Best ribs to date !

fairchase · September 2012

I decided to change up everything at once on my rib cook this weekend. Usually this is a very bad idea , however this was a home run. I have never used the perfect word, and don't think I ever will , but these were darn close.

2 racks of St Louis cut with a good layer of Oakridge Secret Weapon. I have tried and like all of the Dizzy Pig rubs , but to me secret weapon blows them away on ribs.

I've always been a 3-2-1 at 225 guy in the past. Not this time. Put on the egg at 250-275 grid temp with 2 chunks of apple ( forget the @#$% dome temp). No turn , no foil , no spritz or mop , no opening the dome. I did remove the daisy wheel and take a peek through the top vent twice.

At 4 1/2 hrs I gave them the tooth pick test ; which they passed. Then the bend test which they passed. The Secret Weapon had such a nice glaze that I thought about not saucing them, but since I had my mixture of 2/3 Blues Hogs original to 1/3 Tennessee red sitting there I brushed the sauce on the meat side only. Shut the lid for a couple of minutes , and then caramalized the sauce with my mapp weed burner. This took about 10 seconds, and produced the best glaze I've ever produced on a rack of ribs.

Served with some Infineon Raceway Baked Beans , and sweet corn bread muffins.

Couple of things here.

1. Oakridge rubs are that good.

2. I will cook my ribs at 275 grid from now on until I prove myself wrong.

3. I will set my sauce from now on with a torch.

GreenhawK · September 2012

I like the torch idea. That is a good way to do it if the ribs are done and don't need any more time to cook.

I have cooked them basically the same way that you did for years now, and it hasn't failed me yet.

Cullum · September 2012

I've heard good things about Oakridge BBQ rubs. Have you tried any of the others?

YEMTrey · September 2012

Nice job. I smoke my ribs the same way, rubbed and left alone and they are the best ribs I've ever had.

I'll have to check into those Oakridge BBQ rubs.

Hillbilly-Hightech · September 2012

That is Egg-zactly how I do them - no turn, no foil, no spritz, nothing but the rub baby!! I do use 250-275 DOME temp though, cuz that's what most everyone references (or at least used to reference - I've noticed more & more of the newbies concerned about grid temp, so perhaps more & more recipes are gonna start referencing grid temp as well as dome temp).

At any rate, I've never used the Oakridge Secret Weapon before - looks like I'm gonna have to try to find it around here & see if I can get it!!

But yeah, I've done different "egg-speriments" w/ 3-1-1, foil, no foil, etc, and have found that me & my family like the K.I.S.S. method of "set 'em & forget 'em" the BEST!!

Glad you had such a great success!!

BizGreenEgg · September 2012

@fairchase : did you do these indirect or raised direct?

Ricky B · September 2012

That sounds good, I'm going to give them a try. Do you cook direct or indirect at that temp?

Thanks

fairchase · September 2012

I've heard good things about Oakridge BBQ rubs. Have you tried any of the others?

I tried the santa maria last night on some 1" T bones. I did the T Rex on them. I was concerned about the sugar in the seasoning burning so I seasoned them after the sear ( I'm not real fond of sugar in a high heat seasoning). Wife and I both liked it so I'll try it again.

Competition beef and pork is going on some pork chops tonight.

fairchase · September 2012

BizGreenEgg said:

@fairchase : did you do these indirect or raised direct?

Indirect. plate setter legs up , drip pan , no liquid.

fairchase · September 2012

Hillbilly-Hightech said:

I do use 250-275 DOME temp though, cuz that's what most everyone references (or at least used to reference - I've noticed more & more of the newbies concerned about grid temp, so perhaps more & more recipes are gonna start referencing grid temp as well as dome temp).

I never could come up with any rime nor reason to the differences between dome and grid temp. So since the meat is cooking at grid level that's where I'm going to monitor temps on indirect cooks from now on.

When my grid was at 270 monitored by 2 maverick probes the dome was some where between 300 and 350. Yes my thermometers were calibrated.

Baysidebob · September 2012

My last tri-tip I ignored the dome and went with grid. It came out excellent. I'll try it with ribs.

travisstrick · September 2012

Welcome to the good life.

OakridgeBBQ · October 2012

fairchase said:

I've heard good things about Oakridge BBQ rubs. Have you tried any of the others?

I tried the santa maria last night on some 1" T bones. I did the T Rex on them. I was concerned about the sugar in the seasoning burning so I seasoned them after the sear ( I'm not real fond of sugar in a high heat seasoning). Wife and I both liked it so I'll try it again.

Competition beef and pork is going on some pork chops tonight.

Thanks fairchase! Just an FYI... while we do use a very small amount of raw cane sugar in our Santa Maria rub, it is not nearly enough to cause any burning, even at very high heat. Just make sure you allow the rub to re-hydrate itself on the meat's surface before grilling.

Top-shelf rubs, like Oakridge, contain a very high percentage of dehydrated spices in their blends. These spices must be allowed to become fully wetted prior to grilling at high heat, or else the spices themselves will burn. Think of it this way; which is easier to burn, a wet newspaper or a dry one? Just allow sufficient time (30-45 minutes minimum) for the rub to reanimate itself on the meat's surface before placing it on the grill and you'll never experience any charring issues, regardless of the rub brand you use or the heat you cook at.

Thanks again for the business!

Mike Trump

Owner/CEO, Oakridge BBQ LLC

SmokeyPitt · October 2012

Great post! I had a very similar experience with St. Louis style spares. I have always used baby backs with 3-1-1 ish method as well. I got a 3 pack of St Louis slabs from Costco and cooked the 1st two slabs 3-1-1, and they were way overdone. Not "fall off the bone"...more like "a pile of meat and bones"! Did the next slab with a homemade rub- 275 for 4-5ish hours, then sauced them for 20 minutes or so. They were outstanding.

I'll have to try the Oakridge rub and the torch!

Best ribs to date !

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