# Sous Vide Beef Ribs



## Boatboy24 (Aug 30, 2019)

A month or two ago, I stumbled on some gorgeous beef ribs at Wegman's. These were in a styrofoam tray and wrapped, leading me to believe that someone must have ordered a boneless ribeye roast and this was the leftovers - big win for me. These are nice, big, meaty ribs. I plan to sous vide them this weekend, followed by an hour or two on the kettle or WSM for some bark and smoke flavor. I'm just not sure how to sous vide them. Recipes I've seen vary widely on both time and temp and I can't seem to find guidance on how to get the kind of ribs I'm looking for. I'd like these to be 'pull off the bone' - a little resistance, but come off cleanly. A lot of what I see is for 'fall off the bone', which is overdone, IMHO. I'm thinking SV at 130 for 24-36 hours, then finish indirect over charcoal at around 225. Any advice? Caveats?


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## FunkedOut (Aug 30, 2019)

I've got no experience with SV, but plenty experience with a smoker.
I agree with your last on pull off the bone is better than fall of the bone.

Pork ribs get there after 4-5 hours at 235*F on my smoker which stays very humid (doesn't dry out the meat).
Beef ribs can go for 8 hours and still be a bit tough.

Seen a guy that does lots of SV steak cook at 122*F for 2 hours, then hit it with a propane torch to get the sear.
It's red edge to edge with just the sear on the outside.
I prefer a shallow gradient to get the pink notes.


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## Boatboy24 (Aug 31, 2019)

Well, almost everything I'm reading calls for higher temps in the SV, so I'm going to go with Meathead's recipe here https://amazingribs.com/tested-reci...-que-beef-ribs-rosemary-red-wine-sauce-recipe . Just got everything into the tub and we're rolling. I trimmed a little of the fat from the bottom side and rubbed it down with SPOG. Here’s a few pics.


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## ibglowin (Aug 31, 2019)

I did similar cut a couple months back. I did 3-2-1 like spare ribs. Wrapped in foil for 2 hours. Cook was 225F IIRC. They were tender with just a little pull but came off the bone clean. PDG stuff. It will be interesting to see if you think SV brings anything extra to the party.


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## FunkedOut (Aug 31, 2019)

Those guys have some good meat left on them. 
Whenever I’ve ever seen the leftovers from a boneless roast, you can see the bone on both sides!
Definitely a nice score. Looks good.
Definitely need a report after it’s gone.


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## Boatboy24 (Aug 31, 2019)

A lot of the stuff I've seen calls for 150F for 24-36 hours. To me, that sounds like it'll create mush, but we'll see.


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## Boatboy24 (Mar 15, 2020)

Just realized I never updated this thread. I have a full rack in the freezer and with all the work from home time coming up, will probably be doing them soon. I'll update this.


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## ceeaton (Mar 23, 2020)

I wish I could find beef ribs...but buying lot's of chicken to conserve money. I was just chomping at the bit wishing I could do a long cut this past weekend. Maybe I'll venture out Wednesday or so and see what I can find. Hopefully this mandatory stay at home stuff will allow the meat section to get restocked.


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## ibglowin (Mar 23, 2020)

Will trade beef ribs for chicken. Can't find any chicken here!



ceeaton said:


> I wish I could find beef ribs...but buying lot's of chicken to conserve money. I was just chomping at the bit wishing I could do a long cut this past weekend. Maybe I'll venture out Wednesday or so and see what I can find. Hopefully this mandatory stay at home stuff will allow the meat section to get restocked.


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## ceeaton (Mar 23, 2020)

You have to be stealthy around here. Turned out I work near a Giant, a rather large one, that has chicken until about noon, after that you have to wait till the next morning. Of course I'm working at home now, so too far to travel for chicken. Plus my wifey works at the hospital, so I let her forage since she has a greater opportunity to get exposed than I do. Always comforting that she gets exposed to it then comes and sleeps 6 inches away from me every night...


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## ibglowin (Mar 23, 2020)

Stay safe Craig! Good to see you online again. I have an entire freezer of meat for the smoker/grill but we eat a lot of chicken during the week. I think I have one whole chicken in the freezer and I did snag a 6 pack of Costco canned chicken breast so will break into that soon I am sure.

I may have done my last shopping trip for awhile on Friday. Tried the new Senior shopping hours (7-8AM) and it was a packed zoo. Since the stats are saying this hits men harder than women it makes sense for me to stay out of the grocery store.


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## ceeaton (Mar 23, 2020)

I just got back from the Giant, lot's of ground beef (expensive and bland), absolutely no chicken. I get 80/20 ground chuck from a local butcher for 2.99/lb and it is usually ground that morning, just like to stay away from the artery hardening beef with the two diabetics. Very few people at the grocery store which was good to see. I can get all cuts of beef/pork/lamb etc (from the butcher), but you pay for the quality. In the long run it's worth it, just watching my budget at the moment.

Our local store did the senior hours starting last Thursday and the lady who is normally in the self checkout area said it was standing room only. Not real good if someone had it. She couldn't keep up wiping down the checkout booths as fast as they were filing through.

I haven't been on much because they were giving others a hard time at work for being on other sites, so I decided to act like a model citizen for once in my life and stopped logging on during work hours. I'm home now and no one is here to look over my shoulder so I'm good.

I'll live by watching what others cook/smoke here and dream a little...

