First time ribs?

Bubba's dad

Ok here is the deal - I have never done ribs before on the egg and need some direction. Like:

1. what to buy?

2 How do I prepare it?

3. Can I use the same rub I use for my butts?

4. Cooking temp?

5. When do I know to take it off the egg? Do I use the thermapen?

Thank you - thank you - thank you

Misippi Egger

SAMs or Costco sell baby backs in 3 packs - uninjected meat.
Beware of grocery store ribs - the fine print will often show they have been 'enhanced' - injected with various solutions.

Here is the link to CWM baby backs - follow his to the T and you will have awesome ribs:

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

Good luck!

Bubba's dad

Thanks for the input - I would love everyones ideas on ribs.

Help

jeffinsgf

I personally prefer spares to baby backs, but I still use Car Wash Mike's method, for the most part.

Spares have a big flap of meat on the inside. Trim that off and cook it separately. It makes a great appetizer for the cook and special friends about 45 minutes before the ribs are done. I spritz with 50/50 beer and apple cider vinegar -- I'm not one to add sugar to a cook in much of any way, and I can't think of anything that resembles pure sugar water more than apple juice.

If you prefer dry ribs to sauced ribs, dust liberally with rub about the same time you would sauce -- last 20 minutes or so.

Bad Byron's Butt Rub has no greater purpose in life than to season spare ribs. It is, in my humble opinion, perfect for ribs. It's second highest purpose is replacing seasoned salt in Chex Mix, but I digress.

Jeffersonian

I like the flavor of spares better, but CWM baby backs are great, too and don't require the same degree of prep work as spares. If you're looking to do spares, I'd recommend trimming them to St. Louis spec: Here's how

Then rub them with your favorite rub, resting for a 1-4 hours, putting on the Egg at 250* indirect for about 6 hours, maybe a bit more. Sauce them for the last 30 minutes or so (my favorite is Blues Hog original).

gdenby

I usually buy a double pack of whole spares, and trim to St. Louis style. Save the tips/trimmings for a second cook.

I remove the membrane on the bone side. I like use a coat of oil rather than a mustard slather for the rub base. Depending on my mood, I may just rub them with a nice coat of sugar, salt and black pepper, sometimes not even the sugar. Other times, its maybe 3 - 4 different rubs combined for every possible flavor.

Dome 250, raised, drip pan underneath with just a bit of water to keep the dripping from burning. Lay flat, check at 3 hours to see if they are drying out at all. Spray with cider/cider vinegar if so.

Wait until the meat is well drawn back from the bone ends, and see if the slab is bending easily under its own wait, usually around 5+ hours. If I've just used salt and pepper, I dust with some coarse raw sugar in the last half hour.

Serve with heated sauce(s) on the side.