Update---I could use help with pork ribs.

[Curmudgeoness]

Last edited Sun Jun 30, 2013, 07:46 PM - Edit history (1)

I am an idiot....I saw the most awesome ribs in a meat market and had to buy them. These are the kind with a lot of meat on the ribs. Now, I am not sure how to cook them. I am partial to Memphis dry rub as opposed to a lot of barbecue sauce, but I think I can deal with that part. What I don't know is how to cook them. I don't have a gas grill, I have a charcoal grill, and I could finish them off on that, but I don't think I could cook them on it.

How should they be cooked? For how long? Would I be able to put them on the charcoal grill?

They look so good and I don't want to ruin them with overcooking or undercooking.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Update: Well, I did the ribs, and they were too dried out, but were still good. I used a dry rub, cooked them in the oven for 2 hours, covered, then I transferred them to the smoker, set in a foil pan but not covered, for the second two hours. They were cooked to where they came off the bones easily but did not fall apart. They had a nice crust on them, but the crust went too far. I figure I should have had them covered in the smoker too, at least until about the last half hour. I learned from this and will do better next time.

[Lex]

1. I too have a charcoal grill (a Weber) and this method

has worked great for me:

http://www.bbqjunkie.com/bbq-recipe/bbq-ribs-on-a-weber-grill/

[Curmudgeoness]

2. OMG does that look good!

I have never cooked anything over charcoal for that length of time. Do the coals really stay hot for 4-5 hours? I wonder if one chimney full of coals will last that long or if you have to add coals.

[Lex]

5. They will stay hot a good long time

but you can also add a few charcoal bricks at a time right from the bag on top of the hot coals to keep the heat going.

[Turbineguy]

3. I soak the ribs in

Last edited Sat Jun 29, 2013, 11:35 PM - Edit history (1)

apple cider overnight. Then season with salt, pepper and garlic. Then I brush on some bbq sauce and bake in the oven at 225 degrees for about 6 hours.

We always get guests.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. Do you put sauce on from the beginning,

or just in the last hour? I assume that you cover them for the full time they are cooking???? Or do you cook them uncovered near the end? Do you add any water to the pan?

I didn't lie, I have no clue how to do this.

[Turbineguy]

6. Sauce on from the beginning.

The apple cider provides plenty of liquid. The only thing is that if you are cooking two pans to switch them every hour as the higher pan will cook faster than the lower pan. I cook them uncovered. Sometimes I baste with the pan juices, but not always.

[Major Nikon]

7. Pork ribs are pretty easy to cook

I cook mine in my smoker, but you can just as easily do it in your oven.

The first thing you have to do is remove the silverskin on the back side of the ribs. This is pretty easy to do, but takes a bit of time if they are stubborn. You can find plenty of directions on how to do it on the youtubes.

Next you'll need to apply a rub. You can either buy a commercial rub at the market or make your own. Most recipes you'll find are going to look something like this:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/dry-rub-for-ribs/

Just apply the rub to both sides of the ribs and as the name implies, rub it in.

Put your ribs on a cookie sheet, preferably on a rack if you have one that fits the sheet and bake them in the oven for about 2.5-3 hours at 225F.

Coat the ribs liberally with your favorite BBQ sauce and wrap them tightly in alluminum foil and braise them for another 2-2.5 hours at the same temp. At this point the rib meat should be pulling away from the bone, but still attached somewhat. If you like your ribs falling off the bone(I don't), you can cook them for another hour or two, but this makes them practically impossible to finish on the grill.

[Curmudgeoness]

10. I bought a dry rub,

so I hope it is a good one! So I am ready on that count. I agree with you that the meat should not fall off the bone, but should be easy to pull away. I have a small smoker, but I don't trust it to cook the ribs thoroughly. I will probably start in the oven as you suggest.

Thanks. This is helpful.

[Major Nikon]

12. Just keep in mind that ovens vary in temperature so cooking times will vary

My smoker is electric and maintains a pretty constant temperature with about a 15-20F swing either direction of 225. The first time you do it you may not get exactly the results you want as far as the ribs adhering or falling off the bone, however they will still be good either way. Just take notes and adjust your cooking times accordingly next time around.

[Curmudgeoness]

14. Good advice.

Electric smoker, sounds nice. I do love charcoal cooking, but it has it's limitations.

[MichiganVote]

8. There are two primary things to do to cook ribs

Whether you are doing the short ribs or the meatier country style ribs, you must marinate the meat in your favorite type of flavoring and you must cook them low and slow.

