After 10 months of experimentation, I am ready to post my recommendations for making baby back ribs using the combined techniques of smoking and sous-vide.
For references see:
A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking
and
Thomas Keller's Cookbook "Under Pressure"
Here goes:
1) Prepare ribs with your favorite rub.
I used Texas BBQ Rub, as I had some around. I suggest a light coating, as the sous-vide step intensifies the spices. I find that cutting up the ribs in 3-4 rib segments facilitates fitting them in the vacuum bag. They are also an excellent single serving size. I cut the ribs before I rub them down.
2) Smoke ribs at 175F for 1.5-2 hrs. Use your favorite wood.
note: I used a "mini" Minion method by not using as many lit and unlit briquettes. This is because the original Minion was designed to last for 12 hours and I didn't want to waste any charcoal. I suggest a low temperature, like 175ish, because you really just want to smoke the meat, not cook it.
3) Remove ribs from smoker and seal in vacuum bags.
I use a standard Foodsaver vacuum sealer from Costco. I bought ready to seal Foodsaver Freezer bags (bought from somewhere on the internet) in pint and quart sizes. I double seal the ends, just in-case. Using the uncut rolls is also possible, but really takes time to seal all those ends, especially when you are making a large quantity of ribs. Remove as much air as possible.
4) Sous-vide ribs at 155ºF for 18 hours.
I think anywhere between 12 and 24 bours is fine, depending on how much "tooth" you want.
At 18 hours, they are very nearly "fall off the bone" - but will have tiny bits of meat still on the bone. Circulating water bath is the best and most accurate way to go.
5) Remove ribs from the water bath and cool in an ice water bath.
6) You now have 3 options: eat now, store in refrigerator, or freeze.
Eat now: Remove ribs from bags. Brush ribs with your favorite sauce and finish on a charcoal or gas grill to give them that "just off the grill" look.
Refrigerate: I would eat them in the next day or so. Finish as above.
Freeze: I don't know what the shelf life is for this because they don't last that long at my house. I have used the ribs 1-2 months after smoking. You should thaw the ribs in the bag before finshing as above. The best way to so this is in a water bath, which I set at 155F.
ADVANTAGES to this method:
- Juicy, smokey, ribs that are fall of the bone
- predictable endpoint for when ribs will be ready to serve.
-You can smoke/sous-vide large batches of ribs days/weeks in advance of an event, and they will still be perfect on the day of service.
DISADVANTAGES:
- A circulating water bath is expensive. Sur La Table is supposed to come out with a home sous-vide unit soon, but I haven't seen it yet.
Happy eating!
For references see:
A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking
and
Thomas Keller's Cookbook "Under Pressure"
Here goes:
1) Prepare ribs with your favorite rub.
I used Texas BBQ Rub, as I had some around. I suggest a light coating, as the sous-vide step intensifies the spices. I find that cutting up the ribs in 3-4 rib segments facilitates fitting them in the vacuum bag. They are also an excellent single serving size. I cut the ribs before I rub them down.
2) Smoke ribs at 175F for 1.5-2 hrs. Use your favorite wood.
note: I used a "mini" Minion method by not using as many lit and unlit briquettes. This is because the original Minion was designed to last for 12 hours and I didn't want to waste any charcoal. I suggest a low temperature, like 175ish, because you really just want to smoke the meat, not cook it.
3) Remove ribs from smoker and seal in vacuum bags.
I use a standard Foodsaver vacuum sealer from Costco. I bought ready to seal Foodsaver Freezer bags (bought from somewhere on the internet) in pint and quart sizes. I double seal the ends, just in-case. Using the uncut rolls is also possible, but really takes time to seal all those ends, especially when you are making a large quantity of ribs. Remove as much air as possible.
4) Sous-vide ribs at 155ºF for 18 hours.
I think anywhere between 12 and 24 bours is fine, depending on how much "tooth" you want.
At 18 hours, they are very nearly "fall off the bone" - but will have tiny bits of meat still on the bone. Circulating water bath is the best and most accurate way to go.
5) Remove ribs from the water bath and cool in an ice water bath.
6) You now have 3 options: eat now, store in refrigerator, or freeze.
Eat now: Remove ribs from bags. Brush ribs with your favorite sauce and finish on a charcoal or gas grill to give them that "just off the grill" look.
Refrigerate: I would eat them in the next day or so. Finish as above.
Freeze: I don't know what the shelf life is for this because they don't last that long at my house. I have used the ribs 1-2 months after smoking. You should thaw the ribs in the bag before finshing as above. The best way to so this is in a water bath, which I set at 155F.
ADVANTAGES to this method:
- Juicy, smokey, ribs that are fall of the bone
- predictable endpoint for when ribs will be ready to serve.
-You can smoke/sous-vide large batches of ribs days/weeks in advance of an event, and they will still be perfect on the day of service.
DISADVANTAGES:
- A circulating water bath is expensive. Sur La Table is supposed to come out with a home sous-vide unit soon, but I haven't seen it yet.
Happy eating!
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