Bobby Flay Rib throw-down with pit-master Ed Michell

Pappy · Aug 2, 2011

Did anyone watch the Bobby Flay Rib throw-down with pit-master Ed Michell? It took place in the Carolina’s. Ed Michell gets his smoker “super hot”, then he cooks his ribs 20 minutes on each side. He adds his sauce and cooks for just a few more minutes. That’s it! Ed won the throw-down.
This is crazy talk. Does anyone else do it this way?
FYI, I think Bobby cooked his for about 9 hours. I can’t remember. I’m pretty sure he was driving with the ribs cooking on the gas trailer smoker. Maybe I’m wrong but, that’s the way I thought I saw it. Then Bobby used a Weber Ranch to put the sauce on the ribs.

El Lobo · Aug 2, 2011

Haven't seen that show yet. Doesn't air here until August 19th from what I saw. [sucks].

Bamabuzzard · Aug 2, 2011

I think that is an old show, like two years old maybe older. Ed grills his ribs rather than smoke'em.

Pappy · Aug 2, 2011

I think it was a repeat ..... 2009

deepsouth · Aug 2, 2011

i saw it and questioned it and got called down for questioning a pitmaster like ed. if it works for him, great, but i can't afford to even try to cook ribs that way as i'm sure i'd ruin them.

smokeyw · Aug 2, 2011

I live about 30 miles from where they held the contest and have actually eaten at that restaurant and the one in Wilson where Ed got his start years ago. That show was made over a year ago. I remember they said on the show that Ed cooked his ribs hot and fast. I don't remember the details. I do know that Ed can cook. I don't remember all about how Bobby cooked his ribs but I do know that he did not cook while pulling the grill. In fact, that gas grill that was in the scene where Bobby was driving in was not used at all. It was a brand new grill loaned by a local grill company for the show and was returned unused.

Pappy said:
FYI, I think Bobby cooked his for about 9 hours. I can’t remember. I’m pretty sure he was driving with the ribs cooking on the gas trailer smoker. Maybe I’m wrong but, that’s the way I thought I saw it. Then Bobby used a Weber Ranch to put the sauce on the ribs.

deguerre · Aug 2, 2011

deepsouth said:
i saw it and questioned it and got called down for questioning a pitmaster like ed. if it works for him, great, but i can't afford to even try to cook ribs that way as i'm sure i'd ruin them.

No you wouldn't. You'd be just fine. Ashmont and I took turns on these on one of those giant "park" grills alternating between direct and indirect. They were pretty darn good...

Boshizzle · Aug 2, 2011

I have seen him in the BF throwdown, a Martha Stewart show, and on Man V. Food. In his restaurant, he foils the ribs to speed up the cook time after a short time over charcoal unwrapped. On the MS show, he was basically cooking them hot and fast over charcoal similar to what he did on the BF Throwdown show. It is very similar to the way the Rendezvous in Memphis cooks them.

Bamabuzzard · Aug 2, 2011

Either way I'm sure his ribs are very good.

thoraudio · Aug 2, 2011

apropos of nothing, once I was driving down the road and pulled up behind a pickup truck with what looked to be a commercial smoker bungied in the back, smoking.

Warthog · Aug 2, 2011

Boshizzle said:
It is very similar to the way the Rendezvous in Memphis cooks them.

I found their ribs not so good. Kind of dry. The BBQ Shop blows them away.
So if that is the result of fast and hot I will stay with low and slow.

Big Ace · Aug 2, 2011

Pappy said:
Did anyone watch the Bobby Flay Rib throw-down with pit-master Ed Michell? It took place in the Carolina’s. Ed Michell gets his smoker “super hot”, then he cooks his ribs 20 minutes on each side. He adds his sauce and cooks for just a few more minutes. That’s it! Ed won the throw-down.
This is crazy talk. Does anyone else do it this way?

Here are the instructions on how to cook Ed hot and fast, http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32206880/ns/today-food/t/showdown-pitmasters-best-bbq-spareribs/

Cooking, holding and serving instructions: Once the Pitmaster has his grill pit hot with charcoal and is ready to grill, seasoned spareribs are neatly arranged, meat side down, on grill. Allow this side to cook uninterrupted for approximately 15 minutes. Using tongs, carefully, quickly turn ribs over (bone side down). Allow to cook for another 15 minutes or so. With a clean kitchen towel blot any blood off the meat side of the rib. Repeat turning over ribs at 10 to 15 minute intervals for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour or until just fully cooked. (A properly cooked sparerib will have a nice seasoned browned color.)

Also looks like Ed is leaving The Pit and starting his own restaurant.

jasonjax · Aug 2, 2011

Seems like some very successful rib crafters "finish" their ribs over direct high heat to caramelize some of the sugars from the rubs and sauces.

Using a bit of deductive reasoning, it would seem if this adds to the flavor profile that maybe high heat from the get-go to do the actual cooking might also work.

My concern for this method would be walking that fine line of tasty caramelizing versus nasty charring and burning, and losing that beautiful smoke ring.

Cook · Aug 2, 2011

You'll notice Ed never calls his ribs "bbq"...so it really shouldn't matter how he cooks them to you guys. In Eastern North Carolina where Ed Mitchell is there is only one form of barbecue...ribs, chicken, any type of beef...well they do not fall into that singular category.

Bamabuzzard · Aug 2, 2011

I recently had ribs cooked hot n fast the right way and they are very good. One thing I did notice though is there was not much smoke flavor (if any) in the flavor profile. I guess this had to do with the ribs not being cooked very long.

Boshizzle · Aug 2, 2011

Cook said:
You'll notice Ed never calls his ribs "bbq"...so it really shouldn't matter how he cooks them to you guys. In Eastern North Carolina where Ed Mitchell is there is only one form of barbecue...ribs, chicken, any type of beef...well they do not fall into that singular category.

The Rendezvous doesn't call their ribs BBQ either.

Boshizzle · Aug 2, 2011

Warthog said:
I found their ribs not so good. Kind of dry. The BBQ Shop blows them away.
So if that is the result of fast and hot I will stay with low and slow.

I bet the NC ribs are pretty good.

smokeyw · Aug 2, 2011

You got that right brother!! I love it all but BBQ here is whole hog cooked low and slow. This song says it all.
Dailymotion - The BBQ Song - a Travel video

Cook said:
In Eastern North Carolina where Ed Mitchell is there is only one form of barbecue...ribs, chicken, any type of beef...well they do not fall into that singular category.

Dustin D · Aug 2, 2011

Well here's the man himself;

‪Ed Mitchell's BBQ at the 2007 Big Apple BBQ Block Party‬‏ - YouTube

JS-TX · Aug 2, 2011

It sounds like a high volume restuarant rib technique; foil/steam the chit out of the ribs and then firm them up on the grill and then put a heavy layer of sweet sauce on them. Not saying they aren't good just different. I saw how Texas Road House makes them on the food network, very similar process but they almost boil them. They say it's a 3 day process... right. Those ribs I can say I don't like. The meat is gray.. as in boiled flavorless gray.

Bobby Flay Rib throw-down with pit-master Ed Michell

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