Sous Vide Flank Steak In Balsamic Marinade

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If you struggle with cooking your steak to perfection, then this sous vide flank steak recipe is for you. Instead of dry and overdone, you’ll end up with flank steak that’s tender enough to cut with a fork. And it’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious thanks to the balsamic marinade. So grab your sous vide and let’s get cooking.

A sliced flank steak on a wooden cutting board.

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Why should you try this recipe?
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe Variations
Equipment
FAQs
How To Serve
Similar Recipes
Sous Vide Flank Steak

Why should you try this recipe?

Here's why you'll love this sous vide flank steak.

It’s simple. Sous vide cooking is incredibly easy because it doesn’t require a lot of your attention. Instead of standing over a hot barbeque making sure your steak doesn’t burn; you simply heat your water bath, drop your steak in, and set the timer. You can even use an app to let you know when it’s done.
It’s healthy. Sous vide cooking uses less oil, fat, and salt than other methods. What’s more? Studies show that this slow cooking method preserves more nutrients than traditional cooking methods. All good news for your health.
It’s tasty. With sous vide, you can cook steak better than your favourite steak house. I’m serious. That’s because you have very precise control over the temperature to ensure it reaches your perfect level of doneness - and doesn’t exceed that. Basically, say goodbye to dry, overdone steaks.

Scroll down to see the printable recipe with nutritional information.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for this sous vide flank steak recipe.

Flank steak: Steak is a red meat and red meat is high in saturated fat. Because of that, steak tends to get a bad rap in the health community. Part of that is fair. Too much saturated fat has been shown to increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. However, like all things in life, balance is key. Red meat also contains important nutrients, like protein, vitamin B-12 and iron. As long as you're practicing moderation and watching your overall intake of saturated fat, steak can be part of a healthy diet. It's also wise to choose lean cuts when you do consume steak; that’s why I choose flank steak. Ounce for ounce it has fewer calories and more protein than ribeye.
Extra virgin olive oil: A small amount of fat in a marinade is necessary to help transfer fat-soluble flavours into the meat and to help retain moisture in the meat. I use extra virgin olive oil as it’s a healthier choice than many other processed oils. You can also use avocado oil in this recipe. I would also recommend sesame oil as it matches the asian-flavour profile of this dish.
Balsamic vinegar: Acidic ingredients in marinades will tenderize the meat by denaturing the protein in the muscle. But, too much acid will create a mushy texture, so don't overdo it.
Low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos: Both offer a umami flavour, with coconut aminos being slightly sweeter. It is also a slightly healthier alternative for people with food sensitivities as it’s soy, wheat and gluten-free.
Honey, Garlic, Ginger: In combination with the soy sauce, these ingredients give an asian-infused flavour to the flank steak.
Black peppercorns, salt and scallions: These add the final flavour, color and texture to your dish.

Scroll down to find the printable recipe with ingredient measurements.

Instructions

Let’s break it down step by step to take any guesswork out of this sous vide flank steak recipe.

Fill a large stock pot or 12-quart container with water. You’ll need it full enough so the sous-vide is submerged by a minimum of 2.5 inches.
Set sous vide in and set temperature to 129F.

A glass bowl filled with marinade for steak. A whisk lies beside it.

In a small mixing bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper.
Place the marinade and flank steak in a bag and use a vacuum sealer to seal it. Or use the water displacement method.

An anova sous vide cooker in a pot with a steak in a bag inside it.

Drop the bag in the bath and set timer for 2 hours.
When the steak is cooked, remove the bag from the bath. Then remove the steak from the bag and pat it dry.

A sous vide flank steak resting on a wooden cutting board. A gold fork sits by its side.

Heat a large skillet (cast iron pan is best) on high heat and add avocado oil (or another oil with a high smoke point).
Once hot, sear the flank steak for roughly 1 minute on each side.
Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes covered by tinfoil.
Garnish with parsley or scallions and serve.

Recipe Notes

Air-tight matters: An essential part of sous vide cooking is placing the ingredients in an air-tight bag. This ensures the food is protected and prevents the bag from floating, which will cause uneven cooking. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, this can be done through the water displacement method.

