Totally Naked Spare Ribs - No Rub or Sauce or Wrap

AKMIMNAK

AKMIMNAK

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Just Meat & Smoke!

I couldn't believe how good these were, and the color they got with no rub help!

Video linked below if you want more deets. Here's some pics. The traditional rib video (rubbed/sauced/wrapped) and the PBJ rib video will be publishing soon as well.

*In the last photo below, the naked ribs are the one on the bottom right. No rub or sauce, just color from cherry wood smoke.

https://youtu.be/wWXZjReeJwI
 
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Man, I tried it before and I did not like it. It was jerky like and stringy. I was trying to smoke ribs with a neutral flavor profile so I can try some wing sauces on them. That was a bad idea too, lol.
 
They totally look good, and probably better than a lot that I have eaten at restaurants.
 
Preposterous! No wrap? No rub? No sauce?

If such a thing takes hold, you might start getting threats from the suppliers of foil, rubs and sauces.

I'd sleep with one eye open- just sayin' :grin:

( Looks great. I can't make myself do such a thing. I'd say "what's a little salt and pepper gonna hurt?"- next thing it'd be a full rub dusting and thinned out SBR for a finish)
 
I’m guessing you really get the smoke profile of the wood you’re cooking with, when you go all nekid like that... what did you use for the cook, Jonathan? Inquiring minds and all...
 
Those look fantastic!!!

Bet it won’t be the last time you cook ribs like that!
 
SMetroHawkeye said:
I’m guessing you really get the smoke profile of the wood you’re cooking with, when you go all nekid like that... what did you use for the cook, Jonathan? Inquiring minds and all...
Click to expand...

Cherry! And it was awesome. The external color and the interior smoke ring color both received that. Beautiful color and great wood taste.

4ever3 said:
Those look fantastic!!!

Bet it won’t be the last time you cook ribs like that!
Click to expand...

Probably not the last! I really enjoyed them and they were actually better today (9 days later!!!).
 
I think folks get a little crazy with rubs and injections and “hanging meat” and this and that blah blah blah... Oh and “layering” rubs like it’s gonna hit yer taste buds at different times...

The beauty (to me) is cooking good meat and letting it stand on its own...


Rub, inject, layer, hang (upside down or right side up) all you want, but sometimes ya just need to smoke some neked meat...
 
I've been on a Dry Rub kick lately and I really like the texture better than wet ribs. I never wrap my ribs, so just skipping the sauce. I do mop occasionally with apple juice, vinegar, and oil after the first two hours. These were all cooked on my FEC-100 with a 50%/50% blend of BBQ Delight Hickory and Cherry Pellets.

I've also started experimenting with savory rubs like Butcher BBQ Grilling Addiction or How to BBQ Right AP Rub. These are two of my favorites on red meat, and turns out they are also fantastic on Pork! Adding some course black pepper which gives great texture.

Raw Dry Rub Spares
Dry Rub Raw Spares by David Miller, on Flickr


Cooked Spares
Dry Rub Spares by David Miller, on Flickr


Memphis Style Dry Rub Loin Backs
Dry Rub Loins by David Miller, on Flickr
 
Whenever I do ribs, I split them up 50/50 wet/dry. Some of my East coast neighbors love them dry, rub only.
 
Bacchus2b said:
I've been on a Dry Rub kick lately and I really like the texture better than wet ribs. I never wrap my ribs, so just skipping the sauce. I do mop occasionally with apple juice, vinegar, and oil after the first two hours. These were all cooked on my FEC-100 with a 50%/50% blend of BBQ Delight Hickory and Cherry Pellets.

I've also started experimenting with savory rubs like Butcher BBQ Grilling Addiction or How to BBQ Right AP Rub. These are two of my favorites on red meat, and turns out they are also fantastic on Pork! Adding some course black pepper which gives great texture.

Raw Dry Rub Spares
Dry Rub Raw Spares by David Miller, on Flickr


Cooked Spares
Dry Rub Spares by David Miller, on Flickr


Memphis Style Dry Rub Loin Backs
Dry Rub Loins by David Miller, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Beautiful!
 
4ever3 said:
I think folks get a little crazy with rubs and injections and “hanging meat” and this and that blah blah blah... Oh and “layering” rubs like it’s gonna hit yer taste buds at different times...

The beauty (to me) is cooking good meat and letting it stand on its own...


Rub, inject, layer, hang (upside down or right side up) all you want, but sometimes ya just need to smoke some neked meat...
Click to expand...

Amen, brother!
 
Gimmethecash said:
Amen, brother!
Click to expand...

It really is ridiculous how much poking and prodding happens on here. Mustard for a rub holder, layered rubs, margarine in foil, mops, basting, all kinds of mixes and sauces. By the time you guys are done you've made a $9 rack of ribs cost $25.

Charcoal and Cherrywood are really all you need for a good rib. If you like a little bit of tang to it, sprinkle it with a little malt vin and salt.

Start fire, get temp between 200 and 300, insert ribs, come back in 4 hrs.
 
AKMIMNAK said:
Just Meat & Smoke!
Click to expand...

I've done that too. I wanted to try some different rubs so I halved some back ribs and put different rubs on each. I left one w/out rub as a sort of control. I was astonished by how good the naked one was. My take away from that was that I need to make sure that my rubs complement the flavor of the meat as smoked and not try to overpower it.

I also did what I called "smoking wood tests." I had accumulated a variety of smoking woods including maple (box elder, actually) oak, hickory, black walnut, cherry, crab apple, mulberry and probably a couple others I'm forgetting. I performed a bunch of cooks in a small (18") kettle using one wood and a variety of meats including pork, chicken, fish and beef to see what kind of flavor the various woods imparted. It was interesting and worth doing. Of course I used no other seasonings because I wanted to see what the smoke provided.
 
I have been wondering if it would be better wait until the end of the cook to add the rub (aka. salt) since salt pulls moisture from the meat.
 
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There is something about the simplicity of fire and meat. Also I have seen where meat is fire roasted and occasionally basted/spritzed with seawater for flavor.
 
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