This step is very important. If you are new to sous vide cooking this tip will be helpful with all your future sous vide cooks. The whole point is to make the meat flavorful and not salty. TIP: When you add salt straight to the meat that will be sous vide cooked. Using a normal seasoning practice on the meat often ends up salty. This isn't due to the amount of salt, but due to the salt permeating the piece of meat. The FIX: Salt Cure Your Meat
Process: Take a small bowl and add all of the salt and mix well. Next, spread all of the salt all over the Tri-Tip Beef. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes rinse all of the salt off under running cold water. You only need to rinse the salt off. Do not soak or allow the water to get into the meat. Rinse the salt off quickly. 10 seconds.
Sous Vide Tri-Tip Step by Step
1) Salt sure the Tri-Tip
2) Rinse off the Tri-Tip quickly underwater
3) Place the Tri-Tip into temperature-safe sous vide bag (I use ziplock freezer bags) Another option is using a food saver to seal the meat. (Product purchase listed above)
4) Set up the sous vide machine water tub. Fill it up to the max level line due to the long cook time. Evaporation will occur. Depending on your sous vide water tub you might need to add some water in the middle of the cook. Just be aware that could be needed.
5) Set the temperature to 132 degrees and turn on the sous vide machine. (You will know the machine is on when the water starts circulating.
6) Sealing the Tri-Tip bag. To seal, lower the bag into the water. The water will force the air out if using a freezer bag. Once the top of the bag is lowered then seal, close the bag.A saver machine will remove the air for you.
After 8 hours in the sous vide lower the temperature down to 125 degrees for the remaining of the cooking time.Why? Think of it as a long rest time. The meat will be "cooked" at this point, but we want the meat to become even more tender. That is why you lower the temperature to 125 for the remaining hours. It's like a long rest on the meat.
Video
Notes
Quick LIST:
Inspect the Tri-Tip
Remove any silver skin
Cutaway excess fat, but try to leave some for flavor
Perform the quick salt cure (see notes in the article)
Rinse off the salt (quickly)
Place Tri-Tip in temperature safe bag, or food saver bag
Remove the air from the bag (see above article)
Place the Tri-Tip in the sous vide machine
Secure the meat to the side of the water rub, 0pposite side away from the sous vide machine
Set machine temperature to 132 degrees for the first 8 hours
After 8 hours turn down the temperature to 125 for the additional 16 hours
Once the timer is up you can serve. No need to allow the meat to rest.
Why the temperature is turned down to 125 degrees.
after 8 hours the meat is essentially cooked, but not as tender as it could be
the additional 16 hours, think of it as a long rest of the meat. The meat is relaxing and tenderizing
you can keep the temperature at 132 degrees the entire time if you like, the meat will still turn out great