Ribs 101

Barbecue is all about cooking low-and-slow, but managing temperature and humidity control in a traditional smoker requires practice and constant attention. That's why so many barbecue enthusiasts have turned to sous vide. However, full racks of ribs are difficult to seal in a bag and require a very large water bath. Instead, use the Anova Precision Oven's sous vide mode and forego the bag and water bath. This produces tender meat that stays moist. The precise temperature control and high humidity mean that your ribs will stay juicy and won't encounter "the stall" on their way up to temperature. As a final step, caramelize and crisp up the ribs under the oven's broiler. Instead of babysitting your barbecue, you can rest assured that the oven will hold the temperature and humidity as-set. The results are well worth the unattended wait! Notes: This recipe produces ribs that are tender but not fall-off-the-bone. For fall-off-the-bone texture, extend the cooking time by another four to eight hours. The ribs will continue to tenderize the longer they cook. The dry rub in this recipe is a neutral, baseline blend. Feel free to substitute your favorite dry rub or spice blend in place of the spices here, or to tweak the recipe to make it your own. You can season the ribs up to 24 hours in advance to dry brine the meat. Store ribs tightly wrapped in the fridge until ready to cook. If you'd like to add smoke flavor, cold smoke the ribs first before adding them to the oven and cooking using the settings below. For barbecue aficionados, it's the best of both worlds!