Sous Vide/Sous-B-Q: What Every Pork Rib Lover Should Know

About
Sous vide serves to tenderize/preserve proteins before finalization and service--this opens up a host of creative possibilities.
Ingredients
Pork spareribs/baby back ribs, as needed.
Powdered egg whites, as needed, or fresh.
Seasonings, your choice or one from our dedicated list, linked HERE.
Sauces as needed--we have a full assortment of suitable recipes HERE.
Equipment requirements:
Immersion circulator.
Heat rated sous vide bags.
Pellet grill or backyard smoker.
Infrared or probe thermometer.
Instructions
Actual prep time, 1 hour Serves 1 person per lb./450 g unless you're in Texas. Level of difficulty 2.5
No, you can't turn an igloo into an aquarium
Sous vide novices use all manner of containers as they familiarize themselves with the technology. After some experimentation and practice, at least one thing becomes perfectly clear--literally. One should be able to see what's transpiring in the container without lifting the lid. Sometimes bags leak unexpectedly; it's better to find out as soon as possible. Sometimes immersion circulators fail with no warning or indication--a transparent container makes obvious the fact that the water has stopped circulating. Lids not only prevent the escape of heat energy, they should seal against the water's surface to prevent packages from floating. Lipavi gear has all of these contingencies covered.It is not enough to sink
Once the packages are fully submerged during processing, racks are used to prevent the packages from coming in contact with each other or the surface of the container. This flow is important for safe, consistent results. Racks need to be non-reactive and water proof. The temperatures utilized are low enough that heat tolerance is not usually an issue--dishwasher temperatures are higher than most sous vide parameters. Lipavi stainless steel racks are oven/smoker proof, stain proof and rust proof, expanding their applicability to roasting and hot smoking.Procedure
In the first slide below, the pork spare ribs have been removed from their packaging. Sizes range upward from 3lbs./2.2 Kg to as high as 8 lbs./3.6 Kg.

Temperatures
The higher the temperature applied, the shorter the tenderization interval will be. The lower the temperature applied, the less moisture will be lost. 140 F/60 C is a sort of "base line" for sous vide, but pork can be safely processed at temperatures as low as 132 F/56 C as long as pasteurization requirements are met. Once a processing temperature has been selected, time will determine the eventual texture of the protein. Tenderness is subjective and its perception varies from person to person.What to do after the initial processing
Cold shocking is just as important as sous vide pasteurization itself. After processing, all food should either be finished and served or shocked cold with iced water to 70 F/21 C BEFORE being staged into a 40 F/4 C refrigerator--whether it was prepared via sous vide or not. Home refrigerators/freezers are not designed to safely cool hot food. Perishable products in the vicinity of the hot packages can also be temperature damaged by this exposure. The hot water can be siphoned out of the container and replaced with iced tap water. The loaded racks can be removed from the container and fully submerged in cold water in a kitchen sink. Alternatively, the individual packages can be removed from the rack and submerged in a container/sink with cold water. For most items, cooling to 70 F/21 C by this method will take about 30 minutes. After the items have been submerged for 15 minutes, use a probe or infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of the water. This will give you an idea of your progress. If the water is over 80 F/27 C after 30 minutes, drain the sink and refill. This is usually only necessary with larger cuts of meat (over 5 lbs./2.25 Kg). Results may vary.Storage
Once your packages have achieved 70 F/21 C, they can be refrigerated and held at 40 F/4 C for up to two weeks without any significant loss of quality or wholesomeness--much like a sealed carton of pasteurized milk. The rack, with the packages still in it, can be staged into a normal sized refrigerator. Whether you transfer the rack into the refrigerator or not, care must be taken to allow the flow of cold air around the packages--do not crowd the refrigerator.Using racks for hot smoking
Sous vide proteins should start their journey to smoked perfection at 40 F/4 C or thereabouts. This prevents the meat from exceeding its original target temperature. It also maximizes the development of smoke flavor. On the day of service, submerge the packages in hot tap water to dissolve the gel that forms around the proteins. Always harvest the juices in the bag--if there are any. The lower the temperature applied, the less juice will be released. This Sous Jus™ can be clarified and used in almost any savory recipe that calls for stock or water.
Low and Slow is the Way to Go
The temperatures used in hot smoking usually start around 180 F/82 C--pellet grills can achieve this fairly accurately. Air is an inefficient conductor of heat energy. Because of this and the effect of evaporative cooling, the contents of a smoker (or oven) will never actually achieve the temperature of the setting. The lower the temperature used, the more smoke flavor will be imparted to the meat. Smoke flavoring does not actually penetrate the complex protein matrix of meat, but it will cling to a moist surface--this effect justifies pitmasters' practice of "mopping" their meat. This controversial subject is discussed in detail HERE. Depending on the temperatures applied and the individual smoker, it can take anywhere from 90 minutes to 6 hours to achieve the desired appearance, texture and a minimum internal temperature of at least 140 F/60 C.
To Baste or NOT to Baste


Serving your Sous-B-Q Pork





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