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Overhead view of sous vide halibut on a black plate.
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5 from 8 votes

Sous Vide Halibut

Sous Vide Halibut takes just 45 minutes to cook in a sous vide water bath and it has a tender and moist texture with a buttery garlic flavor!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time49 minutes
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 29 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 229kcal
Author: Danielle Wolter

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4-6 ounce pieces of halibut
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter cut in 1 tablespoon pieces
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • lemon for serving

Instructions

  • Rub the salt on the halibut and let it sit for 30 minutes.
  • Heat a sous vide water bath to 122F degrees.
  • Place in a vacuum seal bag with the remaining ingredients (except lemon). Spread the butter pieces all over the bag to evenly distribute it.
  • Cook the halibut for 45 minutes.
  • Remove the bag and reserve the melted butter. Carefully remove the fish fillets from the bag and pat dry.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the reserved butter from the bag.
  • Place 2 of the fish fillets in the skillet and brown for 30-60 seconds, basting with butter as they cook.
  • Remove and repeat with the other two fillets.
  • Serve drizzled with fresh lemon juice.

Notes

  1. When placing the halibut pieces in the sealable bag, make sure they’re in a single layer. This helps them cook evenly.
  2. You’ll also want to make sure the butter pieces are evenly distributed around the fillets for maximum coverage when the butter melts.
  3. If your halibut fillets are thick, you may need to increase the cooking time to 60 minutes.
  4. For the best browning, pat the halibut dry with a paper towel before placing it in the hot skillet.
  5. Be careful not to brown the halibut for too long. Any longer than 30-60 seconds per side and it can start to dry out.
  6. Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning the halibut fillets. To do this, you’ll need to brown them in two batches.
  7. Whether you use a vacuum seal or ziplock bag, make sure to remove the air from the bag to avoid bacteria getting in. This will ensure your halibut cooks safely.
  8. You should also make sure the bag is completely submerged in the water bath. I like to use a sous vide sinker weight to prevent it from floating.
  9. If the bag starts to fill with air and float, you can open the bag, remove the air and just reseal it. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1382mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 743IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg