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Let me hear your rib recipe

TDogg46
TDogg46 Posts: 56
edited November 2011 in EggHead Forum
First ribs I did, I used Car Wash Mike's recipe.  They were good...not great..but I'm looking to improve.  If you don't know CWM's recipe, it is very simple....remove membrane...coat wish mustard and a rub.  On the egg for 5 hours at 200-220.  Every hour spray with 50/50 mixture of apple juice/apple cider vinegar.  Take ribs off V-rack and cook direct for last 30 min when you apply the BBQ sauce.  They were a little tough to get off the bone and just lacked the taste I was looking for.  Let's hear what you got...please include grill set-up, etc.

Comments

  • Do most of you guys use foil?  Do any of you boil your ribs before smoking them?
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    Do most of you guys use foil?  Do any of you boil your ribs before smoking them?

    Hiss !!!!
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • AD18
    AD18 Posts: 209
    Boiling = Sin

    My opinion perfect ribs should still "stick" to the bone a little bit, not fall off.  I was told fall off the bone ribs are over done.  My opinion.  I do not foil either.  Flavour wise keep seeking what works for you, that is part of the fun.  Good luck.
    Large BGE, Weber 22.5 kettle, Weber Genesis
    Cobourg, Ontario
  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275

    Although we love low and slow babybacks, we needed to come up with a fast way of cooking them. We would do the low and slow on our days off, but sometimes wanted ribs when we didn't get home until 6 pm. About 12 years ago we tried several different methods and then hit on this one and have been doing them ever since, when we are in a pinch for time. Parboiling is definitely OUT!

    First I like to get the ribs at Costco, I look for the fresh ones that they have just boned the loins off of, if they don't have them then I'll get the crayovaced ones. I'll rinse them under cold water to get the blood off and pat them dry. Remove the membrane from the bone side, starting at the small end and pull towards the big end. Use a towel or pair of pliers to get a good grip. Then turn over and remove the extra layer of meat on the small end. Cut under the silver skin and trim this piece up. We cook this with the ribs and use them for munchies while the ribs are resting after the cook.

    I'll rub them with Worcestershire on both sides and then season them. We usually like to make our own seasoning, but again because of time I grabbed the only thing I had in the pantry (McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning) and gave it a try. Sprinkled it lighty on both sides and rubbed it in, don't get to heavy handed with this because it will be very salty if you do. Since I only had a Weber gas grill at the time, that's what we cooked on. Cooked at 325-350 over direct heat bone side down for 30 minutes, checking to make sure there was no charring after 20 minutes, if there was then adjusting the temp. or moving them around on the grill. Next turn to meat side for 10 minutes, then back to the bone side, applied sauce and cooked for another 20 minutes. Total cook time was 1 hour. Pulled them off and tent foiled for 10 minutes. These are the kind that you gnaw on, not fall off the bone. Moist and flavorful.

    I haven't tried this on the Egg yet, I just got it last week, but will soon. I'm guessing I'll have to cook these at the felt line over direct heat since it's hotter than the Weber. I may put a drip pan with some apple juice for added moisture in the Egg, also. I'll post how they come out. If anyone else tries this, please post your results.

    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    I haven't done any BBs in quite awhile. A local market often has cryovac'd IBP whole spares at half the price of BBs, and I've found that I get very good results from them.

    Start Egg. Use lots of oak or hickory. Put drip pan on bottom grill, place extender grill at felt line. Pre-Heat Egg to 250 dome.

    Un-pack, wash, and pull off any gobs of fat (save for lard.) Cut down to St. Louis style. Peel off membrane. Seperate the chine bone from the trimmings, and bag them for stock making. Bag the rest for rib tips at another time.

    Paint the slabs with a neutral flavored oil, usually canola. I often use DP Dizzy Dust as a base, but add whatever I feel like having that day. More cayenne, or more sugar, or maybe some exotic stuff like coriander, etc. etc.

    Once the smoke goes blue, place the ribs on the grill. I prefer laying them flat if I don't have to do a lot. They seem to cook more evenly that way.

    Go away. Check to see if heat is stable every 90 minutes, or so, tweak if necessary. At 4 - 4.5  hours, briefly open the dome to see how much the meat has drawn back from the bone. Around hour 5, I carefully paint a little plain water over the surface of the rack. At 5.5 hrs, start tugging bones, trying bend test. Add a little more rub, or just some sugar. Usually by hour 6, they are done. If I'm putting sauce on, I wait until the last few minutes, and ramp the temp up some to compensate for the dome being opened so much/

    Aside from the bend test, what I look for is dry bones. That is, the connective tissue has pretty much melted, leaving the bones, which conduct heat better than the meat, clean of meat. The meat itself at that point is not mush. In fact, there are places where it can be quite crisp. I'll see if I can attach an image of what I'm talking about.
  • Do any of you boil your ribs before smoking them?

    :O
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • Greygoose
    Greygoose Posts: 103
    edited November 2011
    Stick with your plan. Cook on rack for 3 hours indirect and spray with apple cider/ apple cider vinegar each hour. dome tempurature between 250 and 275. After 3 hours, foil the ribs and spray them heavily again. Remove your place setter and cook direct for 45 minutes (same temp). Unwrap ribs and place them directly on grate for another hour. During that hour, bast with BBQ sauce starting with bone side down and flipping the rib every 20 minutes. Give them a heavy coating on BBQ sauce during the last 20 minutes (which should be bone side down).  This is what i consider "dead on" ribs. 

    couple things to clarify though: you mention the ribs didnt taste well. This cooking method will probably not change that. That would be a problem with your rub. I would google search different rib rubs and give a few a try untill you find one you like.

    The method above will give you a nice tender juicy rib that will not fall off the bone (if you want to fall off the bone, leave foiled for 2 hours and finish for 3 minutes direct). 

    also note. this method is for baby backs. other types of ribs may require a longer cook time. I always use the 3-1-1 method method for baby backs. the 3-2-1 method makes the rib fall of the bone. I feel like that just a waste of a set of good teeth. 

    Baby Backs are my favorite egg cook. They come out perfect for my tastes.

    GreyGoose
  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    Here's another recipe we have used on BB's, on a gas Weber. I haven't tried it on my new Egg yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so. After preparing the ribs with your favorite rub, cooked at 225-250 for 2 hours bone side down, flipped and cooked for 1 hour on the meat side. Removed the ribs from the grill and lightly sprinkled both sides with cayenne pepper and coated with light brown sugar. Then double foil and back on the grill for another hour, check to see that all the sugar has melted. These are simple and delicious. Cayenne pepper and brown sugar really like each other.
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • GrannyX4
    GrannyX4 Posts: 1,491
    I have had better luck using Greygoose's method than CWM. I spray the ribs with Coke. I use my own rub. When I foil I will put either brown sugar or honey and Coke in the foil pouch.
    Every day is a bonus day and every meal is a banquet in Winter Springs, Fl !
  • A friend and I have developed our own style that has worked well, and we have placed as high as 5th in KCBS competitions with it.

    First I put the electric starter in the egg with the lid open and bottom vent all the way open to start the fire.  No plate setter or grate at this time.

    I then trim the ribs.  I use St. Louis cut Spares.  I cut the flap of meat off of the bone side, and pull the membrane using a paper towel to grip it.  I then trim the thick fat off of the meat side if there is any. 

    That takes me about 10 mins to do 5 slabs, so at that point I take the fire starter out and put the grate in.  I also set the vents for 250 degrees.  

    At that point I go back in and finish preparing the ribs.  I spray the bone side first with Pam cooking spray, and then put the rub on.  Then I repeat on the meat side.  I have found that the Pam makes the rub into a nice paste, and the rub sticks to the meat better.  There is also no flavor from it left behind.  I use the Competition Rub from the BBQ Shop in Scottsboro, AL.  It's a small local shop that has their own rub.  

    After I get the ribs all rubbed down I go back out to the egg.  At this time I put the woodchips in.  I use either plain oak or the Jack Daniel's oak chips.  Then I immediately follow with the plate setter, the grate, clean the grate, and the rib rack,  then place the ribs on the rib rack.  

    I find that putting the chips on at the last minute gives a heavy smoke in the beginning, but it cleans out shortly after.  I think it helps give it just a little more flavor than when I use nothing at all or if I put the chips on when I start the fire.  Also, since the smoke cleans out fast it doesn't over smoke.  

    I put a thin coat of sauce on in the last 10 minutes or so.  I put them back on just long enough to let the sauce dry up.  I use different sauces every time.  I like Stubbs or Billy Bones the best I think.  I use the bend technique to check for doneness. The meat should not fall off of the bone, and they should not fall apart while cutting them.  A properly cooked rib should come off of the bone clean with one bite and only the meat that you bite come off.  It should be easy to bite into, and be tender, but not fall apart. 

    I never wrap anything in foil while it's cooking.  I only let wrap for rest time if I have a lag in time between when I take them off and when I serve them.
    Large BGE Decatur, AL
  • apache64
    apache64 Posts: 2
    edited December 2011
    Cooking technique is largely up to the person.  I cook ribs indirect at about 250-275 for around 4 hours.  I've lately been cooking baby backs with the following prep:  Tear off the silver skin and marinade over night in Korean BBQ original sauce.  (Orange label with a red lid...says hot and spicy chicken & pork marinade).  After the indirect cook, I hit them direct for a few minutes while saucing up with some more Korean BBQ.  They don't have over powering heat, but enough. 

    Doug
  • Can someone explain the 3-1-1 and 3-2-1 method?
  • 3 hours on rib rack, 1 hour foiled, 1 hour direct finish
    3 hours on rib rack, 2 hour foiled, 1 hour direct finish
    Can someone explain the 3-1-1 and 3-2-1 method?