Sous Vide Beef Chuck Roast
Just three simple ingredients are needed to make this Sous Vide Beef Chuck Roast. If you’re new to sous vide cooking, this recipe is a great place to start. The long, slow cooking time turns an inexpensive chuck roast into incredibly tender, juicy beef with very little hands-on work.
All you need is a chuck roast, mustard, and your favorite dry rub. The roast cooks in a temperature-controlled water bath for 24 hours, giving the connective tissue plenty of time to break down while the beef stays juicy.
Sous vide does take longer than most cooking methods, but almost all of that time is hands-off. Once you try it, it may become one of your favorite ways to cook tougher cuts of beef.
Be sure to try this Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin and these Sous Vide Pork Chops for two other delicious recipes.
Ingredients
- Chuck roast – I use a two-pound chuck roast, which gives a good amount of meat for leftovers, too. This inexpensive cut becomes incredibly tender during the long sous vide cooking time.
- Yellow mustard – Adds flavor and helps hold the dry rub in place.
- Coffee rub or dry rub of your choice – Use your favorite beef seasoning. Garlic powder, black pepper, kosher salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, or seasoning salt are all good options. I used my Coffee Rub.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Sous Vide Beef Chuck Roast
Use this section for process shots, alternating between the step and image showing the step. Users don’t like seeing process shots cluttering up the recipe card, so include your process shots here.
Step One: Season the chuck roast by coating it with yellow mustard. Then add the dry rub on all sides.
Step Two: Place the roast in a vacuum-seal bag and remove the air with a vacuum sealer.
Step Three: Fill a large pot or sous vide container with water and attach the immersion cooker. Preheat the water bath to the temperature listed in the recipe card. Place the roast in the water and cook for 24 hours. Make sure the roast stays completely submerged and check the water level occasionally during the long cook time. If needed, use sous vide clips to hold the bag in place.
Step Four: Remove the roast from the bag, reserving the juices if you’d like to use them for a sauce. Pat the outside of the beef very dry with paper towels. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add a little avocado oil, olive oil, or other high-heat cooking oil and quickly sear the roast on all sides to develop a browned crust. Transfer the roast to a cutting board, slice against the grain, and serve.
Top Tip💡
Keep an eye on the water level during the 24-hour cook. Some water will be lost through evaporation, especially if you’re using an uncovered pot. The roast should remain submerged throughout the entire cooking time.
You can cover the container or pot to help reduce evaporation during a long sous vide cook.
Before searing, pat the beef very dry with paper towels. A dry surface will brown much better in the hot pan.
Variations
- Garlic & Herbs – Skip the coffee rub and season the chuck roast with garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper for a more traditional roast beef flavor.
- Butter Finish – Add a little butter and fresh thyme to the skillet toward the end of searing and spoon it over the roast for extra flavor.
See this Keto Mississippi Pot Roast for a simple and hearty pot roast recipe!
Equipment
You’ll need a sous vide immersion cooker, large pot or sous vide container, vacuum sealer, and sous vide-safe bag.
If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, use an appropriate heavy-duty zip-top bag and the water displacement method. Sous vide clips can also be helpful for keeping the bag positioned correctly and preventing the opening from slipping below the water level.
You’ll also need paper towels, a cutting board, and a sharp knife. For the optional reverse sear, have a heavy skillet or cast iron pan ready.
Storage
Store leftover Sous Vide Beef Chuck Roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
You can also freeze the cooked beef in a freezer-safe container or bag. For easy meals later, I like the idea of freezing it in individual portions so you only have to thaw what you need.
Common Questions
Slice the roast and serve it with roasted vegetables, a salad, cauliflower mash, or potatoes. You can also use leftover sliced beef on a bun for an easy roast beef sandwich.
If you save the liquid and juices from the sous vide bag, you can also use them as the starting point for a simple pan sauce or beef broth-based gravy.
Chuck roast contains a lot of connective tissue and collagen. During the long sous vide cook time, that collagen gradually breaks down, improving the texture of the meat while the controlled water temperature helps prevent the beef from overcooking.
That’s one of the reasons sous vide works so well for an inexpensive cut like chuck roast.
No. A vacuum sealer is convenient, but you can also use a sous vide-safe zip-top bag. Slowly lower the filled bag into the water while keeping the opening above the surface. The water pressure pushes most of the air out of the bag, and then you can seal it.
No, but I recommend it. Sous vide cooks the beef beautifully but doesn’t brown the outside. A quick sear in a very hot skillet gives the roast a flavorful browned crust.
Not if you keep the sear hot and fast. Pat the roast dry first, then sear just long enough to brown the exterior. You don’t want to continue cooking the center.
For this recipe, yes. Chuck roast is a tougher cut that benefits from a long cooking time. The 24-hour sous vide gives it time to become tender while maintaining the doneness you’re aiming for.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Joy Filled Eats
Sous Vide Beef Chuck Roast
Ingredients
- 2.25 lb chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoon coffee rub or dry rub of your choice
Instructions
- Coat the chuck roast with mustard and then cover with the dry rub.
- Vacuum seal in a plastic bag.
- Sous vide at 135 for 24 hours.
- Optional: Reverse sear the roast before slicing and serving.
Like what you see? Follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Love this recipe? Leave a comment & a 5-star rating right here! Make sure you don’t miss new recipes by getting email updates!
