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Ribs

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Steelers252006
Steelers252006 Posts: 115
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
First ribs, got a few questions as I want some different opinions. I was going to do some babybacks at 250 for probably four to five hours. First, how long after the fire is stabilized should I add the chips, or should I intergrate them into the lump in a circular pattern?

And why do people take off sometimes and foil and add back to the grill, or is that necessary? You know they're done when they curl a bit, I believe? Any other good tips or tidbits??

Comments

  • Marvelous
    Marvelous Posts: 70
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    Hi I just received fresh cut country ribs I am going to marinate them overnite with Merlies Magic a spicy orfange Pinapple sauce with Ole FRay apple/cinnamujm and add honey coould someone help me as to the cooking time and temp I know the how to cook baby backs but these are nice and thick butcher wanted me to boil them first then a very short time on grill but I would prefer the losw and slow please help Marvelous
  • Roll Tide
    Roll Tide Posts: 505
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    I personally prefer chunks as opposed to chips. I add the chunks as soon as fire is lit. Of course I light with a mapp torch. Foiling is referred to as the texas crutch. It is a method most, if not all, competition teams use to tenderize and moisturize. This idea is that you seal the ribs in a foiled vessel which creates a moist, humid environment than tenderizes themeat. If I were to foil I would add a bit of apple juice, water, beer, wine, etc... to the mix. However, you will want to finish unfoiled to firm up the bark. Additionally, you will probably only want to foil for no more than an hour(I would foil for 30-45 minutes, personally). In my experience foiling longer can create mushy ribs. That being said, I don't foil unless, I am trying to create a certain glaze that I like to make and I use to apple juice and remainders from foiling as my base for this, but thats another story.
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Wood flavor chunks or chips. Folks do it both ways.

    If you get your fire established and add chips or large chunks you can cool off the temperature some.

    If your fire is established, clear smoke, then add chips there will be a time when the flavor wood smoke will be acrid. Putting the food on right after adding the chips will put an acrid flavor on the cook.

    Some of the wood I can only get smaller chips. So I build the fire, and get the egg to temp. I then add a good hand full of chips, in a pile, to the side of a light spot in the lump. A few chips where they will catch burning lump. I smell the aroma of the smoke from the egg to determine when to put the food back on the egg.

    Putting the flavor wood mixed in with the lump will usually give a good aroma & flavor as soon as the burn is stable. However, on the next cook that same flavor wood will still be in the lump. I use different flavor woods with different cooks and that's why I add the chips/chunks on the top of the lump.

    GG
  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
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    If they are country style ribs they are not at all like bb ribs they should be cooked more like a loin roast hot and fast 5they are an all together different cook
    i am sure some one else will chime in and say the same thing
  • Roll Tide
    Roll Tide Posts: 505
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    As far as telling when they are done. Do the bend test. take a pair of tongs pick them up from one end and the other end should bend almost 90 degree angle. Additionally, some of the bark may break. Also, some of the bone will be exposed from the meat drawing back. You can take a bone and tug on it and it will probably pull, but I don't recommend this unless you ahve some high temp bbq gloves as the bone will be very hot!
  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
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    Are these boneless?
  • NC-CDN
    NC-CDN Posts: 703
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9cKLjWlF10

    This is a pretty good start for you. Pretty detailed and is a good one for the EGG. Seeing it done may help you guys.

    They foil the ribs with honey and brown sugar and apple juice. Nice!

    Good luck.
  • Steeler Fan
    Steeler Fan Posts: 395
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    Yes, this will be hard to believe. My recommendation is to follow Car Wash Mike's method. Even though he is a KC fan, he may not know that the Steelers are the best football team day in day out. His ribs though are fantastic day in day out. As we speak, making some baby backs a couple of large chunks of wild cherry wood. do not have all of my normal rubs et all. Therefore using whats on hand Raging River (DP), will use 3 oz of apple cider after a couple of hours wrapped in aluminum for a little steam and juice. will reduce after I unwrap in about an hour and if somebody wants a little wet, I have it. (Apple cider, raging river and turbinado).
    Wash it down with some duquesne beer. Yes I said duquesne they are making it again.
  • Frank from Houma
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    I would plan on closer to 6 hours

    Use the bend test as recommended by R.T.

    Foil if you like but no foil zone here. If you foil make sure you put them back on the grill for an hour (unfoiled) to firm them back up
  • tach18k
    tach18k Posts: 1,607
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    Well I add wood chunks right when I put the ribs on, and sometime it is mixed in the lump, everytime it is different, as is the rub, foil or not, rack or not. As long as you have a 250 dome for 30 minutes prior, your good to go, the rest is experimental
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    Marvelous, You should have your own post but, I hope Steelers252006 don't mind. This is what I have done in the past and it worked pretty good. Maybe you want to look it over and adjust anyway you like. Tim ;)

    Country Ribs

    http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=771261&catid=1#