Back in July at the Sous Vide Summit in Wilmington Delaware, I had the opportunity to meet Elizabeth Bennett Kearney & Leo Reed from Vesta Precision. Vesta was one of the many sponsors at this event and they had some very cool items on display at their kiosk. Handheld vacuum sealers, chamber sealers, different tiers of sous vide devices, vacuum bags and their newest device set to hit the market, a portable blast chiller.

Elizabth & Leo from Vesta Precision

I utilized one of their sous vide machines while preparing food during the summit weekend, so I was excited to bring one home and explore it further. Vesta has 3 sous vide devices for home use and 3 meant for commercial kitchens. The Vesta Imersa Pro that I brought home with me is their professional base model. First off, I love the folding design and overall compact size of it, which makes it easy to use if you choose a smaller cooking vessel. It has WiFi and sports a bright, engaging widescreen display. Unlike other circulators, the main compartment sits on the outside of the cooking vessel that you attach it to which keeps steam away from the electronics. The Imersa pro is powerful enough to keep 30L of water up to temperature, which suits my needs.

I’ve been using it at home & work and it has been a really reliable device that can compete with the big dogs of the sous vide industry. Totally worth it! The following recipe I prepared using the Imersa Pro and Wagyu flank steak from my friends over at Allen Brothers Steaks. Enjoy!

Order the Imersa Pro HERE

Wagyu Flank Steak w/Tomato Chimichurri

3-4 lbs Allen Brothers wagyu flank steak, chilled
1 tsp dry garlic flakes
1 tsp dry onion flakes
½ tsp dry thyme
½ tsp dry oregano
Kosher salt
Black pepper
4 Tbs grapeseed oil, divided in half

Tomato Chimichurri

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered or diced
1 cup Italian parsley leaves, packed tight
½ cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbs fresh oregano
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup red onion, small dice (optional)
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Pre-heat your water bath to 134F. Remove the flank steak from the refrigerator and season it well with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the grapeseed oil in a skillet over high heat and sear the flank steak until nicely browned on both sides and remove it from the heat and onto a plate. Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes, then place the steak into a vacuum bag or Ziplock along with the thyme, dried oregano, onion flakes, garlic flakes, and the remaining grapeseed oil. Place it into the sous vide bath for 8-9 hours. Next prepare the Chimichurri.

In a food processor add the parsley, cilantro, fresh oregano, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt and blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, red onion (if using) and red pepper flakes then refrigerate. Remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before the steak is done to allow it and become room temperature before serving. Remove the steak from the water bath and discard the rest of its contents. Slice the steak on a bias against the grain and serve drizzled with the tomato chimichurri.