So, do you like sweeter BBQ sauce or a flavor that is more hickory like? Do you prefer a BBQ sauce that is thicker or thinner? You may find you need to experiment. But one thing is certain, once you try one type of sauce, you'll eventually try another and another and another. Some people prefer to use a liquid sauce and other prefer a dry rub. I've used both successfully.

That said, the BBQ sauce I use that people continually rave about is my simplest. And that is I make a sauce/paste using olive oil and my favorite rub, I marinate the meat-sometimes for up to 48 hours in the fridge and then I cook low and slow on any grill. Charcoal is the most tasty but also the most drying-so be sure to expect to coat those babies every 20-30min. More often if its chicken.

Finally, when the meat is done, let it rest a few before serving. The juices retract back into the meat and it will be more tender.

Have fun and remember, like anything else, everything improves each time you do it.

[Curmudgeoness]

9. Thanks. Sounds easy enough.

You just told me something that I never knew (and I am no young'un). I did not know WHY I was supposed to leave any meat rest for a while before cutting or serving. Good to know the reason that I do that, and maybe that will make me more patient in the future.

[MichiganVote]

11. If you use a sweeter sauce, with a pineapple or brown sugar

base, the meat needs to be higher on the grill away from the primary heat while cooking. Reason being, the sugar will burn. Once your meat is nearly done, then you can lower your grill rack for the char if that's your taste. Some people don't care for that in the same way some people like steak rare and others prefer it well done.

BTW, I've also cooked ribs in the slow cooker and that too is an option on a work day. But always on low and over several hours depending on how much meat you have.

[Curmudgeoness]

13. I don't care for sauce,

or at least not much of it. Definitely not a sweet sauce. That is why I was considering dry rub. When I order them out, I always ask for sauce on the side because everyone seems to use too much sauce. But I do love that char on them.

[MichiganVote]

17. Then you will probably favor a hickory/onion based sause or rub.

Some people like to include a mild or moderate jalapena in their sauce/rub. I don't care for a lot of sauce either but I have a whole family of guys who slather it on. Whatever.

[pinto]

15. I just marinade them, cook them long and slow in the oven on a baking dish wrapped tight in foil.

Remove the foil. Re-coat with marinade and finish quickly (brown) under a hot broiler. Pull and let set. Have fun.

[Curmudgeoness]

16. I will have fun.

You guys are the best. I read in this group, but I am always intimidated by it, besides being too lazy to do all these things. Usually. Then I decide to try to pull something off that I have never tried before, and something that takes time---like the ribs. They just looked soooooo good.

Actually, I can write a book on 15 to 30 minute, quick and easy meals (even if they are not always good for you). It is the long or complicated that I avoid.

[dem in texas]

22. This is how I cook them but with an extra step

I put the ribs in boiling water for a few minutes before putting in the oven, this will take some of the fat off them. Same for beef short ribs, which are really good slowed cooked in the oven, I baste them with chili sauce mixed with Coca-Cola, a recipe from Clara's Kitchen in South Dallas.

[The empressof all]

18. Check the underside of your ribs

If there is a thin layer of "skin" pull it all off. It will make your ribs tougher

I use an oven method of just salt, a little brown sugar, and black pepper and lots of it. I cook on a rack in a roaster covered with aluminum foil. I throw them on the grill or turn the oven up and uncover at the end to brown them off.

[Curmudgeoness]

19. Thanks.

I have a plan now, and hope it works. I have them in the oven and have them covered with foil as you suggest. I plan to put them in my smoker after about two hours in the oven and hope for the best. That "skin" was a pain in the butt. I plan to ask at my meat market if they can remove it for me next time, if there is a next time.

I can't see how I can totally ruin them, but I hope this works out well.

[Aerows]

20. I have some lamb ribs

I've been wondering what to do with them. I got them on sale, and I love lamb. Sounds like there are some fantastic ideas in this thread.

As to your question, my father boils them a little before he applies sauce to make them fall apart, then he does the slow grilling approach - one that is well suited to charcoal grilling. Basically, you've cooked them then you stick them on the grill to form a crust, then you stick them in the oven to let them absorb the sauce you put on them. It's rich barbecue, for certain, but soft and it falls off of the bone.

[Curmudgeoness]

21. So far, so good.

I never thought to boil them, but I cooked them at 125 for two hours in the oven. I used a dry rub instead of a sauce. They look really good so far. I have had them in the smoker now for about an hour, and they are forming a wonderful crust. They are not falling apart yet, so they will have to be in there longer. I had expected at least two hours. But they look so good!

