These sous vide pork ribs are cooked low and slow for 12-16 hours and so worth the wait! They’re pull apart tender in a way you can’t achieve with any other cooking method. Finish under the broiler, on your grill, or on the smoker for the perfect addition to your barbecue!
Ever since my parents got me a Green Mountain Grill for Christmas, I’ve been obsessed with sous vide + smoke. Sous vide gets you that dreamy texture without having to babysit a grill for hours on end (or use a ton of expensive chips!) and the smoker gives it that perfect flavor.
Don’t worry, you don’t need a smoker to make these ribs (but if you have one, use it). Make sure to try my sous vide and smoked brisket after you make these ribs! I also have plenty other sous vide pork recipes – it’s the ultimate way to cook this meat, no matter the cut. Once you have sous vide pork chops, you’ll never cook them any other way.
What kind of ribs should I use?
This recipe is for pork ribs. Spare ribs or baby back will work beautifully. If you use baby back ribs, stick to 12 hours as this cut is typically smaller than spare ribs, which will benefit from cooking closer to 16 hours.
Time and Temperature for Sous Vide Ribs
This recipe is for fall off the bone, traditionally textured ribs, because they are the best.
If you’re looking for a meatier rib, you can reduce the temperature to 145F and double the cook time. But, I think you should do it my way!
Here are the times and temps you want based on the rib cut:
| Rib Cut | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fall off the bone Baby Back Ribs | 165 degrees F | 12 hours |
| Fall off the bone Spare Ribs | 165 degrees F | 16 hours |
| Meaty Texture Ribs (any cut) | 145 degrees F | 24 hours |
How to Make Sous Vide Ribs
Start by cutting the racks of ribs in half – you’re looking for 6-10 inch sections so they’re easier to vacuum seal and will fit better in your sous vide container. Liberally season them with your barbecue blend of choice – I love The Spice Hunter Cowboy BBQ Rub. If you use a salt free rub, season with kosher salt as well.
Vacuum seal the cut and seasoned rib racks.
Add to a water bath and cook at 165 degrees F for 12-16 hours.
After they’re done in the water bath, you can move right into your finishing step or pop them in the fridge for a few hours or even a few days before finishing!
How to Finish Sous Vide Ribs
When ribs are done sous viding, you can either refrigerate and finish later or finish immediately.
You have a few options for finishing your ribs:
- Finish on the smoker. Smoke at 175 degrees F for 1-2 hours.
- Finish on the grill. Grill on high for about 10 minutes on each side, until browned.
- Finish under the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place ribs on sheet. Place under broiler for about 5 minutes on each side, until browned.
Common Questions
Yes, you can sous vide ribs from frozen. No adjustments to time or temp needed! I love to keep a seasoned rack of ribs in my freezer.
This recipe will work for pork spare or baby back ribs.
The short answer is no. We want really low and really slow for that perfect fall apart texture! If you’re in a rush, try my Instant Pot Ribs.
You can also view this recipe as a step-by-step web story here.
Get the Recipe:
12 Hour Sous Vide Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back or spare pork ribs
- 1/4 cup BBQ Seasoning
- BBQ Sauce, (optional)
Equipment
- Smoker optional
Instructions
- Preheat water bath using immersion circulator to 165 degrees F.
- Cut rib racks in half (you want 6-10 inch wide pieces) so they're easier to vacuum seal and will fit better in your water bath. Season liberally with BBQ seasoning. If using a salt-free seasoning, season with kosher salt as well.
- Vacuum seal each piece of rib separately. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, use another air removal method.
- Cook in preheated water bath for 12-16 hours. If using baby back ribs, closer to 12 hours. If using spare ribs, closer to 16 hours.
- When done, remove from water bath. At this point, you can refrigerate until ready to finish or finish immediately.
- When ready to finish, brush with BBQ sauce. To finish on the smoker, smoke at 175 degrees F for 1-2 hours. To finish on the grill, grill over high heat for about 10 minutes each side, until browned. To finish under the broiler, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place ribs on sheet. Place under broiler for about 5 minutes on each side, until browned.
- Brush with more BBQ sauce if desired and serve.
I love RIBS. Delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe. Use as an appetize; as a dinner menu main course inclusive.
I’m so glad you liked them!!
I just put mine in at 12:30 am. Looking forward to lunch tomorrow. When I smoke them, do I need to use a BBQ sauce on them or is there something else I can do to keep them moist?