Ribs 101

4Runner

Just got my BGE Large last week and preparing for my second cook. My first was burgers and they came out great except for the gasket failure (this is taken care of now)

OK – I’m planning my first ribs (baby backs) this week. I have researched the forum and a variety of links posted and I have information overload. I had no idea the amount of information just on ribs. Whew! Anyway, I’m not sure what to try now. So, does anyone have a simple full proof method I can use? I have broken it down to categories.

Heat – How much lump? And do I close up the vents as it approaches 250 or do I get it hot and then close down? I'm going for 250

Direct/Indirect – I do have the plate so I’m prepared for indirect. Thoughts?

Foil/no foil – I was going to try no foil at first and just spray the ribs every hour or so with the apple juice/cider vinegar mix

Cook Time - I was doing 2 racks on the v rack and was planning for 5 hours...sound about right?

Wet/Dry – I was planning to baste the ribs with our favorite sauce during the last 30mins or so of cooking.

Membrane – I have pulled the membrane off so I think I’m good here.



Misc – any other suggestions for a newb like me?

Thanks

Joe

Crimsongator

Go with an indirect cook. Light the fire and get the coals going (remember it will get well above 300 while the cubes burn) when the lump is going good, add the pleatesetter, legs up. This should drop the temp. Once the indirect temp closes in on 250, shut the vents down. On mylarge 250 means the bottom draft is open about 1/8-1/4" and the top is closed with the petals open.

Foil is up to you. I would pull the membrane off and if you want to baste do it at the very end of the cook. 5 hours will be pretty cloe with this set up. With ribs it will take a couple of cooks to get the feel for how they finish they way you like them. Anything else?

reelgem

I tried making ribs all different ways and was never happy with the results until I talked to Carwash Mike. He truly is the rib expert. He's very good at explaining how to do them. Makes it easy and the results are amazing. BEST ribs I've ever had in my life.
Just email him. He loves helping people.

Crimsongator

Oh uh, is he the ONLY rib expert :ohmy:

FlaPoolman

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/06/baby-back-rib-class.html

Fidel

These are simply my opinions....I do not proclaim to be a master of ribs.


Heat – How much lump? And do I close up the vents as it approaches 250 or do I get it hot and then close down? I'm going for 250. Catch the temp as it approaches 250 and let the temps stabilize for at least 20-30 minutes before adding the ribs.


Direct/Indirect – I do have the plate so I’m prepared for indirect. Thoughts? Indirect. No question here.

Foil/no foil – I was going to try no foil at first and just spray the ribs every hour or so with the apple juice/cider vinegar mix. If you want fool-proof ribs and you like fall off the bone tender I would recommend you try the 3-1-1 method. It is easier and more consistent. If you prefer a little more tug to the meat then your method sounds right.

Cook Time - I was doing 2 racks on the v rack and was planning for 5 hours...sound about right? Baby backs can go 5 hours or more. I've had some go close to 8 that still were not quite done. You need to check them for tenderness to know when they are done. Time is only a rough guideline.

Wet/Dry – I was planning to baste the ribs with our favorite sauce during the last 30mins or so of cooking. This is what I do, just long enough to set the sauce but not enough time to allow it to begin to burn or caramelize.

Membrane – I have pulled the membrane off so I think I’m good here. I would say so. I also trim any large or thick areas of fat.

egret

Hey!! I didn't know "Carwash Mike" was one word!!

reelgem

I'm sure your method is good too. I've never tried it but Mike's has been doing this for many, many years and I personally like his method. Nothing against you.

Crimsongator

I am just having some fun with you Anne. I do mine very similar. Except I prefer St. Louis cut ribs. I can get them much cheaper (as spare and cut them at home usually) and I think they cook more consistently.

Austin Smoker

First of all congrats on making it through your first cook with good results...always satisfying!!

I echo EVERYTHING that Fidel said for your first rib cook....especially the part that I am no rib king..but I love them and cook them often.

If you've got 5 hours to get them done, then the 3-1-1 is near foolproof. You'll figure out what works best for your preferences. I still do 3-1-1 when I need them done by a certain time...I will often reduce the foiled time to 45 minutes because I find that the 3-1-1 will often give me fall off the bone ribs and I prefer tug off the bone. If I have all the time in the world (no kids) then I put them on at 225-250 and let them ride, spraying as you have lined out.

Good luck and POST PICS!!

Fidel

Not to change the topic, but I found a recipe for migas the other day based on your tagline. Turned out pretty good and is something I want to explore further.

Got a good recipe/method you care to share?

reelgem

I've had St. Louis ribs in restaurants but never made them on the egg. I'll have to give them a try sometime.

Thanks!