I just have a little smoker, and didn't think this would work well, but it has. It is a little table top Weber, and I have to form a pan out of foil so I could make it fit on the side. But my stomach is growling already.

[Aerows]

23. How did they come out, I wonder?

Just wanted to know

[Curmudgeoness]

25. I did update my OP to add the results

which were not stellar, but were edible. I found that the leftovers, heated up in a pan on top of the stove with a little water added were quite good. Here is the update:

Update: Well, I did the ribs, and they were too dried out, but were still good. I used a dry rub, cooked them in the oven for 2 hours, covered, then I transferred them to the smoker, set in a foil pan but not covered, for the second two hours. They were cooked to where they came off the bones easily but did not fall apart. They had a nice crust on them, but the crust went too far. I figure I should have had them covered in the smoker too, at least until about the last half hour. I learned from this and will do better next time.

[Aerows]

27. Boiling them helps

or so I've heard.

[Behind the Aegis]

24. It will take longer and I have never tried this, but...

...I was watching "Restaurant Restoration" and Chef Robert Irvine cooked his ribs with a dry rub and bay leaves, then tightly wrapped it in saran wrap. He cooked it in the oven...it has to be under 250 or the saran wrap will melt (it may be 200, check online). When he took it out, the meat fell off the bone! Like I said, I have tried that technique, but you might want to search his name and see if he has a recipe for it.

ETA: http://www.ehow.com/how_4750344_ribs-saran-wrap-aluminum-foil.html

and from Robert Irvine: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robert-irvine/ribs-recipe/index.html

[Curmudgeoness]

26. Wow, I would never think to put saran wrap in the oven.

I have used those bags specifically designed for use in the oven, but the worst thing to have happen would be to have plastic melt all over the meat.

Interesting though. I will have to think really hard before I try that. At least the temp that I would cook the ribs would not be a problem, since I was down at about 125.

Thanks for the links. Who knows, I might try it. My mechanic was telling me how to cook ribs----perfect, he tells me. He said to marinade 24 hours in Italian dressing, then put them in a pot and bring to a boil for just a little while, then wrap in foil and cook in the oven really low for hours. I might try that one of these days, although putting a dry rub on them after they come out of the boiling water might be a challenge. He cooks his with BBQ sauce, so it is not a problem for him.

[Aerows]

28. You can use an oven bag

Those are good for at least 450°

And by that, I mean put the meat in the pan, and then the whole pan in the oven bag. That's how solar ovens work to retain heat, so stick the pan in the bag, close it tightly, and it will have air that heats the food. You probably don't want to cook it any higher than 325° anyway, and that way there won't be danger.

[dark forest]

29. I'm going to give the secret

to what in my opinion are the best ribs ever.

First the sauce. You want a tangy sauce, not a sweet one. A little ketchup, a little mustard, vinegar, a tablespoon of oil, salt, other flavorings as desired. Proportions are up to you, but the ketchup should contain enough sugar, no additional should be added.

Or make or buy what you like. Tastes vary.

But the secret is in the way that it is cooked. There are two ways to cook bbq, open pit and closed pit.

Closed pit is just hot smoking. It makes a highly edible rib, but I much prefer open pit. This is the original barbecue.



I use an offset smoker, but I totally ignore the smaller firebox. Instead, I build a fire of lump charcoal on the side away from the top vent. The other side I leave as a place to let the ribs cook away from the coals.

I add a lump or two of hickory to the fire to provide smoke.

To start off, I basically grill the ribs until I like the color of the outside. Maybe 10 minutes per side. Keep the lid down and the temp at about 325/350 F.

Then move them to the cooler side, and add more ribs to the hot side. Keep the lid down.

Here is the secret. Spray the ribs with water ever time you open the lid. Spray the fire. This helps to keep the temp of the fire down, but more importantly, keeps the meat moist.

If all has gone well, about 2 hours will see a perfect rib.

This is my approximation of the taste the open pit will give. Naturally, it is not true open pit 'que, but it has the wonderful flavor only burned animal fat can give, and a good smoky flavor that is not overpowering. In my own view smoke is like salt; a little goes a long way.

Any way, that's my method, and my opinion. There's others out there.

[Curmudgeoness]

30. Mmmmmm. When can I come to dinner?

Your description of the ribs is excellent, my mouth is watering. That "flavor only burned animal fat can give" is exactly the thing I am looking for.

