Sous Vide Veal Rump Cap

February 19, 2020

Sous Vide Veal Rump Cap

Sous vide veal rump cap is the veal version of the classic culotte (rump cap) roast: a lean, fine-grained muscle from the top of the rump with a mild, delicate flavor, seasoned with salt and pepper, vacuum-sealed and cooked at an exact, low temperature in a water bath, before finally being seared quickly and hard in a pan or on the grill. Sous vide suits this cut particularly well, because the meat is lean and easily turns dry if it gets too much heat for too long - something hard to control with ordinary pan-frying, but which the water bath solves with a core temperature that’s the same throughout the piece.

The seasoning stays simple: salt and freshly ground pepper, optionally rounded out with a couple of sprigs of thyme and a few thin slices of garlic laid on top of the meat before it’s vacuum-sealed. The water bath is held at 131-133°F (55-56°C) for 6 hours, which gives an evenly pink, tender result from edge to edge, without the gray, cooked-through rim you often end up with in ordinary frying. Just before serving, the meat is seared quickly and hard in butter or oil, fat side first, so it gets a crisp, golden crust while the tender, rosy center stays untouched.

The dish is well suited to dinner parties, because most of the work sits in the quiet water bath and can be planned well ahead. Cut the meat into thin slices across the grain and serve it with a béarnaise sauce or a quick cream reduction of the meat juices, along with potatoes or root vegetables and a fresh salad.

Ingredients

Serves 4

about 1 kg veal rump cap, trimmed of sinew and fat cap
12-15 g salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced (optional)
butter (or oil), for searing

Directions

Pat the veal rump cap completely dry and score the fat side lightly across the direction the meat will later be cut - this makes it easier to keep track of the cutting direction once the meat is cooked. Season the meat evenly with salt and pepper on all sides, and lay the garlic slices and thyme sprigs on the surface if using.

Place the meat in a vacuum bag and seal it at full pressure.

Preheat the sous vide water bath to 131-133°F (55-56°C) and only add the bag once the water has reached temperature. Cook the meat for 6 hours.

Take the bag out of the water, open it, and pat the meat completely dry - save the meat juices for a quick sauce if you like. Sear it hard right away in a very hot pan or on a grill in butter or oil, fat side first, about 1 minute per side on all sides, with a little extra time on the fat side, until it’s crisp and golden. Keep an eye on the fat as you go so it doesn’t scorch.

Let the meat rest 5-10 minutes, then cut it into roughly 5 mm (¼ inch) thick slices across the muscle grain, adjusting the cutting direction as you go, since the grain can change through the piece. Plate at once on warmed plates.

Notes

The veal rump cap can be prepared well ahead: after sous vide cooking, the sealed bag is chilled quickly in ice water and kept in the refrigerator at a maximum of 43°F (6°C) for up to a week. Reheat in warm tap water for about an hour before serving, then sear as described.

If you prefer a more classic pink-red center, use 129°F (54°C) instead of 131-133°F (55-56°C), still for 6 hours.

Serve with béarnaise sauce, a quick cream reduction of the meat juices or a red wine sauce, along with potatoes or root vegetables and a fresh salad.