Baby Back Ribs

Baby backs are more tender and leaner than spare ribs, which means they cook faster and have less margin for error. The sweet spot is 150°–165°F for 8–12 h. Below 8 h the connective tissue has not fully broken down. Above 14 h the meat starts to lose its bite and becomes mushy rather than tender.

Always remove the membrane on the bone side before bagging. Slip a butter knife under the membrane at one end, grip it with a paper towel, and pull in one smooth motion. Without removal, the membrane stays tough and leathery no matter how long you cook, and it prevents seasonings from penetrating the bone side.

The finishing step is what separates good ribs from great ribs. After sous vide, you have perfectly tender meat with zero bark. The bark comes from either smoking (2–3 h at 225°F), broiling (5–7 min with a glaze), or grilling (10–15 min over direct heat). Each method works, but each gives a different character.

Sauce in the last 10 min, not earlier. BBQ sauce burns easily because of its sugar content. Brush, broil 3 min, brush again, broil 3 more. This gives you a glossy, lacquered finish without bitter charred patches.

These ribs are FRAGILE after a long cook. Use two spatulas or a large turner to move them. Tongs will tear the meat right off the bone, which sounds impressive but makes slicing and serving much harder.

Anti-tip: do not boil ribs before sous vide. This old-school technique washes out all the pork flavor into the water. Sous vide does the tenderizing job perfectly well on its own without sacrificing a single drop of flavor to a pot of discarded water.

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs before seasoning - it prevents rub penetration and makes ribs chewy

Let dry rub sit on ribs for at least 2 h before bagging so spices fully penetrate

Pat ribs very dry after removing from bags - moisture prevents caramelization during finishing

Use two spatulas or a large turner to move ribs from bag to pan - they're so tender they can fall apart

Broil from further distance (8 inches vs 6 inches) to prevent burning the glaze before it caramelizes

Cut ribs on the cutting board rather than the platter to prevent them from falling apart during serving