I realize that there are many ways to smoke your ribs and that not all methods are loved, hated or despised. However, this is just meant to be some helpful guidance to those who are learning to make ribs and make one think of each step along the journey. If you guys like this maybe I'll do a few more.....
1. Select and trim your ribs. Not all ribs are created equal, but not all are bad. Open your cryo and hope for the best - I know it would be nice to select each rack, but who really has that much extra time and cash.
2. Evaluate and get to know your racks. The straight bones are easier to cut but don't necessarily mean they look better and they don't taste any different.
3. Flip your ribs upside down and give them a base dusting of something like all season salt or your favorite McCormick's or whatever you like as a base.
4. Squirt some mustard or olive oil... just make it all ready to receive the rub.
5. Rub that meat on it's boney backside and make it happy.
6. Dust and rub - give it a good coating and yes rub, rub, rub
7. Coat with salt and pepper... DO NOT RUB, DO NOT RUB it will make it ugly..
8. Flip ribs over, base rub, mustard/oil, rub ..... rinse and repeat.
9. Dust with rub, do NOT rub, pat gently - yes gently and if you don't know what that is ask your wife or loved one.
10. S&P DO NOT RUB - Think about how it feels to rub salt in a cut or eat raw pepper - not good and not pretty....
11. Ribs on pit at 250 - then to 235 then to 265 .... u guys get it - do your best to avg 240 - 250
12. Smoke at temp for 2.5 - 3 hrs depending upon taste... squirt no more than twice, some like em dry. I use a beer, white vinegar, cider vinegar and sugar mix. 1.1.1 Pick what you want. I squirted once.
13. This is what they look like when ready to wrap.
14. Sprinkle light brown sugar and lightly squirt with honey or aquave (alt sweet but not too sweet liquid cab easily be used). Add beer or some stock to the package to keep it moist - we all like moist don't we.....
15. Wrap tightly but do not let foil touch top of ribs..... seal it up and don't let it leak.. Cook for another .......
16. Cook for an hour or up to 2 depending on how soft you like your ribs... the longer you cook the more tender and gushy they get... balance to your tastes. To learn pick up each rack by the first three ribs and watch how they break, when you find a break point you like your good to go...
17. If you are interested in going beyond this you are entering into "pretty food"... are you comfortable with that???? ask yourself....
Lay your meat out and evaluate how it looks and will slice.....
18. Slice up on one side of the bone so as to allow for a nice bit of meat.... Lay in order of rack so that you can evaluate how even your slices are, thickness and consistency in appearance.
19. Plate, i.e. box... this one bites (not pretty but tender and tasty) as it is on a plate, shows a nice fat bone and has many other errors.. however this was meant to be informative... you get the point.... oh and this is after a lot of marinating - if you get my point...
20. And to give an idea of how much you will be put aside for munching on at a comp ....
I hope you find this helpful and informative. Please don't crucify or spank as I am not that kind of member. However, please do comment so as to provide improvement options, alternative cooking ideas for the readers and guidance on how you find success..... Keep in mind folks - its all about what you want and like.
P.S. You guys want Yard Bird next week and who thinks Texas BBQ is better than the rest???? :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:
1. Select and trim your ribs. Not all ribs are created equal, but not all are bad. Open your cryo and hope for the best - I know it would be nice to select each rack, but who really has that much extra time and cash.
2. Evaluate and get to know your racks. The straight bones are easier to cut but don't necessarily mean they look better and they don't taste any different.
3. Flip your ribs upside down and give them a base dusting of something like all season salt or your favorite McCormick's or whatever you like as a base.
4. Squirt some mustard or olive oil... just make it all ready to receive the rub.
5. Rub that meat on it's boney backside and make it happy.
6. Dust and rub - give it a good coating and yes rub, rub, rub
7. Coat with salt and pepper... DO NOT RUB, DO NOT RUB it will make it ugly..
8. Flip ribs over, base rub, mustard/oil, rub ..... rinse and repeat.
9. Dust with rub, do NOT rub, pat gently - yes gently and if you don't know what that is ask your wife or loved one.
10. S&P DO NOT RUB - Think about how it feels to rub salt in a cut or eat raw pepper - not good and not pretty....
11. Ribs on pit at 250 - then to 235 then to 265 .... u guys get it - do your best to avg 240 - 250
12. Smoke at temp for 2.5 - 3 hrs depending upon taste... squirt no more than twice, some like em dry. I use a beer, white vinegar, cider vinegar and sugar mix. 1.1.1 Pick what you want. I squirted once.
13. This is what they look like when ready to wrap.
14. Sprinkle light brown sugar and lightly squirt with honey or aquave (alt sweet but not too sweet liquid cab easily be used). Add beer or some stock to the package to keep it moist - we all like moist don't we.....
15. Wrap tightly but do not let foil touch top of ribs..... seal it up and don't let it leak.. Cook for another .......
16. Cook for an hour or up to 2 depending on how soft you like your ribs... the longer you cook the more tender and gushy they get... balance to your tastes. To learn pick up each rack by the first three ribs and watch how they break, when you find a break point you like your good to go...
17. If you are interested in going beyond this you are entering into "pretty food"... are you comfortable with that???? ask yourself....
Lay your meat out and evaluate how it looks and will slice.....
18. Slice up on one side of the bone so as to allow for a nice bit of meat.... Lay in order of rack so that you can evaluate how even your slices are, thickness and consistency in appearance.
19. Plate, i.e. box... this one bites (not pretty but tender and tasty) as it is on a plate, shows a nice fat bone and has many other errors.. however this was meant to be informative... you get the point.... oh and this is after a lot of marinating - if you get my point...
20. And to give an idea of how much you will be put aside for munching on at a comp ....
I hope you find this helpful and informative. Please don't crucify or spank as I am not that kind of member. However, please do comment so as to provide improvement options, alternative cooking ideas for the readers and guidance on how you find success..... Keep in mind folks - its all about what you want and like.
P.S. You guys want Yard Bird next week and who thinks Texas BBQ is better than the rest???? :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:
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