Tender Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs (2024)

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Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs are a perfect way to get tender baby back ribs when you just don’t feel like hanging around outside with the smoker.

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I think my sous vide baby back ribs are off the chart and I have to thank my sous vide machine for all of the magic.

I love my sous vide machine. I don’t mean like kind of love. I really love it. It’s my favorite kitchen gadget.

My wife and Iuse it at least once a week. There isn’t much I have cooked with it that didn’t turn out absolutely fantastic.

All of my steaks start out in the sous vide machine as well. You can read all about that method here.

I also love baby back ribs, but there are some days I just don’t feel like screwing with mysmoker.

One rainy weekend I really wanted ribs but didn’t feel like babysitting the smoker in the rain, so I had the brilliant idea of doing some research on sous vide ribs.

There’s a lot of information on the interwebsabout how to sous vide a large variety of meats, including baby back ribs.

The variation in information, techniques, and results are wide, so I am giving a rundown of my preferred method of cooking sous vide ribs.

I don’t like tough ribs. I actually prefer my ribs to be almost fall off the bone tender.

So in this recipe, we’re going to aim for some delicious fall off the bone sous vide baby back ribs.

Ribs

Good Sous Ribs begins at the grocery store. Get your ribs from your local butcher or go with an organic brand if you can.

I haven’t had good luck with the megastore brands like Tyson, so I avoid them at all costs.

When buying your ribs, you want to look for a rack that’s got an even thickness across the whole rack with no bones sticking through any of the meat (shiners).

Once you get them home, you’ll want to pull them out of whatever packaging you bought them in and pat them dry.

There might be a membrane on the backside of your ribs. Check out this video on how to removethe membrane.

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INGREDIENTS

You’ll need a full rack of ribs, a quarter cup of yellow mustard, and a quarter cup of liquid smoke.

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut your ribs up into three or foursmaller portions.

Since we aren’t smoking these ribs, I like to coat the ribs in mustard and liquid smoke to give them a more BBQ-likeflavor. Mix together the yellow mustard and the liquid smoke.

Brush the mustard and smoke mixture onto the ribs.

Then coat the ribs in your favorite BBQ rub.I highly recommend using my super simple versatile BBQ rub because it actually goes really well with this recipe.

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After you have your ribs well coated, place them into vacuum bags or into heavy-duty freezer bags.

Remove as much of the air from your bags as you can.

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Sous Vide Settings

Set your sous vide machine to 165 degrees F.

Place the ribs into your water bath and cook for 9 hours.

If you don’t want your ribs to be fall off the bone tender, then you can try cooking them 6 to 7 hours.

Your mileage may vary but experiment with the cooking time.

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FINISHING

After you sous vide your ribs for however long you want to cook them, pull them out of the bags.

Do not clean them off or pat them dry. Let whatever sticks to them stay.

We will let them dry on the grill and the more goodness that’s left on the ribs the better.

Preheat your charcoal or gas grill with a two-zone fire.

Place all of your charcoal on one side of your grill or turn your gas on so that only roughly half of the grill has flames on.

This setup gives your grill a hotter side and a cooler side.

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Place your ribs on the cooler zone meat side up. Put on the lid and let cook for 5 minutes.

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Remove the lid and glaze your ribs in your favorite BBQ sauce.

Cook the ribs for another 5 minutes.

Put another layer of BBQ sauce on your ribs and cook 5 more minutes.

If you’d like some char on your ribs, put the ribs meat side down over direct heat for 20-30 seconds. Be careful and keep a close eye on your ribs if you go this route.

I normally don’t do this route because I’ve had too many problems with the sauce sticking to the grates or burning the sauce.

However, once your ribs are done to your liking, pull them off the grill and let them cool for 10-15 minutes. I like to cut my ribs into individual ribs to serve.

This post contains affiliate links.

Anova sous vide machine I use.

Starter Sous Vide Bag kityou can always upgrade to an electric vacuum sealer if you decide to sous vide all the time.

Of course, you will also need to buy sealing bags separately when you choose this route.

MORE MEAT RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE!

Sous Vide Steaks

Smoked Chicken

Grilled Chicken

Breaded Pork Chops

Turkey Meatballs

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Tender Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs (8)

Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs

Fall off the bone baby back ribs made tender with low and slow heat using the sous vide method and charred on the grill.

4.91 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American, Sous Vide

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 hours hours

Total Time: 10 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 408kcal

Author: Beth Mueller

Ingredients

  • 1 rack baby back ribs
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup liquid smoke
  • 1/2 cup BBQ Rub
  • BBQ Sauce optional

Instructions

  • Set the sous vide machine into a water bath and set to 165⁰F.

  • Cut the rack of ribs into 4 equal pieces.

  • Combine the yellow mustard and the liquid smoke and brush onto both sides of the ribs.

  • Sprinkle BBQ rub evenly over both sides of the ribs,

  • Brush the mustard and smoke mixture onto the ribs.

  • Place the rib section into vacuum bags or into heavy-duty freezer bags and remove as much of the air from your bags as you can.

  • Place the sealed ribs into the sous vide setup and cook for 9 hours. For less tender ribs try 6 to 7 hours.

  • Remove the ribs from the water when finished cooking.

