Sous Vide T-Bone / Porterhouse Steak, Medium Well: Time & Temp
For sous vide t-bone at medium well, set the bath to 150 °F / 65 °C and leave a 1.5 inch cut for at least 1h 42m. Then dry it and sear hard for 45–60 seconds a side. No pull temp, no carryover, no guesswork.
Why sous vide has no pull temp
Every other page on this site tells you to pull the meat early, because a hot grill keeps driving heat inward after you take it off. A water bath at 150 °F physically cannot heat anything past 150 °F — so the meat simply arrives at the target and stops. That is the whole appeal: the technique removes the timing skill from the equation and replaces it with waiting.
The catch is the crust. Sous vide gives you a perfect interior and a grey, wet exterior, so the sear is not optional garnish — it is half the cook.
Time by thickness
| Thickness | Bath temp | Minimum time | Maximum time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 150 °F / 65 °C | 1h | 4h |
| 1.25 inch | 150 °F / 65 °C | 1h 20m | 4h 20m |
| 1.5 inch | 150 °F / 65 °C | 1h 42m | 4h 42m |
| 2 inch | 150 °F / 65 °C | 2h 30m | 5h 30m |
Minimum time is how long the core takes to reach the bath temperature. Past the maximum the texture starts to break down — proteins keep denaturing even at a fixed temperature.
Step by step
- PrepSeason and bagSalt, then vacuum-seal or use the water displacement method with a zip bag. Add aromatics sparingly — flavours concentrate in a sealed bag.
- 0:00Into the bath at 150 °FMake sure the bag is fully submerged and not touching the heating element.
- 1h 42mCore is at temperatureFrom here it is holding, not cooking. You have until 4h 42m before texture starts to suffer.
- FinishDry, then searPat bone dry — surface moisture is the enemy of browning. 45–60 seconds per side, then serve straight away. No resting needed.
Recommended Tools for Perfect Results
Sous vide needs an accurate bath and an accurate probe to verify it — circulator thermostats drift more than people assume.
Wireless Bluetooth Meat Thermometer
Leave-in probe with phone alerts. The single upgrade that ends dry brisket and grey steak.
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Pink Butcher Paper (Unwaxed, 18")
Beats foil for the Texas Crutch: pushes through the stall while keeping the bark crisp.
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Instant-Read Digital Thermometer
Two-second readings for spot checks and for probing brisket for tenderness.
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Other doneness levels
Other sous vide guides
Download the printable temperature chart
Every temperature on this site on one page — beef, pork, poultry, seafood and low & slow, plus the carryover rule. Print it and tape it inside your grill lid.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature for sous vide t-bone medium well?
150 °F / 65 °C. In sous vide the bath temperature IS the final temperature — that is the entire point of the technique. There is no pull temp and no carryover to compensate for, because the water can never take the meat past its own temperature.
How long can I leave it in?
A 1.5 inch cut needs at least 1 hour 42 minutes to reach temperature, and stays good until about 4 hours 42 minutes. The window is forgiving, which is why sous vide suits dinner parties — but it is not infinite.
Do I still need to sear it?
Yes. The bath cannot brown anything — no Maillard reaction happens below about 285 °F. Dry the surface completely, then sear 45–60 seconds per side in a screaming hot pan or over direct coals. Any longer and you start cooking the edges you just spent hours getting right.
Why does my sous vide meat come out slightly over target?
The sear. A hard sear adds 1–3 °F to the core. If you are chasing precision, set the bath 2 °F below your target, or chill the surface in an ice bath for a minute before searing.