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Slow cooked in a sous vide water bath for 36 hours, these sous vide baby back ribs are fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth tender and just absolute perfection!
Even if you're a hard core bbq enthusiast, you'll be able to appreciate the incredible results the sous vide has on ribs.
Honestly, between these sous vide pork ribs, these sous vide beef ribs, and even these sous vide short ribs, I am hands down a huge fan of using the sous vide method to cook ribs.
And I don't know about you guys, but to this day, I still can't not sing the Chili's baby back ribs song whenever I say baby back ribs. Now that's good marketing.
But Chili's ain't got nothing on these ribs. Rubbed in mustard and bbq rub, then slow cooked for hours and hours on end (mostly hands off at that), these ribs are so succulent and droolworthy.
And while smoked ribs can be amazing, it takes a lot of hard work and precision to get really good at smoking ribs. This method is ultra easy and the results are incredible.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- Using a touch of liquid smoke allows us to get that smoked without without the smoke.
- Slow cooking the ribs allows them to become so tender and just melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- The cooking process is mostly hands off so you don't have to be active at all while your ribs cook away.
- You still have the option of throwing them on the grill at the end to caramelize the exterior.
- Use any bbq sauce or rub you like - I prefer my homemade barbecue sauce.
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What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator (i.e. the sous vide machine). This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.
Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.
To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking and the benefits of sous vide cooking."
What is the Water Displacement Method?
The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).
Use a clip (I use sous vide magnets) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.
Tools Used
You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!
If you don't have a lot of experience cooking sous vide yet, you may want to pop over and read what sous vide cooking is and the benefits of sous vide cooking.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
1 rack, or about 2-4 pounds, of baby back ribs is what the recipe calls for, but make as many or as few as you'd like. You may need to cut the rack in half to fit it in the sous vide container.
Any kind of bbq rub works - use your favorite or make your own.
Same with the mustard - any kind works. I prefer a stone ground version personally.
Liquid smoke adds the perfect amount of the "smoky" grill flavor so your ribs will taste more like the traditional ones. Liquid smoke is actually made from liquified smoke.
What are Baby Back Ribs?
Baby back ribs are a type of pork rib that comes from the upper part of the pig's ribcage. They are shorter and more curved than spare ribs, and are called "baby" because they are smaller than spare ribs.
They are known for being tender, lean, and meatier than other types of ribs.
Step By Step Instructions
Heat a sous vide water bath to 145F degrees (see chart below for more cooking options depending on your preference - this is my preference).
Remove the membrane on the back of the ribs. Cut the rib rack in half (or more) if needed to fit in the water bath.
Coat the ribs with the mustard then the bbq rub.
Place in a vacuum seal bag and add the liquid smoke.
Seal and cook for 36 hours.
Remove and place on a foil lined baking sheet (can also grill).
Baste with bbq sauce and place under the broiler (or on the grill) for 5-10 minutes to caramelize.
Remove and slice ribs. Serve with extra barbecue sauce if desired.
| Doneness | Temperature | Time |
| Ultra Moist and Tender (my favorite) | 145F Degrees | 36 Hours |
| Moist and Tender, with a little more bite | 155F Degrees | 24 Hours |
| Tender, starting to lose a little moisture | 160F Degrees | 18-24 Hours |
| Flakier, more traditional style | 165F Degrees | 12-16 Hours |
Expert Tips
- Cut the rack of ribs in half or thirds to ensure it fits in the sous vide container. vacuum seal each separately (you can even try different rubs and seasonings to see what you like the most!).
- Line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper to make cleanup easier.
- You can also bake/grill the ribs with additional dry rub instead of bbq sauce if you prefer.
- Any kind of bbq sauce can be used, although I prefer my homemade barbecue sauce.
- Adjust the cook times/temperatures according to the table above depending on your preference.
- If your rub does not contain salt, make sure you add 2-3 teaspoons of salt to the ribs as well.
- For a smokier flavor, increase the amount of liquid smoke by ¼ teaspoon.
Serving Options
I loooove a good ole classic rib dinner. To make your own, try some of these options:
- What's a rib dinner without cornbread? We love this air fryer cornbread, Instant Pot cornbread (yes, it's a thing) and even this cornbread pudding (my favorite).
- Instant Pot collard greens are a classic, but try this sous vide corn on the cob and this air fryer mac and cheese.
- Baked beans, coleslaw and macaroni salad (try this Mexican pasta salad for a fun twist) are also classics.
- Cheese grits are a rib stickin (pun intended lol) delicious side, as are these mashed potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, the ribs can cook in 4 hours but won't be very tender. Typically, ribs cook anywhere from 12-36 hours, depending the the temperature they are cooked at (higher temperatures will result in lower cook times).
Temperatures range from 145F degrees (a meatier texture with more bite) to 165F degrees (a flakier, drier texture), depending on preference. I personally prefer cooking them at 145F degrees for 36 hours.
You can, but the result will be less tender. They will technically be cooked through.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
These sous vide baby back ribs can be cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 5-7 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. If cooking them ahead of time, place them in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes (still in the vacuum seal bag) after they are done cooking before you store them in the fridge/freezer.
When ready to serve, heat them in a sous vide water bath at 140F degrees for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through (add 5-10 minutes if frozen). Coat with barbecue sauce and follow the remaining instructions.
If you love this recipe, leave a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
- 2-4 pounds baby back ribs
- 3 tablespoons barbecue rub adjusted for size of ribs
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
- BBQ sauce optional
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 145F degrees.
- Remove the membrane on the back of the ribs. Cut the rib rack in half (or more) if needed to fit in the water bath.
- Coat the ribs with the mustard then the bbq rub.
- Place in a vacuum seal bag and add the liquid smoke.
- Seal and cook for 36 hours.
- Remove and place on a foil lined baking sheet (can also grill).
- Baste with bbq sauce and place under the broiler (or on the grill) for 5-10 minutes to caramelize.
- Remove and slice ribs. Serve with extra bbq sauce if desired.
Expert Tips:
- Cut the rack of ribs in half or thirds to ensure it fits in the sous vide container. vacuum seal each separately (you can even try different rubs and seasonings to see what you like the most!).
- Line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper to make cleanup easier.
- You can also bake/grill the ribs with additional dry rub instead of bbq sauce if you prefer.
- Any kind of bbq sauce can be used, although I prefer my homemade barbecue sauce.
- Adjust the cook times/temperatures according to the table above depending on your preference.
- If your rub does not contain salt, make sure you add 2-3 teaspoons of salt to the ribs as well.
- For a smokier flavor, increase the amount of liquid smoke by ¼ teaspoon.
Nutrition
henry
These came out perfect! Thanks for the great recipe - I'll definitely be using this recipe in the future.
Danielle
Thanks!