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Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs with Sweet and Sticky Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Sous vide baby back ribs with sweet and sticky barbecue sauce

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This is such a special recipe. Growing up, my grandma would make these ribs for every family gathering, and they were always a major crowd favorite. It was always my dream to bottle the sauce or in some way pay homage to her wonderful cooking and recipe, which I'm now able to do with ISVA by sharing the recipe with all of you!

These are sweet, sticky, and perfectly tender sous vide baby back ribs. They work just as well with spare ribs, but I love the meatiness of baby backs. This sauce also goes great on chicken or other cuts of pork.


Want more like this? Our comprehensive book Champions of Sous Vide is a great collection of more than 70 sous vide recipes from two dozen top sous vide cooks.


Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs with Sweet and Sticky Barbecue Sauce Recipe

  • Published: October 19, 2021
  • By Mike La Charite, CEO International Sous Vide Association
  • Total Time: 16 to 24 hours
  • Cooks: 158°F (70°C) for 16 to 24 hours
  • Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients for Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs with Sweet and Sticky Barbecue Sauce

  • For the Ribs

  • 2 racks baby back ribs (or St. Louis Ribs if you prefer)
  • Granulated garlic
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • For the BBQ Sauce

  • 2 jars (24 ounces) sweet chili sauce (Homade brand recommended)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
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Cooking Instructions for Sous Vide Baby Back Ribs with Sweet and Sticky Barbecue Sauce

For the Ribs

Preheat your water bath to 158°F (70°C). 

Coat the ribs with the granulated garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper to taste - I am generally pretty liberal, especially with the garlic. 

Vacuum seal the racks and cook for 16 - 24 hours. At 16 hours, they will be flakey but still have some bite to them; at 24 hours, they'll be very flakey and come right off the bone.

For the BBQ Sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to blend well. You can do this right before basting the ribs, but I prefer to mix it up at least a few hours or even the night before. I like to let the flavors meld in the fridge.

To Finish

Preheat your grill (or broiler) on high heat. 

Remove the ribs from the vacuum bags and dry off well. Brush a layer of BBQ sauce on top of the racks then add them to the grill basted side down. 

Baste and flip every 2 to 3 minutes, coating each side with sauce 2 to 3 times. 

Once finished, cut into portions of 4 to 5 ribs and serve.


Want more like this? Our comprehensive book Champions of Sous Vide is a great collection of more than 70 sous vide recipes from two dozen top sous vide cooks.


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