I hope everyone is healthy and safe as the world is experiencing the Covid-19 crisis. We will get through this together as we practice social distancing and enjoying spending time with our loved ones at home. This can create a great bonding experience with your family as you can all share kitchen fun with each other. This is also the perfect time to learn sous vide cooking!

Using the Vesta Imersa series at work

One of the many reasons I love using sous vide as one of my go-to methods of cooking is the hands off approach that I can have with many different food items. With the popularity of sous vide cooking for the home cook on the rise, so is the demand for quality devices. The market is no longer dominated by a handful brands such as Anova, Polyscience, Joule, and Sous Vide Supreme. Many other companies are now in the business of sous vide, and with all of the competition sous vide devices have become much more affordable. Recently I received Vesta Precision’s Imersa Expert sous vide device and the Vac ‘N Seal Pro II.

This isn’t my first Vesta device; I own the Imersa Elite and I think it is a great machine. I have used it plenty over the past year with positive results every time. The Imersa Expert is more focused toward the professional chef that usually has more of a cooking workload when using the sous vide method. While Vesta’s Elite version heats up to 5 gallons (20L) of water, the Expert can heat up to 13.2 gallons (50L) of water. This makes a big difference when you need to prepare multiple or large food items, which makes it ideal for me to use at home and at work. The Vac ‘N Seal Pro II is a powerful vacuum sealer that has now replaced my FoodSaver machine. It is a bit heavy, but it is really a good and cool looking vacuum sealer. I will drop the purchase links below for you to shop sous vide equipment directly from Vesta Precision. Now on to the recipe …

One of the things that I love about sous vide is how amazing your food ends up. I prepared this prime rib for a family gathering and it was a big hit. I pre-seared it on a hot grill to add some great charred flavor before dropping it in the water bath. I returned it to the grill for another quick sear and the meat was perfectly cooked edge to edge medium rare upon cutting it. It was also very juicy so using a sauce is optional. Enjoy!

Ingredients

5-6 lb boneless prime rib roast
4 tablespoons espresso
4 tablespoons ancho or chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed tightly
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
Necessary sous vide equipment (Vesta Precision circulator, vacuum sealer or Ziplock bag, cooking vessel etc…)

Directions

In a bowl combine all of the dry seasonings and mix well. Dry the beef with paper towels and drizzle the beef with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Give the roast a generous coating of the dry seasonings. Place the rib roast into the refrigerator for at least an hour prior to cooking, as this prevents cooking the meat’s interior during the pre-sear process. Pre-heat the water bath to 134F/56C. Oil your grill grates and place over high heat. As an alternative you can add 3 tablespoons of oil to a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Remove the roast from the refrigerator and place onto your hot grill or pan and brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. Place the beef into your cooking bag along with the sprigs of thyme (if using) and vacuum seal it. Place it into the sous vide bath for 8 hours.

Remove the beef from the vacuum bag and dry with paper towels. Any juices in the bag can be used for any sauce you may decide to prepare, otherwise discard it. The roast is ready to be sliced. What I love to do for extra flavor is to give it another light dusting of the dry seasonings, add some oil to a grill or a large cast iron skillet and sear it again for 3-4 minutes per side to form a delicious crust. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Purchase Vesta Precision’s Imersa Expert HERE
Vesta’s Vac & Seal Pro II can be purchased HERE

Purchase quality meats & game HERE and add the code GourmetDeconstructed for a 10% discount.

Purchase my cookbook Mastering the Art of Sous Vide Cooking HERE