How to Sous Vide Beef Blade Steak

Blade steaks are on the tougher side of steak cuts and they greatly benefit from increased cooking times. You can get away with under 4 hours for a steak-like texture with a bite to it. Depending on your steak preference the blade steaks will be much more tender when cooked for 4 to 10 hours at one of the temperatures listed below.

About Beef Blade Steak

The blade is the biggest part of the front shoulder of the cow. The shoulder primal cut of the cow where the Blade Roast is from is the chuck primal cut. The beef blade roast is located in front of the ribs and close to the cow's head, just above the brisket.

The blade roast is made up of various muscles and has different degrees of toughness ranging from medium to tough. This is why it is important to cook the meat either sous vide or in liquid so the blade will not be dry and stringy.

You can braise it in the oven or roast the meat in a roasting pan or simply stew it. In general, sous vide or braising are considered the best methods for cooking because it tenderizes the tough meat while keeping it moist.

When selecting a blade roast, pick the one that is cut from the back of the shoulder as it tends to be more tender compared to other cuts. Also when selecting this cut for your lunch or dinner, be sure to choose the one with less connective tissue. This will make it easier to cook.

A blade roast is considered great for making a pot roast. Seasonings like parsley, pepper, garlic, Dijon mustard or shallots complement the blade roast in a traditional manner. However if you are in the mood to try something different, you can try Asian seasoning like soya sauce, citrus zests and ginger.

Typical Cooking Methods for Blade Steak

Braise, pan roasting and sous vide are all typical techniques people use to cook blade steaks.

Other Names for Blade Steak

Flat iron roast, top chuck roast, chuck roast, first cut, lifter roast, and triangle roast.

Good Substitutes for Blade Steak

Cross rib roast, arm pot roast or brisket are good substitutes for beef blade steak.

Traditional Dishes Using Blade Steak

Pot roast, beef broth and stew are some common dishes that contain blade steak in them.

The top blade steak is a part of the chuck primal and is cut from the top shoulder area of the cow. This cut is the most tender of all chuck cuts but is still relatively tough compared to other more tender cuts.

There is gristle (connective tissue) that runs down from the center of this cut, which when removed will convert the top blade steak into a flat iron steak. The meat itself has great flavor and tenderness which can be enhanced with minimal seasoning or a marinade.

The portion size of this steak is available in six to fourteen ounces. Slow and moist cooking methods like braising are often used to cook this steak.

Don't confuse this steak with the "chuck blade steak" that falls drastically on the tenderness scale.

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