Alright, so I decided to give this Cuisine Solutions Beef Sirloin a try the other day. Saw it in the store, looked pretty straightforward, you know? Sometimes you just need something quick after a long day, and messing with raw meat isn’t always appealing.
Got it home, stuck it in the fridge. When it came time for dinner, I pulled it out. The packaging is pretty simple, vacuum-sealed pouch, the usual for this kind of pre-cooked stuff. Instructions seemed easy enough – basically just heat it through since it’s already cooked sous vide style.
Getting Started
First thing, I took the sirloin out of the plastic bag. It looked… well, cooked. A bit greyish, which is normal for sous vide before you sear it. Patted it totally dry with paper towels. This part’s important, I always do this. You won’t get a good crust if the meat’s wet.
I thought about how to heat it. The package probably suggested boiling water or the oven. I decided against boiling in the bag, just not my favorite method. I opted for a quick sear on the stovetop to heat it and give it some color at the same time.
The Cooking Part
So, I grabbed my trusty cast iron skillet. Put it on the stove, medium-high heat. Added a splash of oil – just a regular vegetable oil, nothing fancy. Waited till it got nice and hot, you could see it shimmer a bit.
Placed the sirloin in the pan. Got a nice sizzle right away. That’s the sound you want! I let it sear for maybe 2-3 minutes per side. I wasn’t really cooking it, more just getting a nice brown crust on the outside and warming the inside through. Added a knob of butter near the end, basted it a little.
- Got the pan hot.
- Added oil.
- Patted the sirloin dry. Very important step!
- Seared each side for a few minutes.
- Added butter for basting near the end.
Finishing Up
Took the sirloin out of the pan and let it rest on the cutting board for a few minutes. This is another thing I always do, lets the juices settle back into the meat. If you cut it right away, all the good stuff runs out.
While it was resting, I threw together a quick side salad. Didn’t feel like making anything complicated. Tonight was about ease.
Then, I sliced the sirloin against the grain. It sliced pretty easily. Looked decent inside, pinkish like you’d expect from sous vide.
The Verdict
Served it up with the salad. Took a bite. You know what? It was surprisingly tender. Really tender, actually. The flavor was decent, maybe needed a little salt and pepper right after slicing, but it tasted like beef. Not the best steak I’ve ever had, obviously, but for something that went from package to plate in about 10 minutes, it was pretty darn good.
Overall thoughts: It’s convenient. Super convenient. If you need a quick protein fix and don’t want to fuss, it does the job. Tender, easy to prepare. Just make sure you give it a good sear for texture and appearance. Would I buy it again? Yeah, probably keep one in the freezer for those lazy nights. It works.