I don't have a set up to do them this way, unfortunately. A neighbor does, and I am thinking it sounds so good, we should try this recipe and technique. I am printing this out for future reference. If I buy the ribs, I bet I can talk him into trying it.

Love that picture----but I am glad that no one will put those critters in front of me.

[dark forest]

31. You should see some

of the other things they cooked.

WARNING: A little gruesome.

[Curmudgeoness]

33. Warning. A lot gruesome.

But I was not surprised. I am grateful to have been born at this time in history!

[dark forest]

32. I should mention

that you want to keep an eye on these babies. You will possibly want to switch the ribs between the hot and the cooler side of the pit. It takes time to develop judgment, but do your best, and adjust the next time to suit your taste.

GooD luck!

Also, you may want to add more hot coals about half way through. This is not low and slow. Keep the temp at the cooler side @ 325/350. KEEP THEM A LITTLE MOIST WITH THE SPRAY.

[Jenoch]

37. We have an offset smoker and sometimes I have a difficult time keeping the fire going

so the smoker is hot enough. Your idea building the fire just unside the main part of the grill sounds interesting and I'm going to try it sometime. I have an idea for you. Instead of spraying the ribs with water, spray them with apple cider. I have done that a few times and they ribs have a nice glossy finish to them. I never put BBQ sauce on the ribs while they are cooking.

[dark forest]

40. I keep the smoker hot by

starting with 2 chimneyfuls and adding a hot one as needed until I'm through.

As far your idea of spraying with apple juice, it is excellent flavor profile wise.

However, my purpose in developing this method was to simulate the results of a certain local eatery. They use an open grill with the meat 3 feet above the fire, which is hot. They add logs of hickory as needed, and control the flame with a hosepipe. Their motto is to barbecue with "love and steam, not fire and flame". There's plenty of the latter, though.

So my concern is that the apple juice would not sufficiently control the fire, apple juice containing the quite burnable substance, sugar. Might try it, though after all, if it doesn't work, I can have a spare spray bottle of water handy.

[Jenoch]

34. We have an offset smoker at our cabin, so at home I just use a Weber kettle grill to smoke meats.

To smoke pork ribs on a Weber I get the coals going with a chimney charcoal starter (far superior to lighter fluid) and put half on one side and the other half directly across. Then I put soaked wood chips on top of the coals. Our grill grate is the kind with a hinge so wood chips and charcoal can be added without lifting the entire rack. I usually do 3 racks of ribs at a time using a rib rack. The night before I use a BBQ rub on the ribs. You need to keep an eye on the smoke coming out of the top of the grill. Adjust the air inflow at the bottome of the grill and on the top of the lid. You want to keep it hot enough to keep the coals going but you don't want the temperature inside to go much over 250 degrees. I have an oven thermometer designated for the grill. I have tried adding unlit charcoal to the grill but found I have better success lighting about a half of a chimney starter with charcoal and add it when it needs a jump start, it all depends on the fire and how the coals are burning.

[Curmudgeoness]

35. I have a Weber kettle grill as well

but I don't have hinges on my rack, dang it! Adding coals is a pain but I have a system now. I agree with you that it is easier to start additional coals in the chimney to be added as needed instead of putting unlit ones on the lit ones. That never does work out well for me either.

How long do you have to cook them this way? Do you put them on raw and cook the whole time on the grill, or do you just finish them off there?

[Jenoch]

36. I remember the first time I did ribs on a Weber.

I was in Arizona visiting my snowbird parents. It was SuperBowl Sunday. I did those ribs until they looked perfect, I think for about 6 hours. I didn't have a thermometer, but they looked good. When I went to take them off, I realized all I had left was a burnt shell, they were all incinerated.

I have since learned to use a thermometer (250 is the target) and only smoke them for about 2 to 3 hours at the most. Then I either wrap them in foil and finish cooking in the oven at 250 or I wrap them in foil and stack them on the center of the grill and keep the heat going at 250. The foil helps to make them tender. I am a believer in that you don't need to keep the meat on the smoke for the entire cooking time.

Sometimes I am smoking a bunch of ribs with the intent to put some of them in the freezer. If that's the case I skip the foil wrap and let the ribs cool, then cut the rack in half, wrap in plastic and put them into a ziplock bag for the freezer.

I have smoked pork shoulders the same way, or if making for the freezer, I'll take the smoked pork shoulder and cut it so it will fit into an oblong 6 quart slow cooker and get the meat fork tender that way. I have a brother who keeps the pork should in the smoker the entire time. What he is missing out on are the juices that accumulate in the pot. His pork juices end up in the bottom of the smoker.