  • Remove from the bags, do not rinse or dry off.

  • Char the ribs if desired on a two zoned grill or under the broiler, if desired.

  • Ribs may be coated with BBQ sauce prior to charring.

Notes

  • Reduce cooking time for less tender ribs.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25rib rack | Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 552mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 810IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 12mg

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Ron Unz

A foodie, homebrewer, blogger, father, and overall awesome dude.

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Tender Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs (2024)

FAQs

How long should I sous vide baby back ribs? ›

Add ribs to the water bath and cover it with a lid, aluminum foil, or table tennis balls. Cook for 36 hours at 145°F or 12 hours at 165°F. Transfer cooked ribs to a large bowl of water filled with ice to chill thoroughly. Ribs can be stored in the refrigerator at this stage for up to 5 days before finishing.

At what temperature are baby back ribs the most tender? ›

Most ribs hit their sweet spot for doneness around 198 degrees F, but some take until 203 degrees F to be perfectly tender. This spread in final temperature is one reason why thermometers are a great jumping off-point for rib perfection, but not the be-all-end-all indicator.

Do you cook ribs longer to make them tender? ›

Your goal is to get good color and caramelization on the outside of the ribs, but also to cook them long enough that the tough collagen breaks down and the meat becomes tender. Generally, the ribs will be browned before the meat is done, which is where the balancing act comes in.

Are sous vide ribs worth it? ›

They are THE best way to get ultra-tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs and everyone we've ever cooked these for raves about them. These bbq ribs are rubbed with a smokey dry rub, cooked in a sous vide water bath for 24 hours, slathered with BBQ sauce, and then grilled to perfection.

Can you overcook baby back ribs? ›

How Do You Keep Baby Back Ribs From Overcooking? Baby back ribs are a very forgiving cut of meat — they're hard to overcook. The best way to avoid overcooking is to take your time. Keep the ribs at a low temperature.

What temperature do baby back ribs fall off the bone? ›

Smoke for 1 hour (competition) or 2 hours (fall-off). During this time, see that the ribs reach the target temp of 190°-205°F (88°-96°C).

What is the 2 2 1 method for ribs? ›

A Few Words on The 2-2-1 Method

The initial 2 hour step is where the smoke flavor gets into the meat, the middle 2 hour step is where the super tenderizing takes place. The last 1 hour step is where the crust develops on the outside.

Does boiling baby back ribs make them tender? ›

The reason you would boil ribs before cooking them is simple. This process helps tenderize the ribs and makes them more juicy. It not only shortens the cooking time significantly, but it also helps make the meat far easier to chew.

How do you get super tender ribs? ›

Cover the ribs with aluminum foil. Bake the ribs at a low temperature (275°F) for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours or until they are tender. Slather the baked ribs with barbecue sauce, and then broil (or grill) the ribs for a few minutes until the sauce is caramelized.

What is a natural meat tenderizer for ribs? ›

Dry brining with baking soda is an ideal route for making slabs of ribs or roasts because it isn't time-sensitive! With this method, you can tenderize your cuts of meat with baking soda in the morning and have them ready to cook in for your afternoon barbecue or an appetizing feast at dinner.

Why did my baby back ribs turn out tough? ›

If you've ever had ribs that were tough and chewy, or that just didn't seem as flavorful as they could be, the rib membrane may be to blame. This thin layer of connective tissue can prevent seasoning and smoke from fully penetrating the meat, leaving you with lackluster results.

What is the best tenderizer for pork ribs? ›

Lime is a natural meat tenderizer. Now you want to generously coat all sides of the ribs with our Rib Rub. Don't go sparingly on it – make sure everybody's got some of it on there. Season all the sides of the ribs well.

Is 325 too hot for ribs? ›

Baby back ribs require more delicate treatment so they don't get overcooked and tough, so should be cooked at lower temperatures—no higher than 300 to 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour if uncovered, like in our Tuscan Ribs or Baby Pork Ribs.

What is the best temperature for tender ribs? ›

You'll want to let your ribs grill at 275 for four to five hours. Ideally, the internal temperature of the ribs should be between 190 and 200 degrees when you're finished. If you don't already have a meat thermometer, go ahead and invest in one.

What temperature should 48 hour sous vide ribs be? ›

Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme to 143F/61.5C. Mix together the paprika, sugar, salt, and pepper and rub the ribs liberally with the mixture.

What is the best temperature for sous vide short ribs? ›

Heat water in a sous vide water bath to 133 degrees F (56 degrees C). Trim any areas of fat left on short ribs; coat thoroughly with garlic and salt. Place ribs into a large, resealable plastic bag. (Use two bags if necessary to leave plenty of room between ribs.)

How long are cooked baby back ribs for? ›

Store your leftover baby back ribs in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat the ribs in the oven, on the grill, in an air fryer, or (in a pinch) in the microwave.

How long do you sous vide beef ribs for 36 hours? ›

Setup immersion circulator according to manufacturer's instructions; preheat water to 131°F (55°C). Seal short ribs in a vacuum bag along with shallot, thyme and wine glaze. Double seal if necessary for a tight seal. Circulate in water bath for no less than 24 hours (36 hours for best results).

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