Smoky Beef Ribs & Fillet — Charcoal, Then Sous Vide

Private chef Giuseppe Manzoli checking beef ribs smoking over charcoal in Scotland

I smoke beef ribs and beef fillet over charcoal first, then finish them sous vide so the inside is exactly the doneness a client asked for, then roast and carve them wherever the event is being held. It means real smoke flavour without gambling on timing in someone else’s kitchen.

The charcoal stage happens before I travel — real coals, real smoke, no shortcuts, until the crust is dark and the bark has set. From there it’s sous vide, which takes the guesswork out completely: a room of twelve people can each get exactly the pinkness they asked for, no more hoping for the best with a big cut of meat.

Beef ribs cooking over open charcoal flame on Giuseppe Manzoli's smoker — Real charcoal, real smoke — no shortcuts on the bark

Seasoned raw beef ribs and fillet next to a tray of beef ribs already smoked — Before and after the smoker — seasoned raw cuts alongside the finished ribs

Whatever the venue, the finish happens on site — a hot roast or a hard sear, straight from the bag, so what lands on the plate is hot, rested properly, and carved in front of the people eating it.

Smoked beef ribs with a dark charcoal crust, fresh off the grill — The ribs, ready to travel to the client’s kitchen for finishing

I did exactly this for a family reunion at Ormidale House on Scotland’s west coast — beef fillet, smoked, sous vide, then carved to order in the kitchen. Ribs, fillet, or whatever else a client asks me to put on the smoker — the process is the same every time.

Giuseppe Manzoli holding a sous vide beef fillet with a seared crust and pink centre at Ormidale House — Sous vide beef fillet, seared and rested, at Ormidale House

Giuseppe Manzoli carving beef fillet into slices at Ormidale House, Scotland's west coast — Carved to order in the kitchen at Ormidale House

I’ve been doing this for 35+ years, with 220+ five-star Google reviews from clients across Scotland. If you’d like this on your menu, get in touch and check a date.