How To Store

How to refrigerate sous vide flank steak: If you have a vacuum sealer, use this to keep the air out and natural juices in. This will help retain as much of the texture and flavour as possible. Alternatively wrap tightly in saran wrap and then place into a zip-loc bag with as much air removed as possible. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to freeze sous vide flank steak: Follow the exact steps that you would to refrigerate. Then, store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to reheat sous vide flank steak: The best way to reheat a steak without drying it out is to place the steak in the oven and warm on the middle rack at 250 degrees. If you have a meat thermometer, you’ll want to get the steak to 110 degrees. For thin cuts of meat like flank steak, this should take roughly 10-15 minutes.

For the full ingredient list and step-by-step directions, scroll down to view the recipe card.

Recipe Variations

Make this gluten-free: Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. It has a very similar flavour profile, but is soy, wheat and gluten-free.
Make this with your favourite marinade: Go ahead and replace my balsamic marinade with a marinade of your choice. Then follow the recipe as usual. I promise I won’t be offended.

Equipment

Here's what you need to make this anova flank steak.

Sous Vide Machine – To make a flank steak sous vide recipe, you'll obviously need a sous vide. The two best machines in market are the Anova Precision Cooker and Breville Joule. I chose the Anova because it can be controlled manually and through a mobile app. The Joule can only be controlled through an app.
12-quart Container – I use a stock pot to cook sous vide because I have limited room in my apartment, but a large plastic container makes sous vide cooking easier. They're inexpensive and allow you to cook larger amounts. The most purchased is the BPA free 12 quart Rubbermaid container. You may also want the compatible lid so you can dodge evaporation over long cooking times.
Cast Iron Skillet – You can use any skillet, but if you want a steakhouse sear, then you want a cast iron skillet for the job. You’ll use it in the sous vide game, but it also comes in handy for a mean breakfast skillet. Lodge offers great quality for the price. That's what I use.
A sharp knife - There's an art to slicing flank steak. Make sure you have a good knife so you can achieve good results. I used The Forged Blade knife to slice this flank steak.

The forged blade resting on top of a flank steak on a wooden cutting board.

FAQs

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about flank steak in sous vide.

Should I sous vide flank steak?

Yes, it’s one of the best methods to cook a steak. It results in meat that is very tender and consistently cooked. It’s especially useful on very tough cuts. So grass-fed meats, which tends toward toughness, and flank steak do particularly well with this technique.

Does flank steak get more tender the longer you cook it?

Yes. In sous vide cooking, the temperature controls the doneness of your steak and the cook time controls the tenderness. If you leave the flank steak in for longer than the desired cook time, the collagen will break down further, creating more and more tenderness.

If you prefer a more chewy steak, stick to the cooking time in this recipe.

Can you sous vide frozen steak?

Absolutely. Using the sous vide to cook frozen steak is a very safe and convenient way to prepare your meat. Simply remove it from the freezer and repackage it in a vacuum sealed bag. Then adjust your cooking time. If you’re cooking from completely frozen, this is usually an additional hour.

Can I precook a sous-vide steak to sear later?

The recommended procedure is to sous vide, then chill the bag in ice water before transferring to the fridge. This minimizes time in the food danger zone. Then before serving, put into the immersion bath again for a short period of time to warm the steak up to room temperature. Finally, sear for a couple minutes on each side and serve.

With thinner cuts of steak - like this flank steak recipe - you can reheat entirely in the searing step.

How To Serve

Now that you have a beautiful steak, it’s time to build the perfect meal with it! Here are a few delicious options.

A flank steak and kale salad on a white plate.

Pair it with greens. Layer your fillet on a bed of leafy greens or alongside roasted veggies.
Make a steak sandwich: My favourite way to use steak leftovers! Grab some sour dough, add a little dijon mustard, cheese, arugula and tomato. Then throw it in the toaster oven. Delish.
Eat it with fries: My air fryer yam fries are an easy, delicious option.

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If you make this sous vide flank steak, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment. Don't forget to tag @caiteyjay on Instagram or @caiteyjay on Pinterest so I can see your creations.