Wow, wow wow wow wow.
What? did I say wow? I have to say I was somewhat skeptical about a thick slab of chuck resembling prime rib after sous vide and sear. But wow...it was so tender and flavorful, I might even say it was better than prime rib. Perfectly medium-rare pink from edge to edge, and all of the fat that runs through the chuck had become soft and succulent. Melt-in-your-mouth!! It kind of reminded me of that rich, fatty outer ring of prime rib, that is the best part.
What I did:
Lightly salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and vacuum seal. Sous vide for 4 days at 131 degrees. Remove from bag and dry meat with paper towels. (Use juices in bag for a sauce if desired.) Lightly coat meat with oil. Sprinkle meat with more salt and pepper. Quick sear on each side. I seared on my Wolf indoor charbroiler, but there are many ways to sear: hot grill, very hot broiler, heat oven to 500-550 (hottest possible), or a good ol blow torch (a sous vide favorite). Use the highest temp/method possible, so searing takes as little time as possible.
I also made asparagus, no sous vide on that. Olive oil, salt and pepper, and onto the grill just before the meat went on. Also delicious, but secondary to the meat revelation.
Packers won, so all around it's been a pretty good day.