Sous-Vide Clash of the Ribeyes (Delta-T vs. Equilibrium)

 

These two Ribeyes are cut from
the same primal to give uniformity and accuracy for the analysis.

I've been playing around with Delta-T for about 18 months or so but have never done a side-by-side examination. Although I believe my analysis and my opinions are very subjective, these times are precise. Why is the analysis subjective? Taste, Mouthfeel, Texture, and Chew are all opinions. The Temps and Times are my choices based on years of experience. Changing just one of these variables would alter the results. That being said, I consider this to be a fair and honest evaluation of both cooking methods.  

I've cooked my fair share of Ribeyes, and I believe this would be a great muse for this test. If you are curious about why I chose these temps for the Ribeyes, you can read my article HERE. I've written about and documented a few blog Posts on Delta-T, and they can be found HERE & HERE.

 I used an electronic caliper to determine the thickness. Measuring the thickness super easy when you have one of these units. And to be extremely accurate, I used the caliper to find the center too.

For this test, I used my Hydropro-Plus, a built-in thermometer, and a logging program. Foam tape is utilized with an adhesive back that seals around the insertion point when inserting a hypodermic temperature probe into a sous vide bag. I also used my Thermowork probes too in a separate bath.

After processing the Ribeyes, they were removed from the bath and allowed to rest on the counter for about 12-Minutes flipping several times on the cold counter. Ribeyes were dried thoroughly, and a schmear of mayo was used as well as some black pepper. 

A carbon steel pan was used for searing with about 1/4" of Avacado Oil. Avocado Oil has a very high smoke point as well as a flashpoint. The Pans temp was 575f and total searing (top-bottom and sides) took a total of 70 secs. 

Comparing both Ribeyes with unenlightened people is always entertaining. And who doesn't love eating Ribeyes? Sitting around with family and friends eating food is just plain fun. Clearly, this was not a sit-down dinner, and everyone there knew they were participating in yet another one of my experiments. What's not to like? Free food and steak. But there is a caveat, of course! If I know you don't like Medium Rare meat, you are not invited. I always gauge my invites based on what I am cooking and not the people necessarily. When I make steak, only those that like Medium Rare are invited. I will never alter my food for anyone. About 30 plus years ago, my wife wanted me to make a Standing Rib-Roast for her family (It weighed 16 lbs). I told the wife I would be glad too, but we will be making inquiries. Invites will go out to those that prefer Medium Rare. 

I've outlined below some questions I asked my guests.

First question: What do you think?

Second question: After describing the cooking process, I asked which one was which. 

Third question: I asked about Mouthfeel.

Fourth question: I asked about the taste and texture of the fat.

Perception is everything when you eat food. I was inquisitive about Mouthfeel, which is ultimately opinions about the sensation, flavor, and texture of the food. I made an effort to analyze their body language in response to the physiological interaction with the food. Yes, I take eating very seriously!! Next time you eat something savory, breath in through your mouth while chewing ( a pleasant surprise is coming). 

Let's review with a short synopsis of what they said, and of course, my opinions. 

Everyone loved both steaks, and so did I. Although they were processed with different temp methods, no one could distinguish one from the other. The fat for both steaks rendered down very well and had an excellent mouthfeel. The process of cooking Ribeyes is in my wheelhouse, and I believe if I had modified the times, I would not have had the same results. I've found with better than average Ribyes processing 1-2 hours beyond Equilibrium produces phenomenal results. 

The majority of people preferred the Ribeye process using Delta-T because they enjoyed the texture and chew. I will try to explain. Imagine eating a 2" by 1" piece of steak, and with each chew, it was slightly different. The gradient textures throughout the steak made it very appealing for most. That being said, everyone loved the Equilbirum one too. The EQ one had no gradient textures, which can be a plus for most. The Delta-T version with a gradient texture is something one would get at a steakhouse. However, using Sous-Vide to process the steaks gives you precision and flawless execution. I loved both steaks equally. The minute differences in moisture loss were undetectable. 

I am considering more times and more proteins for my next post. Maybe combine 2-Stage processing with Delta-T? Perhaps a few Tri-Tips? I usually process using a 2-stage cooking method followed by 8-10 hours at 133.f. It probably takes the Ribeye 4-5 hours to reach EQ. Maybe I will use Delta-T 136.6 to 133f. Once reaching an internal temp of 133f (Timing Carryover), I will hold at 133f for an extra 3-hours. Can you effectively combine 2-Stage processing with Delta-T? Are there any advantages? Should I use two baths or one for processing? I could use my method of hastening the bath with boiling water (113f to 136.6). If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, let me know.