Sous vide prime rib steak is super juicy, super simple, and incredibly easy to make! With only 10 minutes of prep and a quick finish in the cast iron skillet, I guarantee you'll be making this holiday recipe for years to come.
Season prime rib for sous vide cooking. Preheat sous vide machine to 132ºF. While the sous vide bath preheats, season steak with salt, then top with thyme.
Vacuum-seal prime rib steak (or put it in a ziplock bag) with seasonings, seal it, and sous vide for 6 hours at 132ºF. Note: if sous viding prime rib between 6-7 pounds, increase time in the sous vide water to 8-10 hours. Tip: cover sous vide container to prevent heat from escaping for this long cook, and place a cutting board or another barrier under the water container to protect natural countertops from the heat of the water.
Pat dry. When done, remove sous vide prime rib roast from the water bath. It will look a little funny on the outside, because it needs to be finished with high heat in a cast iron pan. Don’t worry, it will be delicious. If desired, shock the steak in ice water to stop the cooking process, then remove prime rib steak from the bag. Discard the thyme and pat the steak dry to remove extra moisture before searing.
Finish sous vide prime rib steak in a cast iron skillet. Heat a large cast iron skillet to medium-high and add olive oil. When the oil is hot and shiny, add the sous vide cooked prime rib to the pan. Sear the sous vide prime rib quickly, until a brown crust appears on each side - about 20-30 seconds. Use tongs to sear the edges of the steak as well. Transfer sous vide prime rib to a cutting board and let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.
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Notes
Kick up the flavor. Want to infuse more flavor in your sous vide steak recipes? See my guide to sous vide steak marinades.
Use frozen steak. Did you know you can cook foods from frozen using the sous vide method? See my guide to sous vide frozen steak.
Adjust time for steak size. If you are sous viding prime rib between 6-7 pounds, increase the time in the sous vide water to 8-10 hours.