Amateur wants to learn the basics on barbecue ribs, cook times, rubs and mops

[Chett. L]

Hi BBQ brethren folks and aficionados,

I've always been a huge fan of pork baby back ribs. I am limited with my cooking devices. I live in a condominium and can only cook with my gas oven and my gas barbecue. I have to admit I have no great knowledge or experience cooking wise and would like to gain some basic knowledge here and would like to learn.:grin:

Regarding preparing and cooking baby back ribs.

For oven cooking or gas barbecue cooking, is it best to marinate the ribs 24 or 48 hours before cooking. If I use a dry rub should I first based the ribs with oil and then season?

What is the overall consensus and opinion about seasoning and then mopping marinating. Meaning Carolina & Memphis style rubs should just stay as Carolina and Memphis rubs and barbecue marinated ribs should stay as barbecue marinated ribs, I guess there is no rules and it all boils down to flavor and taste, just wondering what the right wrong way is. Please forgive me I did not mention Texas style barbecue.

For oven cooking what is the general idea temperature and cook time? Should the ribs be cooked open grate or in an folded aluminum pouch With a loose ends and holes

In terms of combination cooking gas and grill. What type of recommendation or not would there be for cooking in the oven and then finishing ribs off on the gas grill?

I realize like everything in life there's nothing like hands-on experience and trial and error. I am open to all suggestions and I am willing to learn gratefully.:razz:

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to ask all my basic questions I realize that I am amongst real pros, folks that have put in the time energy and effort to learn how to refine their craft and create some of the most delicious tasting barbecue under God's blue skies


Best regards,
Chett

 

[daninnewjersey]

If you have a gas barbecue, give this a try:
1) Get yourself plenty of cold ones
2) Have the flame on opposite where you put the ribs
3) Cook at 250-275
4) Use a basic rub in the beginning...no marinade. Try just kosher salt and black pepper first.
5) For smoke flavor, take a few small pieces of oak, cherry, apple, hickory...whatever is available (other than pine) and wrap in tinfoil. Put that over the flame and let it smoke.
6) When you pick up the ribs with tongs and they bend and start to tear they are done.
7) Eat and critique the ribs.

 

[landarc]

Wow, that is a long question.

I strip the membrane on ribs, that is almost always step one for me. Actually, step one, is that I prefer to buy true baby back ribs, not the extra thick loin back ribs, strictly a preference issue and there are exceptions we will get to.

I don't typically marinate my ribs, I use dry rubs almost always, and apply them about one hour prior to cooking. You can marinate, and if you do, I think 12 to 24 hours is more than enough. I would use the shorter time frame for baby backs, longer for loin backs.

I have cooked on gas grills in the past, I use smoke bombs (foil packets, filled with wood chips, and with two to three small holes poked in the top). I lay the smoke bomb, one at a time, on the grate, then put the ribs on top of the smoke bomb. The smoke will waft over the ribs that way. You cannot do this in an oven. Many folks will place the smoke bomb on the heating elements of the gas grill, what I find is that there is not enough smoke that way, as gas grill as designed to vent before the exhaust hits the meat. The exception are the new infra-red grills. Those can work great with placing wood chunks directly onto the grate, and letting them smolder, then placing the ribs on, next to the smoldering wood.

I do not mop. I do spray sometimes, using a flavored glaze in the last 20 minutes of cooking.

For cooking in the home oven, you can approach it many ways, since I like ribs with a bit of crust, and a home oven will have no 'bark', what I do it cook in a foil pouch for 1 hour, then remove and finish by baking. Once the ribs bend, I will broil them to get a little texture. In the oven, I cook the ribs at 300°F.

 

[SmittyJonz]

St. Louis cut Spares- PlowBoys Yardbird rub - 275° for 4 to 4.5 hours. Some Sweet Baby Rays. Thinned a lil...... All you need........no mops, no Spritz, no wrapping

 

[ICDEDTURKES]

If you have a gas barbecue, give this a try:
1) Get yourself plenty of cold ones
2) Have the flame on opposite where you put the ribs
3) Cook at 250-275
4) Use a basic rub in the beginning...no marinade. Try just kosher salt and black pepper first.
5) For smoke flavor, take a few small pieces of oak, cherry, apple, hickory...whatever is available (other than pine) and wrap in tinfoil. Put that over the flame and let it smoke.
6) When you pick up the ribs with tongs and they bend and start to tear they are done.
7) Eat and critique the ribs.

Great basic advice to get you going.. A couple things to add sauce near the very end if at all.. And do not place a whole lotta trust in the supplied thermo on your grill...

 

[Chett. L]

If you have a gas barbecue, give this a try:
1) Get yourself plenty of cold ones
2) Have the flame on opposite where you put the ribs
3) Cook at 250-275
4) Use a basic rub in the beginning...no marinade. Try just kosher salt and black pepper first.
5) For smoke flavor, take a few small pieces of oak, cherry, apple, hickory...whatever is available (other than pine) and wrap in tinfoil. Put that over the flame and let it smoke.
6) When you pick up the ribs with tongs and they bend and start to tear they are done.
7) Eat and critique the ribs.

Thank you for the good advice.
and Thank you for your time.

 

[Chett. L]

Wow, that is a long question.

I strip the membrane on ribs, that is almost always step one for me. Actually, step one, is that I prefer to buy true baby back ribs, not the extra thick loin back ribs, strictly a preference issue and there are exceptions we will get to.

I don't typically marinate my ribs, I use dry rubs almost always, and apply them about one hour prior to cooking. You can marinate, and if you do, I think 12 to 24 hours is more than enough. I would use the shorter time frame for baby backs, longer for loin backs.

I have cooked on gas grills in the past, I use smoke bombs (foil packets, filled with wood chips, and with two to three small holes poked in the top). I lay the smoke bomb, one at a time, on the grate, then put the ribs on top of the smoke bomb. The smoke will waft over the ribs that way. You cannot do this in an oven. Many folks will place the smoke bomb on the heating elements of the gas grill, what I find is that there is not enough smoke that way, as gas grill as designed to vent before the exhaust hits the meat. The exception are the new infra-red grills. Those can work great with placing wood chunks directly onto the grate, and letting them smolder, then placing the ribs on, next to the smoldering wood.

I do not mop. I do spray sometimes, using a flavored glaze in the last 20 minutes of cooking.

For cooking in the home oven, you can approach it many ways, since I like ribs with a bit of crust, and a home oven will have no 'bark', what I do it cook in a foil pouch for 1 hour, then remove and finish by baking. Once the ribs bend, I will broil them to get a little texture. In the oven, I cook the ribs at 300°F.

Thank you for the good advice.
and Thank you for your time.

 

[Chett. L]

St. Louis cut Spares- PlowBoys Yardbird rub - 275° for 4 to 4.5 hours. Some Sweet Baby Rays. Thinned a lil...... All you need........no mops, no Spritz, no wrapping

Thank you for the good advice.
and Thank you for your time.
Nice looking pictures!!!

 

[Chett. L]

Great basic advice to get you going.. A couple things to add sauce near the very end if at all.. And do not place a whole lotta trust in the supplied thermo on your grill...

Thank you for the good advice.
and Thank you for your time.