Are you looking to impress your guests with a perfectly cooked tender and flavorful rib? Sous vide cooking, a method once reserved for gourmet chefs, is now accessible to home cooks, revolutionizing how we prepare rib.
In this article, we’ll explore the science and steps behind making exquisite sous vide ribs that will surely be the centerpiece of any meal.
Why Sous Vide Ribs?
Sous vide, French for “under vacuum,” involves cooking food in a water bath at a precisely controlled temperature. This method is ideal for ribs, known for its rich flavor and marbling. The sous vide technique ensures even cooking and retains the meat’s moisture, resulting in a rib that’s consistently tender and juicy.
One of the secrets to the tenderness of sous vide ribs lies in the enzymatic action. Enzymes like calpains and cathepsins play a crucial role in breaking down the proteins in meat. This process, which occurs optimally at certain temperatures, transforms the tough parts of the ribs into melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
Sous Vide Rib Lacks of Seared Flavor?
While sous vide cooking delivers tenderness and moisture, it doesn’t achieve the Maillard reaction, which is essential for developing a rich, caramelized crust and complex flavors.
To ensure you get the best results during the post-sous vide broiling, pat it dry thoroughly using paper towels after removing the roast from the sous vide bath. Then place the beef ribs in an oven set to 450℉/230℃ or broil and roast for 5 minutes while periodically brushing with barbecue sauce and the cooking liquid. Alternatively, you can finish the ribs on a hot grill for additional flavor.
How Long to Sous Vide Ribs?
Our 24.7 oz beef ribs took about 14 hours at 158 °F to cook using Typhur Sous Vide Station. That means you can start cooking on the previous day! But all of that time is hands-off, except for 5 minutes under the broiler.
It’s important to note that the cooking time may vary based on several factors:
- Size and Shape of the Roast: Larger or thicker cuts require more time. However, length doesn’t significantly affect cooking time due to the nature of heat penetration in sous vide cooking.
- Starting Temperature of the Meat: A colder roast straight from the refrigerator will take longer to reach the desired temperature compared to one that’s been allowed to sit at room temperature for a bit.
The Typhur Sous Vide Station offers a scheduled cooking function ensuring a perfectly cooked meal is ready exactly when you desire. Its double-layered water tank is an excellent innovation, providing efficient insulation and stable temperature maintenance, essential for long cooking durations. The ability to quickly adjust water temperature, including the use of ice cubes to prevent bacterial growth, is a thoughtful design element for food safety.
By following these steps and understanding the science behind them, you can create a sous vide prime rib that’s tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Whether for a special occasion or a weekend dinner, this method takes your culinary skills to the next level, ensuring a rib that your guests will talk about long after the meal is over.
Give our sous vide ribs recipe a try!
Basic Sous Vide Beef Ribs with Fresh Herbs
Video
Equipment
- Vacuum Sealer
- Vacuum Bag
- Chef Knife
- Kitchen Paper
- Sheet Tray with Roasting Rack
- Pastry Brush
- Tongs
- Sauté Pan
Ingredients
For Sous Vide Cooking
- 24.7 oz Beef Ribs
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 10 turns Black Pepper, freshly cracked
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil for sear
- 3 each Garlic Clove, whole skin on crushed
- 3 sprig Fresh Thyme
- 1/4 cup Beef Stock optional
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter or Olive Oil, for sous vide cooking
For Finishing
- Barbecue Sauce or Cooking Liquid for roasting
Instructions
- Add enough water to the sous vide container to ensure that the ingredients are fully submerged and the minimum quantity of water is reached. Complete set up by securing the circulator tower to the sous vide container.
- Choose your preferred doneness.Taste: Firm, tender and meaty Temperature: 158.0 °F Time: 14 hours
- Trim away any tough connective tissue or excess fat from the beef ribs. Using a paper towel, wipe away any excess blood or moisture.24.7 oz Beef Ribs
- Generously season the ribs with salt and pepper.24.7 oz Beef Ribs, 1 tsp Kosher Salt, 10 turns Black Pepper, freshly cracked
- Place a sauté pan over high heat and add high-temperature cooking oil. When the oil begins to lightly smoke, carefully add the beef ribs to the pan. Sear the short ribs on all sides until golden brown. Approximately 1 minute per side.
- Place the beef ribs in the vacuum bag along with olive oil or unsalted butter, thyme, garlic cloves and beef stock.3 each Garlic Clove, whole skin on crushed, 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter or Olive Oil, for sous vide cooking, 1/4 cup Beef Stock
- Using the vacuum sealer, make sure that the beef ribs are completely sealed and that any air has been removed from the bag.
- When the target temperature is reached, carefully place the sealed ribs in the water bath making sure that it is completely submerged in the water and start the cooking timer.
- Cook until ready.
- Once the ribs have finished cooking, carefully remove them from the water bath. Remove the ribs from the bag to a sheet tray with a roasting rack. Reserve the cooking liquid for basting the ribs. Before grilling or broiling, thoroughly dry the ribs with kitchen paper.
- Place the beef ribs in an oven set to 450℉/230℃ or broil and roast for 5 minutes while periodically brushing with barbecue sauce and the cooking liquid. Alternatively, you can finish the ribs on a hot grill for additional flavor.Barbecue Sauce or Cooking Liquid
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition PER SERVING
(Nutrition information is calculated automatically by Spoonacular API and should be considered an estimate.)
