Top-Rated Sous Vide Cookers for Large Cuts of Meat: Ribs, Brisket & Roasts

Sous vide cooking offers the most precise and foolproof way to achieve restaurant-quality results at home, especially for large cuts of meat like ribs, brisket, and roasts. The sous vide method involves cooking food slowly and evenly in a water bath at a controlled temperature, which is perfect for tough cuts that benefit from long, slow cooking times. These cuts often require hours or even a full day of cooking, and sous vide ensures they are tender, juicy, and full of flavor every time.

In this guide, we'll explore why sous vide is ideal for large cuts of meat, discuss how to use it effectively for meats like ribs, brisket, and roasts, and review some of the top-rated sous vide cookers that are perfect for these types of dishes.

Why Sous Vide is Ideal for Large Cuts of Meat

1. Tenderizes Tough Meat

Large cuts of meat such as brisket and roasts often come from muscles that are heavily used during the animal's life, making them tougher. Traditional cooking methods, like roasting or grilling, can dry out these cuts or leave them tough. Sous vide, on the other hand, allows the meat to break down over long periods, tenderizing it without losing moisture, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth texture.

2. Consistent Results

One of the best advantages of sous vide is the consistency it offers. Large cuts of meat can be tricky to cook evenly, with the outside often overcooked while the center remains underdone. With sous vide, every part of the meat is cooked to the exact temperature you set, ensuring uniform results from edge to edge.

3. Long Cooking Times Without Overcooking

Sous vide allows you to cook meat for extended periods---sometimes up to 24 hours---without the risk of overcooking. This is particularly useful for large cuts that need long cooking times to reach optimal tenderness, such as brisket or pork shoulder. The controlled temperature means that you can leave the meat cooking unattended without fear of it drying out.

4. Infuses Flavor

Sous vide cooking locks in the flavors from rubs, marinades, and seasonings, ensuring the meat is flavorful throughout. The airtight vacuum-sealed bags prevent any juices or flavors from escaping, resulting in deeply infused taste that traditional cooking methods often can't achieve.

Key Considerations for Cooking Large Cuts of Meat

When preparing large cuts of meat with sous vide, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Cooking Time and Temperature

For large cuts of meat, you'll need to adjust the cooking time and temperature to ensure they turn out perfect. Here are some general guidelines for popular cuts of meat:

Ribs : Cook at 145°F (63°C) for 6-8 hours for tender, pull-apart ribs. For more bite and texture, reduce the cooking time to 4-5 hours.
Brisket : Cook at 155°F (68°C) for 24-48 hours for a tender, juicy brisket with great flavor.
Roasts (e.g., chuck roast or prime rib): Cook at 135°F (57°C) for 8-12 hours for a tender, medium-rare roast. For a well-done roast, raise the temperature to 150°F (66°C).

The beauty of sous vide is that you can adjust these times depending on how you like your meat and the texture you're aiming for.

2. Vacuum Sealing

Since sous vide works by cooking the meat in a vacuum-sealed bag, make sure you use a vacuum sealer that can handle large cuts of meat. Vacuum sealing prevents any air from being trapped inside the bag, ensuring proper cooking and flavor infusion.

3. Post-Cooking Searing

While sous vide gives your meat an incredible texture, it often lacks the crispy or caramelized exterior that grilling or roasting gives. After sous vide cooking, finish your large cuts of meat with a quick sear in a hot pan or on a grill to develop a flavorful crust and enhance the color and texture.

Step-by-Step Guide for Cooking Large Cuts of Meat with Sous Vide

Here's a simple step-by-step process you can follow when cooking large cuts of meat using sous vide:

Step 1: Season and Prepare the Meat

Season the meat with your choice of rubs, spices, herbs, or marinades. The long cooking times allow flavors to penetrate deeply into the meat, so don't be shy with the seasoning.
Vacuum seal the meat in a bag. You can use a vacuum sealer for the best results or the water displacement method with a heavy-duty zipper lock bag.

