To Brine or not to Brine? That is the question...

[Dave Russell]

Good work. Just like not all enhanced ribs are hammy and too salty, I'd think that the right salt ratio and amount of time in the brine would be KEY. Thanks for posting what obviously worked for you.

[cookingdude555]

Thanks for taking the time to post this, with all of the pictures and explanation. I like the idea, and I want to try it. I have done an Alton Brown brine on a pork shoulder once, and it was excellent. It was a lot of prep work so I have only done it once, but would do it again if I had the time.

[Kenny Rogers]

Interesting expirament, and thank you for sharing!

I gotta say though, I don't brine my ribs, and I would NEVER cook them that fast. Maybe brining helps accelerate the cooking process? So the brined ribs cooked just right, but the rubbed ribs didn't?

I think the true test of this would be to cook brined ribs as you described, and then cook the rubbed ribs using a more traditional method.

Again, thanks for gettin' my noggin thinkin! They call me Kenny Rogers, cause I like to gamble, by trying new cooking methods! I may have to do this test as I described above!

[Dave Russell]

Originally Posted by Kenny Rogers

Maybe brining helps accelerate the cooking process?

Never brined ribs, but enhanced ribs definately get tender quicker. Not a fan of them generally, but Kroger's aren't bad if they're on sale. I just use very little salt in the rub after rinsing thoroughly.

[troytime]

great post!

i used to brine my ribs years ago when i didn't have a smoker and grilled them. I haven't tried since i've upgraded to a smoker. I will definitely try though

also - not to sound nitpicky, but rubbing one the night before, and rubbing the other (brined) just before cooking introduced an unwanted variable.

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by Kenny Rogers

Interesting expirament, and thank you for sharing!

I gotta say though, I don't brine my ribs, and I would NEVER cook them that fast. Maybe brining helps accelerate the cooking process? So the brined ribs cooked just right, but the rubbed ribs didn't?

I think the true test of this would be to cook brined ribs as you described, and then cook the rubbed ribs using a more traditional method.

Again, thanks for gettin' my noggin thinkin! They call me Kenny Rogers, cause I like to gamble, by trying new cooking methods! I may have to do this test as I described above!

You need to try the high heat method before you make a claim like that. More traditional doesn't make it better. The 3-2-1 method is really way too long to cook ribs. I did it for years, but I make better ribs, in much shorter time. A lot of what has improved my grilling is challenging the traditional mantra and testing it against other methods and I've found that many times traditional isn't always the best. But there's only one way to find out. Saying things like you would never do whatever is not the way to go. You need keep an open mind...

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by blues_n_cues

brining ribs & then rubbing overnight definitely makes for a "hammy" rib in my experiences.

I didn't brine for the longest time because someone I respect a great deal said the same thing. It took me maybe another two years when I first considered it before I finally did it.

If they do become hammy, then 100% of the people who have done this taste test have preferred the hammy ribs. One thing I do, is I don't brine for more than about 12 hours. Maybe that reduces the hamminess, or that I don't change the brine as one would do with a typical brine.

As for someone who mentioned the saltiness and salty commercial rubs, that's an easy answer. Go with rubs without salt, or make your own without the salt...

[Kenny Rogers]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

You need to try the high heat method before you make a claim like that. More traditional doesn't make it better. The 3-2-1 method is really way too long to cook ribs. I did it for years, but I make better ribs, in much shorter time. A lot of what has improved my grilling is challenging the traditional mantra and testing it against other methods and I've found that many times traditional isn't always the best. But there's only one way to find out. Saying things like you would never do whatever is not the way to go. You need keep an open mind...

I don't do my ribs 3-2-1, that is one sure way to overcook ribs. HOWEVER I DO cook my ribs for about 4.5 hrs, using a modified Harry Soo method.
And yes, I would NEVER expect my ribs to be done that fast. I cook them until they're done, not according to any chart.

I think it's a bit presumptuous to expect your ribs, using two different methods, to be done at the exact same time. That's all I'm sayin

[Dave Russell]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

You need to try the high heat method before you make a claim like that. More traditional doesn't make it better. The 3-2-1 method is really way too long to cook ribs. I did it for years, but I make better ribs, in much shorter time. A lot of what has improved my grilling is challenging the traditional mantra and testing it against other methods and I've found that many times traditional isn't always the best. But there's only one way to find out. Saying things like you would never do whatever is not the way to go. You need keep an open mind...

Grillin' Fool, I wouldn't exactly call 275-300* for loinbacks the "high heat method", but I wouldn't chide someone about "keeping an open mind" when they've already told you thanks and that they just might try your method, either. Actually, in all due respect and gentleness, you might want to save the bbq lecture for blogs or those more deserving. It never hurt a Yankee one bit to try good ole' southern, gentleman-like manners. Sorry if that's offensive, but just trying to be real here, and I'm also just really trying to be helpful...honestly. Please forgive me if any offense is taken, and thanks again for the method.

