You've probably seen plenty of sous vide rib recipes that call for cooking 12, even 24 hours. Let's face it, we're all pressed for time. If you're under work deadlines, have a dog to walk and yourself to take care of (imagine that!) - then you likely don't have an entire day to spend making finger-licking good ribs. Heck, what if you want to make them on the the spur of the moment? I'm here to tell you it can be done. It's true. Below is a recipe for delicious sous vide char siu style Chinese baby back ribs. With this recipe, you will end up with tender, luscious ribs that are savory, smoky, sweet, and reminiscent of those favorite Chinatown lacquered ribs you just can't get enough of. And all it takes is about 4 hours. The baby back ribs get vacuum-sealed in a bag with a most flavorful marinade redolent of hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, five spice and sesame oil. Visit your local Asian market to find these ingredients easily.
The ribs cook on their own until done. After taking out of their sous-vide cooking bath, put ribs on a hot grill to impart those wonderful charred, crisp edges. Brush some reserved marinade over the ribs to finish. The meat won't be fall-off-the-bone soft like short ribs, but Chinatown ribs aren't meant to be that way. Instead, they will be plenty tender with just the right amount of chew to provide a most satisfying texture. Serve with steamed rice and bok choy -- and you're good to go.
Sous Vide Char Siu Style Chinese Baby Back Ribs (Serves 4)
Marinade Ingredients: 1/3 cup hoisin sauce 1/3 cup dark soy sauce 1/3 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons honey 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder 1 tablespoon fermented bean paste 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
Rest of Ingredients: 3 pounds baby back ribs, membrane removed Cilantro leaves for garnishing (optional)
Directions: Set the Anova to 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit) in a large pot of water. In a large bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Spoon out and reserve about 1/3 cup of the marinade in a separate, small, covered container. Store this in the refrigerator until ready to use. Add racks of ribs to the large bowl of remaining marinade. Mix to coat the ribs well. Vacuum seal each rib rack in its own bag. Once the pot of water has reached its required temperature, add the bags of ribs. Set the Anova for a cooking time of 4 hours. When the ribs are finished cooking, use tongs to remove them from their bags. Place the ribs on a grill heated to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush on some of the reserved marinade. Allow the ribs to cook for three minutes, then flip them onto the other side, brush with more marinade and continue grilling for another three minutes. Remove the ribs to a cutting board to slice the between the bones. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Then, dig in to your sumptuous sous vide char siu style Chinese baby back ribs.
