#SousVideHipster

Sous Vide...I love it...it's my favorite cooking method. It produces the most amazing, consistent results. So, of course when I am asked to come up with a sous vide recipe, I jump at the opportunity, because I get to do something different! I saw the other day a picture of a steak with a beautiful, vibrant, green chimichurri sauce...a sauce just alive with color. I look out the window and all I see are grey skies, snow, cold and basically death. I decided that I was going to stick it to old man winter and make something summery like beef kabobs with chimichurri sauce. That's right, I'm tired of you winter, I refuse to succumb with my tail between my legs and make some kind of soup (Not that there is anything wrong with soup). Of course, old man winter responds with more snow...thanks jerk!

Dueling Water Baths

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**Note: Of course sous vide is not required for these recipes. You can grill the beef kabobs and you can roast the fingerling potatoes**

Sous Vide Short Ribs

I love having those moments when you make something for the first time and you think "Dear Lord, where have you been my whole life?" These short ribs were one of those moments. Ever since I started cooking sous vide I knew I wanted to try the 72 Hour Short ribs, but just never got around to it. Then, when I went grocery shopping the other day, I saw these beautiful shorties starring at me in the meat section. (That was probably the weirdest sentence I have ever wrote...I feel like that should be lyrics in next big rap song). Anyways....If you decide to start experimenting with sous vide cooking, do yourself a favor and make these things. Yes, they take 72 hours, but that is just time they spend in the water bath. The recipe is actually very easy, I just threw them in Monday night and they were ready for Thursday night dinner (Quite convenient actually). Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 5 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp cayenne
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tbsp chili flakes
• 3 tbsp ancho chili powder
• 1.5 lbs Short ribs, boneless
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 Tbsp Shallots, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp Garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup Short Rib Jus
• 2 Tbsp butter, cubed and coated with flour
• 1 Tbsp thyme, minced
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

The night before you want to start cooking the ribs, mix all the dry ingredients (first 8 ingredients) in a bowl. Rub the short ribs generously with the dry rub, place in a sealed container, and store in the fridge overnight, letting the meat marinate as the rub liquefies. 

Place the short ribs in a vacuum seal bag and vacuum seal. Place the short ribs in a 140° F water bath and sous vide for 72 hours. 

Remove the short ribs from the bag, saving the jus for the pan gravy, and pat the short ribs dry with a paper towl. Heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat, add in the oil. Sear the short ribs on all sides getting a nice crust (Maillard reaction) on all sides of the meat.

After you sear the meat, remove from pan and let rest while you make the pan gravy. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until fragrant, being sure not to burn. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Reduce the wine until almost all evaporate. While the wine is reducing, strain the short rib jus through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth. Once the wine has almost evaporated add in the rib jus in. Continue reducing until you have about 1/2 cup liquid. Take off the heat and whisk in the flour coated butter, one cube at a time. You should notice your sauce starting to thicken and turn into a gravy. Check the consistency with a spoon, it should coat the back of the spoon and maintain a clear path when you rub your finger through it. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and the minced thyme. 

Slice the short ribs into 1/2" thick cubes, drizzle the pan gravy over top and serve. 

Kitchen Word of the Recipe

Reduction - is the process of thickening and intensifying the flavor of a liquid mixture such as a soup, sauce, wine or juice by boiling.  Reduction is performed by boiling liquid (whether stock, wine, whiskey, vinegar, or sauce mixture) rapidly and usually without a lid (enabling the vapor to escape more easily) until the volume desired is reached by evaporation. Since each component of the mixture evaporates at slightly different temperatures and the goal of reduction is to drive away those with lowest points of evaporation, it is – in a way – a form of distillation.

Pulled Pork w/ Chipotle Pomegranate BBQ Sauce

So what can I say, I'm a Sous Vide Hipster, fanboy....whatever you wanna call me! Whenever people look at the name, they automatically think it's some technically difficult cooking technique. But, it is quite the opposite. I'm just so impressed with the results I am getting from my PolyScience Sous Vide Professional™, especially when cooking barbecue. I would have never thought that I could get really good barbecue from cooking in a vacuum sealed bag. I also used my PolyScience Smoking Gun™ with apple wood smoke to give my pulled pork that nice smokey flavor. Then to finish off the post, I've included my Chipotle Pomegranate Barbecue Sauce recipe....it's finger linkin' good!

Pulled Pork Ingredients

• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 5 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp cayenne
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tbsp chili flakes
• 3 tbsp ancho chili powder
• 2 Lbs. Pork shoulder, trim off excess fat
• 2 Slices of bacon
• Chipotle Pomegranate BBQ (Recipe Below)

Directions (Sous Vide Method)

The day before cooking, mix together all the dry ingredients to make a rub. Generously rub the pork shoulder, covering the entire surface. Cover and refrigerate over night so that the rub liquifies, marinating the meat. 

Preheat water bath to 175 degrees F. Make sure you cover with saran wrap through the entire cooking process, especially if you can't keep an eye on it. At this temperature the water level will decrease rapidly. 

Wrap the pork shoulder with slices of bacon, place in a vacuum seal pouch and vacuum seal. Place in the preheated water bath and cook for 12 hours. 

Remove contents from the bag, discarding the bacon. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Pat dry the outside of the pork shoulder with a paper towel. Sear the outside of the pork to get a nice crust. Remove from pan and shred the pork. Serve with Chipotle Pomegranate BBQ Sauce or your favorite sauce. 

Direction (Oven Method)

The day before cooking, mix together all the dry ingredients to make a rub. Generously rub the pork shoulder, covering the entire surface. Cover and refrigerate over night so that the rub liquifies, marinating the meat. 

Preheat your oven to 300 degree F. 

Wrap the pork with bacon and put the pork in a roasting pan and bake for about 6 hours. Basically, roast the pork until it's falling apart and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 170 degrees F. Discard the bacon and shred the pork. Serve with Chipotle Pomegranate BBQ sauce or your favorite sauce. 

Chipotle Pomegranate BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo, pureed
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil

Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30-45 or until thickened. Use right away or refrigerate for later use. 

If you want the sauce to be thicker. In a small bowl mix together 1 Tbsp corn starch with 1 Tbsp cold water to make a slurry (This is a thickening agent). Slowly whisk in the slurry a little bit at a time until it reaches your desired viscosity. Add more or less of the slurry as needed. 

**Note: A corn starch slurry (equal parts cornstarch & water) can be used to thicken any sauce, stock or soup.**