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by Kenny Rogers

I don't do my ribs 3-2-1, that is one sure way to overcook ribs. HOWEVER I DO cook my ribs for about 4.5 hrs, using a modified Harry Soo method.
And yes, I would NEVER expect my ribs to be done that fast. I cook them until they're done, not according to any chart.

I think it's a bit presumptuous to expect your ribs, using two different methods, to be done at the exact same time. That's all I'm sayin

I'm not saying to go by any chart either. Sorry if it came across that way. Although, I'm pretty consistent with 275-300 for BBR's right at 2 hours to be perfect. Not fall off the bone, but I consider that to be overdone. I throw them in foil with some fluid for an extra 30-40 minutes if my guests want them FOTB.

I took two slabs of 12-13 bones each that were very similar in size and weight. I shortened the slab on the thick end to just 8 bones for each, as that's how many tasters I had. While one was brined and the other wasn't, both were perfectly done at around the 2 hour mark. I'm not entirely sure if it was 2 hours and 10 minutes or 110 minutes as I'd done a little drinking that day. I judged doneness on pull back from the bone and the flex of the slab.

Brining doesn't alter the cooking time to any degree that I know of. I don't recall anyone telling me that since a turkey was brined to cook it longer or shorter based on it being soaked in a salt solution.

I cooked them side by side on the same grill with the same smoke and the same heat. I'm not sure how I could've made the cooking process more uniform, which is the goal here, not cooking them two different ways because then I wouldn't be able to determine if the difference came from the brine/not brine, or different cooking techniques...

[Dave Russell]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

...I'm pretty consistent with 275-300 for BBR's right at 2 hours to be perfect....

...While one was brined and the other wasn't, both were perfectly done at around the 2 hour mark. I'm not entirely sure if it was 2 hours and 10 minutes or 110 minutes as I'd done a little drinking that day. I judged doneness on pull back from the bone and the flex of the slab.

Brining doesn't alter the cooking time to any degree that I know of. I don't recall anyone telling me that since a turkey was brined to cook it longer or shorter based on it being soaked in a salt solution.

Don't know the exact size of your "BBR's", but pullback and drape of ribs when lifting with tongs is what I'll call "restaurant tenderness" since most places aren't gonna see that as a sign to START checking for true tenderness with a toothpick.

As to brining and poultry, yes, it speeds up the cook a bit, and like I posted earlier, in my experience the same goes with enhanced ribs. I believe I learned about brined poultry cooking a little faster here or on the bullet site.

[SmokinAussie]

I don't think you can compare the processes and have a side to side test like that. As Kenny Rogers said above, you've enhanced your own ribs and cooked them in 2 hours. The other ribs were prepared convenionally and still cooked in 2 hours. I'd prefer the brined ones in that situation as well. Conventionally prepared ribs, cooked for 2 hours are just never really tender, no matter what. Everything else you've done is fine, but you really do need to compare the two after cooking them both in the prime conditions for the preparation of each style. If you don't you will always have one kind of rib that does not meet expectations.

Cheers!

Bill

[---k---]

Not to say your experiment is invalid, worthless, wrong, or any negative comment, but rubbing the ribs over night with a liberal coat of salt could be considered a dry brine.

I think there is more than one method that can be used to achieve the same results. Thank you for sharing.

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by SmokinAussie

I don't think you can compare the processes and have a side to side test like that. As Kenny Rogers said above, you've enhanced your own ribs and cooked them in 2 hours. The other ribs were prepared convenionally and still cooked in 2 hours. I'd prefer the brined ones in that situation as well. Conventionally prepared ribs, cooked for 2 hours are just never really tender, no matter what. Everything else you've done is fine, but you really do need to compare the two after cooking them both in the prime conditions for the preparation of each style. If you don't you will always have one kind of rib that does not meet expectations.

Cheers!

Bill

Again I disagree. I've been doing the 2 hour method on untreated or unenhanced ribs for a lot longer than I've been brining them. I need to have King from here chime in on a couple things. One he was skeptical of the 2 hour method big time. Two, he's had the 2 hour ribs. Three, he was there for the taste test.

I keep hearing there more than one way of doing things here but nobody seems to think 2 hours at 300 is one of them. I thought the Brethren were more open minded. All you gotta do is try it...

[Dave Russell]

I like to think that I AM open-minded, and that's why I've already tried smoking ribs at 300*. I have no idea how long they took though, although I suspect it was longer than two hours. Tenderness trumps time. What I remember most though was a chewy bark, and so I try to cook ribs 250-275* unless I foil.