Do I need to do anything special to prep a flat iron steak for an overnight SV bath?
I have seen some references to dunking in boiling water for anti microbial effect, but am not sure what the best practice is?
I am getting my meat from a cert reputable local butcher, if that matters?
Thanks!
Best Answer
Nope. Haha :)
Brining will give you a softer texture. I have brined duck for varying times (depending on how much of a rush I was in) and brining really does help with the texture.
You can sear it beforehand, some Maillard reaction will help in flavour development, but when I cook sous vide for more than 8 hours, I don't bother: the meat will go green/grey, which means I need to sear afterwards anyway. So I usually just sear at the end.
If your meat doesn't have that much fat, or anything to keep it moist, it can go dry. Adding some butter, or maybe rendered Wagyu fat in the case of your steak, might help.
As for bacteria, the longer you cook sous vide, the more you kill off the nasties.
It so happens that Douglas Baldwin has a short bit about flat iron steak: http://www.douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html#Beef
Hope that helps :)