Sous Vide Beef Short Ribs in Soy-Coconut Sauce

Sous vide beef short ribs slow-cooked in a gluten-free soy-coconut sauce with garlic, star anise, and bay leaves for a unique Asian flavor.

Why Choose Sous Vide Beef Short Ribs?

If you are familiar with the sous vide cooking method, I don’t need to tell you why. In case you are new to sous vide, it offers precision and control that can make cooking beef short ribs a piece of cake. Here are a few benefits.

• Consistent doneness throughout the meat, eliminating guesswork and ensuring perfect steak-like or traditionally braised-like texture.
• Enhanced juiciness by slowly breaking down connective tissue and fat while retaining natural flavors.
• Improved flavor infusion through slow and long hours of cooking, allowing marinades and seasonings to penetrate more deeply.
• A sublime texture that balances tenderness with a satisfying bite, avoiding the extremes of fall-off-the-bone or chewy resilience.

It’s like giving your meat a spa day—a warm bath with aromatic company, slowly unwinding until it reaches perfect relaxation.

Sous Vide Beef Short Ribs Time and Temperature

The best time and temperature to sous vide beef short ribs is 135°F (57°C) to 145°F (63°C) for 48 to 72 hours.

135°F (57°C) guarantees a medium-rare finish that’s tender and juicy. This temperature balances softness and flavor retention. In this recipe, we are going to use this temperature.

Cook for 48 hours at 135°F for ribs with a steak-like texture. Extending to 72 hours offers a near-buttery consistency.

If you want a traditional braise style, adjust to 158°F and cook for 24 hours. This higher setting pushes the doneness further, simmering the meat in its natural juices for fall-apart tenderness.

Remember that each degree and hour layers a unique dimension onto your beef short ribs. So, go experiment and tailor the result to your preferences.

Key Ingredients for Flavorful Short Ribs

This unique sous vide beef short ribs recipe with soy-coconut sauce relies on these key ingredients:

• Beef Short Ribs: Provide rich, meaty undertones.
• Salt and Pepper: Enhance the beef’s natural flavor.
• Olive Oil: For initial searing, imparting a subtle crust.
• Garlic: Roasted alongside the ribs, infusing robust aroma.
• Tamari or Soy Sauce: Brings savory umami depth.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds mild acidity and fruitiness.
• Unsweetened Coconut Milk: Provides creamy texture and subtle sweetness.
• Bay Leaves: Introduce a subtle herbal backdrop.
• Star Anise: Offers sweet, licorice-like complexity.
• Fresh Cilantro: Garnish that adds brightness.

For variations, consider swapping fresh thyme for bay leaves or replacing star anise with cinnamon for a warm, spicy twist. Each substitution opens new flavor avenues while maintaining the dish’s hearty core.

Essential Sous Vide Equipment

To achieve perfect sous vide short ribs, I recommend the following kitchen tools:

• Sous vide machine: The Anova Precision Cooker is my go-to machine.
• Sous vide container: Anova sous vide container is large enough for comfortable rib placement and water circulation.
• Quality zip-top bags or vacuum-seal bags: Although vacuum-seal bags can be used in almost all sous vide recipes, not every sous vide recipe requires vacuum-seal bags. For the beef short ribs, good-quality zip-top bags are just fine. To learn more about choosing the right bags for sous vide, check out my guide: Sous Vide Bags 101.
• Clips: We use the water displacement method to submerge the ribs in the sous vide water bath. It’s necessary to fold and clip the top of the bags on the edge of the sous vide container to submerge the bags during the entire cooking process. If you use the Anova sous vide container with a lid, you can cover it and use the lid to secure the bags in place and prevent water from evaporating simultaneously.
• Heavy-duty sauté pan: For searing ribs before and/or after sous vide cooking.

How to Sous Vide Beef Short Ribs Step by Step

1. Setting Up: Fill the sous vide container with water and set it to 135°F (57°C) or your preferred temperature.
2. Initial Preparation: Season high-quality beef short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear in a hot pan with olive oil for 30 seconds per side to lock in flavor.
3. Bagging: Place cooled ribs, roasted garlic, and marinade ingredients in zip-top bags. Use the water displacement method to remove air before sealing.
4. Cooking: Submerge bags in preheated bath. Cover and cook for 48 hours.
5. Finishing: Remove ribs from bath and bags. Optionally, pat dry, then quickly sear again for a satisfying crust.
6. Serving: Plate ribs, drizzle with soy-coconut sauce from the bag, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. As always, once you make it, please help by giving a rating and leaving a comment to let other street-smart home chefs know how it turned out. Happy sous viding!

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