Ingredients
Method
- Prep. Season the ribs with Kosher salt. If you can, give the salt 1 to 2 hours to be absorbed. The process of salting in advance is called dry brining. The rule of thumb is 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound (453.6 g) of meat, but ribs are about 50% meat, so use about 1/4 teaspoon per pound (453.6 g). You can simply eyeball it by sprinkling on the same amount of salt you would sprinkle on the ribs if they were served to you unsalted.
- Prepare a sous vide immersion circulator such as Joule by ChefSteps according to instructions and set water temperature for 150°F (65.6°C).
- Cut the rack of ribs into two sections and place each section into a separate sealable freezer bag. Carefully submerge the freezer bags in the water bath until most of the air has been removed and then seal. Once the bags are submerged, cook for 36 hours.
- Optional: finish the ribs later, remove the bags from the sous vide bath after 36 hours, and submerge them in a large container filled with a 50/50 mix of ice and water for at least 30 minutes to chill the meat’s core temperature. Place the ribs in the refrigerator until ready to grill (up to 2 days ahead of time).
- Fire up. Prepare a grill for 2-zone cooking. On a charcoal grill, place a chimney full of pre-heated charcoal briquets on one side of the grill's charcoal grate in order to create direct and indirect cooking zones. Adjust the grill vents to bring the temperature to about 225°F (107.2°C). Add 2 to 3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal for flavor. On a gas grill, adjust the temperature knobs so that one half of the grill is off and the other half is heated enough to maintain a temperature of approximately 225°F (107.2°C) on the indirect side.
- Cook. Once the grill is ready, remove the ribs from the bags, reserving the remaining liquid in the bag to make a sauce. Combine pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl and blend well. Pat the rack of beef ribs dry and season with the rub mixture. Place the ribs in the indirect zone on the main cooking grate as far from the heat source as possible. Set the lid on the grill with the fully opened top vent positioned directly above the ribs in order to force the smoke over and around the meat. Allow the ribs to smoke for 30 minutes. If the ribs have been chilled after the sous vide process, cook until completely warmed through, approximately 15 to 20 minutes longer. The goal is to add smoke to the meat while reheating it to a temperature that is pleasant to the mouth when served.
- During the last 15 minutes of the smoking process, strain the liquid from the sous vide bags through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan or skillet to remove solids. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, add the red wine and fresh herbs, and let the sauce continue to simmer until reduced in volume by about half, approximately 10 minutes. Whisk in the butter until it butter completely melts and the sauce thickens, about a minute. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to low to keep the sauce warm as you prepare the ribs.
- Serve. Remove the ribs from the grill, slice, and serve immediately with the sauce.
Notes
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works. For this recipe, you want to use 1/4 teaspoon Morton coarse kosher salt per pound (453.6 g) of meat.