You stay safe as well, you "old man". Now watch me get this blasted thing, even though I may have had it back over the holidays. Nastiest respiratory infection I can remember having.


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## mainshipfred (Mar 23, 2020)

ceeaton said:


> I just got back from the Giant, lot's of ground beef (expensive and bland), absolutely no chicken. I get 80/20 ground chuck from a local butcher for 2.99/lb and it is usually ground that morning, just like to stay away from the artery hardening beef with the two diabetics. Very few people at the grocery store which was good to see. I can get all cuts of beef/pork/lamb etc (from the butcher), but you pay for the quality. In the long run it's worth it, just watching my budget at the moment.
> 
> Our local store did the senior hours starting last Thursday and the lady who is normally in the self checkout area said it was standing room only. Not real good if someone had it. She couldn't keep up wiping down the checkout booths as fast as they were filing through.
> 
> ...



Funny you should say that. I had what they called pneumonia just before Christmas and have been wondering the same thing. But it must have been pneumonia because it was treated with steroids and antibiotics which evidently don't work on this.


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## ceeaton (Mar 23, 2020)

I had the same thing, my wife could hear me gurgling all night and I had to sleep with my head elevated.

We're kinda hijacking @Boatboy24's thread...Jim, Fred lives closer, just take your alotted pound of flesh from him, he can repay me later.


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## Boatboy24 (Apr 20, 2020)

These were at 150 for about 31 hours. From there, I put them on the Performer indirect at about 275F with some cherry for smoke - about 30 minutes just to finish them off. I gave them a shot of homemade BBQ sauce about 15 minutes before pulling them off the grill. They were decadently delicious. Served with oven roasted potato slices and a Caesar salad.


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## sour_grapes (Apr 20, 2020)

Boatboy24 said:


> These were at 150 for about 31 hours.



I involuntarily salivated. Looks primo!


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## Johnd (Apr 20, 2020)

Boatboy24 said:


> These were at 150 for about 31 hours. From there, I put them on the Performer indirect at about 275F with some cherry for smoke - about 30 minutes just to finish them off. I gave them a shot of homemade BBQ sauce about 15 minutes before pulling them off the grill. They were decadently delicious. Served with oven roasted potato slices and a Caesar salad.View attachment 60302
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Haven’t done dinosaur bones in the SV yet, have been wanting to, how do you feel the texture was at that time / temp? Looks like the meat was still clinging a bit, was it tender? Pretty close to “fall off the bone” tender?


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## Boatboy24 (Apr 20, 2020)

Johnd said:


> Haven’t done dinosaur bones in the SV yet, have been wanting to, how do you feel the texture was at that time / temp? Looks like the meat was still clinging a bit, was it tender? Pretty close to “fall off the bone” tender?



It was still clinging a bit, but was pretty freakin' fabulous - most of the bone was clean. Could've maybe gone a couple more hours in the SV, but I have no regrets. I think the temp was good and time overall would depend on how meaty the rack(s) are. I'd say 24-36 hours. The meat was really awesome though - rich, beefy goodness. When I said decadent, I meant it. Both kids surprised me when they ate two bones. It was pretty rich and they normally like leaner stuff.


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## Johnd (Apr 20, 2020)

Boatboy24 said:


> It was still clinging a bit, but was pretty freakin' fabulous - most of the bone was clean. Could've maybe gone a couple more hours in the SV, but I have no regrets. I think the temp was good and time overall would depend on how meaty the rack(s) are. I'd say 24-36 hours. The meat was really awesome though - rich, beefy goodness. When I said decadent, I meant it. Both kids surprised me when they ate two bones. It was pretty rich and they normally like leaner stuff.


Thanks Jim, that’s good info, didn’t know how long to even guess to let em bathe, glad to have a reference.


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## hounddawg (Apr 24, 2020)

none of you folks use a offset stick smoker, using any of 3 hardwoods but not limited to, white oak, pecan, hickory,,, a 50/50 mix of white oak & hickory is my favorite, does not any of yawl have the room to raise your own meats, although from above pictures and yes vworlds of time yawl have hit the mark of mum, mum good, but a offset stick smoker at 225 to 250 for 13 hours will do the same, but from your pictures they look as good as can be, i know one thing to get meat to look that great with a grill it takes much talent & plenty of time,,, i've been in pretty much all of the USA repeatedly, on my laying hens i rotate them out after 3 laying seasons, although i am breeding a flock on the side using california greys Americanas, rhode island reds, white leghorns, brown leghorns, ISA'S , ( the ISA'S are a hybrid, all great layers, some winter layers and some summer layers, this flock will start laying this year, i just gave away 23 coming 4th season leghorns, and 14 rhode island reds, them coming 4th season as well, not to mention my other two flocks, leghorns for summer eggs, and production reds for winter eggs, only thing I might be stingy with is chicken & dumplings,,, I never take my very rural area for granted, after so many years going city to city,, now on very limited land, if superb land a archer to a archer an a half ,, A dexter will live and thrive on 1/4 of the ground of all other cattle, THE dexters are the only bovine are the only cattle bred that is both a grazer as well as a browser, they'll grow fat on any land that only goats can live on. give richer milk then your best jersey and are the worlds gentlest cows, from the mountains of Ireland,,, whelp i'm rattling on so i'll give your ears a rest, 
Dawg


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