If you ever dare to throw Reddit's r/sousvide Community, be prepared to correspond to the level of culinary intensity, which you did not know about. These people do not just cook with submersible circulators; They evangelize them, ready to start a full -scale war with a comment, if you even whisper the words “cast -iron ball”.
Their holy Grail, the only number to manage them all? 137 ° F. According to the pious followers of the club 137, this is a divine ordained temperature to turn any steak into a masterpiece. They talk about the “unsurpassed aroma” and “perfectly exposed fat” with the fact that, usually intended for a rare work of art, and not what was swinging in a plastic bag for three hours.
While Ribi receives a VIP processing in these discussions, the faithful R/susvid insists that their magic of a water bath can work miracles on Cheaper cuts Steak too. Chuck Steak, New York Streep-Goving, everything becomes a quality in a restaurant when you have a little patience and a really good thermometer.
A quick search in Reddit lifts more than 125 threads dedicated to the so-called “club 137”, so I decided to delve into science for this trend and, distinctly, check it for myself.
The science of the preparation of the perfect steak
I fixed each steak equally with salt, granular garlic powder and cracked black pepper.
Ahead of my test I got into books. My first instinct was to consult Modernist cuisine Nathan Mirold, Chris Young and Maxine Ticket, who is one of the most complete resources in the science of cooking.
With a price that usually exceeds $ 500, more than 2400 pages in six volumes and without a digital version, this is easier to say than to do. Fortunately, I found a copy of a more compact Modernist cuisine at home In the collection of the University of Brigham Yang near my house. (“More compact” is a relative term, since it is also huge.) Fortunately, the modernist cuisine has a whole section about the cooking steak, including the Sous Vide method.
Vacuum sealing steaks during the night allowed the seasoning as a marinade.
Book groups cut the steak into two categories: delicate (fillet, clipping, New York strip, ribs, T-cow, etc.) and hard cuts (steam, skirt, hanger, flat iron, sides, etc.). Tender cuts are usually prepared at lower temperatures, and the authors and their laboratory usually prefer an average rare donkey about 133 degrees Fahrenheit in most cases. On the contrary, the recommendations for harsh cuts range from 144 degrees to 149 degrees Fahrenheit, which imply a book, are a more traditional result similar to fried, think about gentle and dexterous, and not very juicy.
Master class of Douglas Baldwin Practical manual for cooking Sous VideIt quotes many scientific works that imply the best results of tenderness with beef lying somewhere between 120 degrees to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, with a special mention of 131 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for cheaper, more severe cuts of beef. It seems that this is a sweet place for turning a hard collagen into a smooth, aromatic gelatin.
In addition, modernist cuisine at home suggests that RIB Eye, a delicate piece of meat, is best after 3 hours at 133 degrees Fahrenheit. There are small differences between resources, but both seem to confirm 137 clubs as a method of fascinating steak.
Steaks hardly enter the container that I use for my Sous Vide bath, but I made it work with some strategic spacers and scales.
Although I could not track the member -founder of the club 137, I know that this term began to receive Steam in April 2020At least on Reddit.
If I had to guess why 137 degrees Fahrenheit became a magical number, this is probably the preference of the first person who tried it – they might like that this is more average than the average average. In the end, 137 degrees on Fahrenheit falls into the aforementioned temperature range, with an error in the case of the temperature of the bathroom joint, fluctuates during cooking. In this case, the temperature may vary depending on 3 degrees in any case, without affecting the results too much.
My study ends here, but I doubt that I will be the last person asking where all this came from.
Experiment
We all tried three samples with a simple poll asking about texture, aroma and something else that stood out.
Now that we know that there is some science for the 137th club, it's time to check. Initially, I intended to check it with Ribeye, which often appears in 137 club topics. It has a large balance of oily tissue, which presumably makes better at a higher temperature. Instead, I found on sale delicate 1-inch T-teles that will work just fine.
