The Perfect Blue Cheese Crumble Filet

I’m not a huge fan of kitchen gadgets – they take up counter space and I don’t love a lot of stuff sitting out. However, the Sous Vide (soo veed) has been a game changer and it also stores easily. Several friends of mine have raved about how perfectly they cook steaks, chicken breast and other types of protein. My neighbor and sous chef for this recipe, Regan King, has taught me how to cook the perfect medium rare filets using the sous vide and a hot grill. I’ve amped them up with a yummy blue cheese crumble on the top slightly torched (with my second favorite gadget: a kitchen torch).

So, what is Sous Vide? It’s actually a French term meaning “cooking in an airtight container or vacuum sealed package” and then cooking in temperature controlled water. My sous vide is controlled by an app on my phone. Once plugged in and turned on, it connects to my phone. I scroll down and find the recipe I want to use and touch the button, “cook this recipe,” a timer is set and it’s ready to go! Could it be any easier? The main thing to remember when using this method to cook is that you have to finish in some fashion. The meat won’t be caramelized, crispy or grilled in any way, you will have to do that using a grill, cast iron skillet or something else. For now, I’m just using a hot grill.

If you are wanting to try something new… give this a try! It’s been fun for me, we love perfectly cooked medium rare filets, blue cheese and horseradish sauce at my house. With Valentine’s Day coming up, maybe you’ll give these steaks a whirl. Add your favorite sides and something yummy for dessert. I chose crème brulee since my kitchen torch was already out, and I love using it!

Preparing the perfect filet:

1. Hand-cut each filet to the desired thickness. Season with kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and garlic salt. Top each with a pat of Kerrygold butter. Seal with a vacuum sealer. When ready to start the cooking process, place in water and follow directions according to your sous vide.
2. The recipe that I use cooks the meat at 130 degrees for 2 hours. (My steaks were about 2 inches thick).
3. When ready to sear, take steaks out of packaging, pat dry with a paper towel and season again with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic salt.
4. Make sure your grill is HOT! Regan heated his to 500 degrees and grilled each side for 2 minutes.
5. If you decide to try the blue cheese – mix equal parts softened blue cheese and panko. Place desired amount on top of steak and either torch or put it under the broiler to slightly brown/melt the cheese. The browning/melting happens quickly with both methods!

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe with someone special! I know I plan to!

By Nancy Roberts

Photos by Shayli Anne Photography