Austin Smoker

Ahhh..THE quest of my life is to replicate killer migas that some of my favorite restaurants produce. Sadly, while I am making progress, I have not nailed it yet.

The key for me is to find the thinnest corn tortillas and saute them in the pan before adding eggs, veggies, etc. You want them almost crispy. When I make them at home, I always start there, then add diced sweet onion, chopped fresh serranos and roma tomatoes with the scrambled egg mix. Recently have been doing an additional egg white for every egg in my scramble mixture.

After that, scratchmade flour tortillas hot off the griddle are a must for me - which fortuantely, I can get excellent examples of in the abundant mexican joints near my home.

I eat the migas using a flour tortilla to pick up the migas mixture, or sometime roll them up into a breakfast taco.

I think this quest may be similar to making truly great brisket....one that will require many trips to sample the "reference product" and contiued experimentation! I am blessed to live in a town that has great "reference product" available for both brisket and migas! Not sure where you are, but maybe a Texas Eggfest would be cause to come calibrate your progress?! I'd be happy to make a run to lockhart and show you a couple of my migas haunts.

Have fun.

Fidel wrote:

Not to change the topic, but I found a recipe for migas the other day based on your tagline. Turned out pretty good and is something I want to explore further.

Got a good recipe/method you care to share?

4Runner

Thanks for all the quick replies. I will give Car Wash Mike's method a try this time....I will give the 3-1-1 next time. Can't wait!

reelgem

You won't regret it.

Chris

I have tried various methods and I have settled on the simplest...250 dome, about 5 hrs, spritz with apple cider/vinegar mixture toward the end.

The foiling, unfoiling, grilling, etc got to be too much work and I actually didnt like the results as good. Plus, I am lazy.

I don't add sauce. Like to serve several sauces on the side, so you can have a little sampler platter of sauces.

SHarpGator

I am relatively new at this. I've been doing lots of chickens and steaks, but not so many ribs yet.

Can somebody explain the 3-1-1 method to me in more detail. Is that foil/no foil/foil or the opposite.

My favorite ribs are Sticky Fingers in Chattanooga. They drop off the bone. I hope to get close to them one day.

Thanks,

4Runner

The cook starts tomorrow morning around 6am to be ready for lunch. The ribs are our pork and of course we are having hoppin johns and greens. Anyway, on the membrane, one rack had and one rack did not. Kind of strange. I'll take a picture for the final 30mins.

3-1-1 - I think it is as follows:

3 hours indirect
1 hour in foil
1 hour direct

4Runner

OK - I don't have a picture ready but I did keep a log of my first smoke on the BGE.

Prep
6:30am Added lump and wet JD wood chips from center out. Lit fire.
6:45 - added plate setter, drip pan with apple juice and water in pan. Temp at 210. bottom open a good 2 inches and top holes open 100%

First hour
7:00 - put ribs on my other rib rack. Since I cut racks in half, V rack was too wide. Will not cut next time. Didn't let temp stabilize so it varied from 210 - 260...didn't trust air vent setup being that is was my first time. checking every 10min. Reminds me of our first night at home with our twins.

7:45 - temp at 235 now. made slight vent adj. bottom is 1/4 top is closed with 1/2 hole open

Hour 2
8:00 - temp now at 215. top holes open 100% so bottom open at 1/4" and top closed with holes wide open. Hopefully this will hold my temp at 220 or so now. Spritzed ribs with 50/50 closed egg set timer for 1 hour.

8:10 - still struggling with temp as it is back up to 240. closed top holes to 50%. temp must have risen from opening egg.

8:30 - temp is stable now at 220. finally!

Hour 3
9:00 - actually went 30mins without checking. A record for me. temp still holding at 220. Noticed liquid of some sort down around the bottom vent. My pan doesn't appear to be leaking so not sure what that is but it sure looks like rib juice. Will investigate after cook. Sprtiz and close.

9:30 - temp fell to 210. Opened lid real quick and then opened top holes to 100% Going for a temp of 250 now.

9:45 - temp at 250 and holding....smoking good.

10:00 - rinse and repeat. noted temp crept up on me a bit so made a top small hole adjustment. Wind has picked up just a bit so air flow could have increased from earlier.

10:20 - still struggling with temp a bit as it fell to 240. Made another top hole adjustment.

11:00 - rinse and repeat....last time. temp is 250

11:30 - pulled off ribs and basted with Sticky Fingers. Made a rookie mistake and left to dome open while I was basting. Ribs back on and temp is at 300.

12:00 - pulled them off and we ate at 12:15. They were a hit. Not fall off the bone but very tender. I think they needed more dry rub but the family prefers less spice than me.

Thanks for all the replies.