The main goal was to see if there are any noticeable differences in preparation. There were five taste testers: I and four more, on which I will call Annet, Lauren, Hank and Nora. None of us had previously tried the method of 137 degrees on Fahrenheit.
Steak A: Frying
It was also the fastest cook, because it practically did not require additional preparation outside the seasoning.
I fried a steak in a traditional style using a timer and meat thermometer Reach the inner temperature of 131 degrees Fahrenheit. (I strove for 129 degrees on Fahrenheit, but Grille – unstable things.) It took about 7 minutes.
We all agreed that the traditional fried steak was the least tender of the three. As expected, the inside of the steak was not as consistent as with Sous Vide steaks. Nevertheless, it was juicy, and the external appealed perfectly, because I did not have to worry so much about destroying the joint steaks. Nora even said that this is her beloved: “The very taste, I can try every seasoning.”
Steak B: Sous Vide 129 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes
I learned Sous Vide Steak 129 degrees Fahrenheit, so it was a good comparison point.
I prepared a steak B with my usual SUS Vide 129 degrees on Fahrenheit for 60 minutes. (Note: I usually make 120 minutes, but reduced it from the time of time.) An extremely, this steak goes beyond the temperature range mentioned earlier. Since the experiment was in the house of a family member, I decided to squeeze Sous Vide steaks on the grill, which is not as accurate or powerful as my faithful shans.
In addition, frying several T-strokes with my little Pulorok would take eternity. In the same way, I could do the best work without frying all three joints at the same time.
In total, I bought four steaks, so there were two steaks, with a thinner one, which was a little more average after a tourniquet.
As a result, the cortex of the steak b was uneven, and the taste was not as pronounced as a fried steak. Fat was also not displayed as other steaks. Everyone liked how soft this steak was, with one tester who said that he fell apart in his mouth. Nevertheless, Steak B was a favorite option of the three deuts: Annet, Lauren and me.
However, it was a steak with the lowest rating for two other respondents. Hank said that it “is too different from my taste, but still nice.” Meanwhile, Nora simply liked it, but wrote: “She will not order again.” I will try not to accept it personally.
Steak C: Sous Vide 137 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes (also known as club 137)
In my case, I feel that it was a throw between the steak b (middle) and a steak C (left).
I prepared a steak with 137 degrees on Fahrenheit for an hour before saving it on a warm bath at 129 degrees Fahrenheit with a steak b for another hour. Yes, extra time influenced the final result on the steak C, but, seeing that many 137 club threads offer to cook at least 120 minutes, I was in order, adding a little more time. The ball was a little better than with Steak B.
We all noticed that it was not as wet as the other Sous Vide steak, but it was very juicy. Nevertheless, the steak C was more bright, more tender and seemed to have a deeper taste, because the fat had more time to figure out and interact with meat. The juiciness was a decisive factor for Deut, which preferred another Sous Vide steak. But Steak C, of course, was fans, and he was very good, with Hank, who said that this was “the best of the three, in my opinion.”
What is the verdict in the club 137?
Despite the fact that juggling time of cooking and at the same time completes three methods of steak, it is always so useful to share good food with the family.
I learned two things from this experiment. Firstly, Sous Vide Steaks, prepared at 137 degrees Fahrenheit, are as tasty as other methods. It seems that it makes fat more efficient than lower Soud Vid temperatures with a slightly higher level DonalityThis is perfect when you have a few hours for a water bath to work. This helps to balance some of the bias of confirmation of many positive feelings on Reddit.
Secondly, whether anyone likes the final result ultimately reflects their personal preferences, and this is normal. While the average rare is very popular for many people, there are people, including my wife-Water, prefer medium and well-made steaks. (In case you are interested, she says that well -made Sous Vide Steaks are amazing and much more forgiven than on the grill.)
The last bonus lesson is what I have experienced many times – this is an explosion for experiments when you find something interesting that is in your skills. Trying one thing does not mean that the abandonment of the cherished method of cooking or your favorite food, but it can open your capabilities and help you find new ways to make excellent food.
