Experiments in Cooking

Pork Sirloin sous vide

I’ve never purchased a pork sirloin before. I happened upon it while looking for a smallish cut of pork butt, but not something as lean as the tenderloin. This 1.5lb piece of sirloin called out to me.

I did some quick Googresearch and realized that the cut was easy to mess up by overcooking. Instant-pot’s sous vide method to the rescue!

I dropped the sirloin with some dry rub & herbs into the IP for 2 hours, seared with garlicky butter, and we were ready to eat!

Usage note: When using an instant pot in sous vide mode, I like to place my trivet at the bottom to allow for circulation, bag of food next, and a small metal plate or lid on top for weight.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs pork sirloin pinch of dried rosemary and thyme, or 2-3” sprigs of fresh herbs
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika powder
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
  • 1-1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 zip-top or vacuum seal bag.
  • 2 tbsp butter or (better yet) ghee
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Method:

  • Wash and pat-dry the sirloin . Stab in multiple places with a small knife.
  • Rub all over with kosher salt.
  • Mix all spices and dry herbs together. Gently pat all over the sirloin on both sides.
  • If using fresh herbs, cut them over the sirloin, patting into place
  • Place sirloin in bag, add the bay leaf to it.
  • Empty all air from bag by either using your vacuum sealer or gently immersing zip bag in water to push air out. Seal.
  • Add water at 135 degrees to your sous vide container. Close the lid and set timer for 2 hours at a temp of 135 deg (the IPs with bluetooth or sous vide mode allow for this)
  • My meat came out at 126 degrees. This is the result of the IP not circulating water, and the meat ending up cooler than the water for shorter cooking times. If using a different tool, account for your finishing temps. Ideally, you don’t want to go over 130 because you still need to sear the meat.
  • Heat butter or ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and swirl till it starts turning golden. Add the meat and sear 4 minutes each side, then a few seconds along all edges, till you reach an internal temp of 140. Take the sirloin off the pan, pour the butter over it, cover and let rest for 5 minutes before eating.
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