Step 2: Preheat the Sous Vide Cooker

Fill a large container with water, ensuring there's enough space for both the meat and the immersion circulator.
Attach the sous vide immersion circulator to the side of the container and set the desired temperature. Use the guidelines mentioned above for each type of meat. For example, set it to 155°F (68°C) for brisket or 145°F (63°C) for ribs.

Step 3: Cook the Meat

Once the water bath has reached the target temperature, lower the vacuum-sealed bag with the meat into the water. Make sure the bag is fully submerged and that there is enough space for water to circulate around it. Clip the bag to the side of the container if necessary to prevent it from floating.

Step 4: Wait for the Cooking Time to Elapse

Let the meat cook for the appropriate amount of time. For larger cuts like brisket, this may take up to 24-48 hours, so plan accordingly. The beauty of sous vide is that you can leave it unattended, so you don't have to constantly check it.

Step 5: Sear the Meat (Optional)

After the meat has finished cooking, remove it from the bag and pat it dry with paper towels to ensure a crisp sear. Heat a pan over high heat with a little oil and quickly sear the meat for 1-2 minutes on each side. Alternatively, you can use a grill or a blowtorch for a crispy finish.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Slice or carve your meat as desired and serve it with your favorite sides. The result will be a perfectly cooked large cut of meat with incredible tenderness, moisture, and flavor.

Top-Rated Sous Vide Cookers for Large Cuts of Meat

When cooking large cuts of meat, you need a sous vide cooker that offers powerful heating, precise temperature control, and reliable performance over extended cooking times. Here are some of the top-rated sous vide cookers that excel in cooking large cuts of meat:

1. Anova Precision Cooker Pro

Power: 1,100 watts
Temperature Range: 32°F to 212°F (0°C to 100°C)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (App-controlled)
Price: High-end
Why It's Great for Large Cuts : The Anova Precision Cooker Pro is one of the most powerful immersion circulators available, making it perfect for cooking large cuts like brisket and roasts. It can heat large volumes of water quickly and maintain consistent temperatures over long cooking times. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity also make it convenient for monitoring remotely.

2. Joule by ChefSteps

Power: 1,100 watts
Temperature Range: 32°F to 197°F (0°C to 92°C)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (App-controlled)
Price: Premium
Why It's Great for Large Cuts : The Joule is compact yet powerful, with a sleek design and precise temperature control. It's great for cooking large cuts of meat like ribs and brisket, especially when you want to monitor the cooking process via the app. The Joule's small size makes it easy to store, but its performance is more than capable of handling large portions.

3. Inkbird ISV-100W Sous Vide Precision Cooker

Power: 1,000 watts
Temperature Range: 32°F to 194°F (0°C to 90°C)
Connectivity: Manual control
Price: Budget-friendly
Why It's Great for Large Cuts : The Inkbird ISV-100W offers great value for its price. While it doesn't come with Wi-Fi or app controls, its 1,000-watt heating power is more than adequate for cooking large cuts of meat over long periods. It's a reliable and affordable option for home cooks who don't need extra features.

4. Breville Joule Sous Vide

Power: 1,100 watts
Temperature Range: 32°F to 197°F (0°C to 92°C)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (App-controlled)
Price: High-end
Why It's Great for Large Cuts : The Breville Joule is a premium sous vide machine with a powerful motor and sleek design. Its precise temperature control and app connectivity make it ideal for cooking large cuts of meat like brisket and roasts. Additionally, the Joule is designed for ease of use and precision, offering excellent results every time.

Final Thoughts

Sous vide is a game-changer for cooking large cuts of meat like ribs, brisket, and roasts. The ability to cook these tough, flavorful cuts to the perfect tenderness without fear of overcooking makes sous vide an indispensable tool in any home cook's arsenal. By using a top-rated sous vide cooker, you can ensure consistent, delicious results with every meal, making your large cuts of meat more tender, juicy, and flavorful than ever before. With the right sous vide machine and a bit of practice, you'll be able to create melt-in-your-mouth dishes that will impress your family and friends.