a vacuum effect. Squeeze out any remaining air and finish sealing the bag. If you double-bagged, repeat the same step with the outer bag.
Attach the sous vide stick to a 6–8 quart pot, fill with water to the min/max lines, set your desired temperature, and start the cook. For a 3–4 lb roast, 135°F for about 22–24 hours yields perfect medium-rare. If you prefer more done, raise the temperature slightly (140°F for medium, 145°F for medium-well).
About an hour before the roast is done, caramelize sliced onions in oil over medium heat until deeply browned and syrupy; set aside.
When the sous vide cycle finishes, remove the bag carefully and set it on a towel. Open the bag and pour the au jus into a bowl—there will be plenty. Using tongs, transfer the roast to a plate, keeping the bag upright so the au jus doesn’t spill.
Pat the roast dry with paper towels, then return it to the hot skillet with a little oil for a quick finishing sear—about 1–2 minutes per side—to develop a beautiful crust.
Transfer the roast to a cutting board and slice against the grain to your desired thickness—thin slices work especially well for French dip sandwiches. Add the sliced beef to the bowl of au jus to keep it juicy.
If you’re making French dips, preheat the broiler. Pile the sliced roast onto a foil-lined baking sheet, top with caramelized onions and a slice of cheese, and broil until the cheese melts and bubbles—watch closely so it doesn’t burn.
Brush or dip the sandwich rolls in au jus, assemble with the hot, cheesy roast and onions, and serve with extra au jus for dipping.
Invite friends, serve hot, and expect happy diners fighting over the last bite. Sous vide roast beef transforms an everyday cut into something spectacular.
SOUS VIDE ROAST BEEF / FRENCH DIPS = AMAZING.
Disclaimer: I received an Anova product with no obligation to promote. All opinions are honest and my own.
Sous Vide Roast Beef (French Dip)
If you can take an inexpensive cut of meat, vacuum-seal it, and cook it sous vide, it will transform into perfectly cooked roast beef that tastes like an expensive prime rib. That’s exactly what happens with this method.
5 minutes
48 minutes
53 minutes
Ingredients
For The Roast Beef:
- 6 tbsp olive or vegetable oil, divided (2 tbsp x 3)
- 3–4 lbs top round or bottom round roast
- Kosher salt
- 3/4 cup dry red wine (Cabernet or Pinot Noir)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
For the French Dips:
- Rolls or bread of your choice (hero, French, kaiser, challah)
- 2–4 sweet onions (Vidalia or yellow)
- Sliced cheese (Muenster, Provolone, Swiss, or Cheddar)
- Au jus from the roast for dipping
Instructions
- Lightly season the roast with kosher salt on all sides.
- If you want a more charred edge, pre-sear before sous vide (optional).
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat.
- Sear the roast 3–4 minutes per side until well browned. Let rest five minutes.
- Add red wine and thyme to the pan and simmer for one minute, deglazing the pan. Turn off heat and let cool slightly.
- Place the roast in a freezer bag (double-bag if not using sous vide bags) or vacuum-seal it.
- Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, cooled wine, and bay leaves to the bag.
- Seal the bag leaving a small opening for air to escape (vacuum-seal if available).
- Submerge the bag in a pot, using warm water to force out air, then seal completely. Water should reach just below the bag’s seal.
- Clamp the immersion circulator to the pot and set to 135°F. Cook 22 hours for a 3 lb roast, 24 hours for 4 lb for medium-rare. Increase temperature for more doneness.
- About an hour before the end, caramelize onions in 2 tbsp oil over medium heat for 20–30 minutes until syrupy and browned.
- When the sous vide cycle finishes, remove the bag and place on paper towels, keeping the seal upright.
- Use tongs to transfer the roast to a plate and pat dry.
- Pour the au jus from the bag into a large bowl.
- Finish-sear the roast 1–2 minutes per side to develop crust.
- Slice the roast against the grain to desired thickness (about 1/4″ is recommended).
- Place sliced meat into the au jus to keep it moist.
- For French dips: broil mounds of meat topped with onions and cheese 2–3 minutes until cheese bubbles. Dip rolls in au jus, assemble sandwiches, and serve.
Jeffrey’s Tips
For a 3–4 lb roast, 135°F for 24 hours is my go-to for perfect medium-rare. Don’t exceed 145°F if you want to avoid overcooking. If you have a vacuum sealer or dedicated sous vide bags use them; otherwise double-bag freezer bags for safety.