[Curmudgeoness]

38. LOL, what you describe about your first experience

is what happened to me the first time I tried ribs. When I posted this, it was only the second time in my long life that I decided to try again. You see how scarred I was by my first experience? All I knew this time was that I did not want a repeat of that.

Thanks for the help. Since my second try was not incredibly good, but not as bad as a burned out crust on a bone, I am going to keep trying to perfect it. I did learn more from this last try. And got lots of help here.

[Jenoch]

39. That SuperBowl was only my first time smoking ribs on a Weber.

I started cooking ribs in the oven and then finishing them on the grill. Then I smoked ribs on a gas grill using a foil packet of soaked wood chips, then I put a small cast iron pan right on the gas flame and put wood chips in that. Then we got the side smoker, but that was only used when I was smoking lots of meat, such as 6 racks of ribs or 2 or 3 pork shoulders, and that turned into an all day affair. Then I started to also use a Weber to smoke meat, and aside from that first rib failure, the Weber has made a good smoker. I'm looking around for another smoker, likely a verticle one, but probably not a Weber Smokey Mountain. I can't get past the bullet design where the meat on the bottom rack is only accessible by removing the rack of meat above it. I forgot that my first smoking adventures were using a cheap Brinkman bullet smoker. That one did not work for me because the bowl for the charcoal and wood did not allow for airflow control to keep the fire going. This post is a little disjointed, but those are some of my smoking experiences and the equipment used.

[dark forest]

41. I'll make a comment concerning smoke.

A little goes a long way, just like salt.

To this end, I use chunks rather than chips, and NEVER, EVER soak them.

I also keep the fire hot, so that the minimum of smoke is produced. Gotta have some, though, so I add a chunk every now and then through the 1st half of the cook.

Also, I control the temp with the bottom vents only, leaving the top vents full open so that the smoke kisses the meat, but does not ravish it.

One final thing. Ribs cooked this way should not be falling off the bone, but should have some tug to them. You'll have to experiment to get the tenderness the way that you like them.

One more final thing. As you are not concerned with the smoke penetrating every crevice, leave the membrane on. It is quite tasty.

[Jenoch]

42. When I'm using the offset smoker

I am burning oak firewood, not soaked chips. I start with a chimney of charcoal on kindling and go from there. My fire problem is caused by my wanting to get the sweet spot where the fire is going good but trapping in the smoke, but I'm going to try your method of full on fire.

I also know about the 'falling off the bone' thing too. I want the ribs to have a clean bite off the bone. I really don't care for ribs in restaunts in which the ribs are slathered in sauce and falling off the bone. Many of my family members like them that way.

I too do not always bother with removing the membrane. I will trim some of the fat if the ribs are a little too fatty.

[dark forest]

43. OK, just remember

don't leave them directly over the fire for more than about 10 minutes at a time. you don't want to dry them out, or burn them. Keep them moist spray about every 10-15 minutes and every time you open the lid.

You don't have to get all the brown on them at once, you can move them on and off the flame at will.

It will probably take about 2 hours to properly tenderize them. Last time I only left them on about 1-1/2 hours, and they were good, but not quite there.

And finally remember: every cook is different. Experiment, use your judgment. I like to do a little quality assurance when I think they are about ready

Good luck, and let me know how it went

[Jenoch]

44. I was thinking of still

using indirect heat for most of the time and build the fire on the fitebox side of the main compartment. But I will now try it with direct heat as well. Thanks for the ideas.

[rl6214]

45. I cook my pork ribs for 1.5 hours in the smoker with a sweet wood,

Apple, peach are good woods to use with pork. I make a rub with salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika and brown sugar.

After the time on the smoker I take them off and put another layer of brown sugar, pour honey on top and 1/2 a stick of butter, then wrap them in foil and in the over at 225 for another 1.5 hours to tenderize.

No BBQ sauce required.

[Curmudgeoness]

46. Yum, sounds good.

I had thought that putting them on the smoker at the end instead of the beginning was a better idea, but the more you make me think about it, the more I can see the benefit to getting the smoky flavor on them before I make them just dry out....then wrap and cook them so they do not dry out.

[rl6214]

47. That's exactly right

If you cook them first you won't get a smoke ring and they will just dry out. If you smoke them first then wrap them in foil with the honey and butter,they will be nice and moist with a good smokey sweet flavor. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.