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Sous Vide Ribs Recipe

By: Andrea Alden

Before I started using the Joule by ChefSteps, I thought that smoking was one of the better ways to prepare ribs, followed shortly by braising. Sous Vide Ribs With Cider BBQ Sauce changed my mind on that one for sure! It’s easy, the ribs come out succulent, looking beautiful, and you can add as much or as little smoke as you want.

Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
30 min
Yield
4
Difficulty
Easy

Sous Vide Ribs Recipe

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Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients

2 racks

back ribs

1 Pkg.

Club House La Grille Smoky Cedar & Ale wet rub

Cider Sauce:

2 tbsp.

butter

1

medium onion, minced

1

clove garlic, grated

3 tbsp.

molasses

2 bottles (+/- 3 cups)

apple cider

1 can (156 ml.)

tomato paste

¼ cup

brown sugar

1 tbsp.

yellow mustard

1 tbsp.

Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp.

cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Method
  1. Prepare your sous vide cooker as per the unit instructions. Set the water bath temperature to 185°F. For more info on cooking sous vide, read my article: Sous Vide and Grilling – A Perfect Culinary Pairing.
  2. Remove the silver skin from the back of the ribs. Cut the racks in half or thirds to fit into the bags that you will be using to cook sous vide. Rub the ribs on all sides with the Smoky Cedar & Ale wet rub.
  3. Place the ribs into bags and remove as much air from the bags as possible before submerging them in the water bath. Set a timer for 3 hours.
  4. While the ribs are cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the onions down until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the molasses, cider, tomato paste, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, and cayenne (add more if you want a little more kick). Allow the sauce to simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. When the ribs are finished in the sous vide, it’s time to put them on the grill. Preheat your grill to low, around 300 to 350°F.
  6. Place the ribs, bone side down on the grill and, using indirect heat, roast the ribs for about 10 minutes. At this time you can also use wood chips to add extra smoky flavor.
  7. After 10 minutes, begin slathering on that sauce. Coat the tops, roast for another 10 minutes, then crank your grill to high. Slather more sauce on top, flip the ribs over and grill them over direct heat now. Baste the backsides with some sauce, flip and sauce, flip and sauce until everything is all grill-marked and the sauce has caramelized but not burned.
  8. Serve with loads of napkins and your favorite side dishes like this Roasted Potato Salad with Black Garlic and some fresh Sourdough Bread.

These Sous Vide Ribs With Cider BBQ Sauce were amazing, not that I would have settled for anything less. There’s a good reason why too! I arrived at the office one day to the boss asking if I could cook for some special guests. I am often asked to cook for guests, so this was no biggie. Or so I thought. I was asked to cook for Mike Holmes! *Insert fangirling followed by momentary panic here.* After much indecision, I settled upon a menu for the date that included these ribs. I tell you, I couldn’t have pulled all of this off without the help of my husband, who assisted me in prepping the night before, and then my team at work, who helped with set up and serving. In the end, when I shook Mike’s hand (finally, because the first time I met him that day they were covered in rib rub and sauce) he couldn’t get over how delicious the ribs were. And Mike Holmes knows when something’s done right.

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Season and brush the ribs with rub

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Get saucy

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Serve with fresh bread and salad

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So many ribs

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Do try to share

AndreaAlden
Andrea Alden

I used to be the Sultana of Sizzle, but you can call me Andrea. I have always been passionate about food. Even though I was majoring in Art and Graphic Design, I would frequently be found cooking for my friends and family.

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Season and brush the ribs with rub

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Get saucy

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Serve with fresh bread and salad

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So many ribs

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Do try to share

Accessories

Feel like a professional griller