About to try my next big green egg adventure... Dry Rub Ribs

kwdickert · September 2015

So I spent a few hours online looking at different "award winning" and highly favored recipes for these ribs. I took some time to aggregate and average out the "crucial" steps and I think I came up with what will hopefully become my staple recipe. I followed this same process when figuring out how to do a boston butt and it came out amazing.

Here's the link to my RIBS steps.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Yi9PSCDxAcYTJmsA7KthqufBk3sB0Q-oBEEZCbk8TQE/edit?usp=sharing

let me know what you guys think. I plan to try it out Saturday!

lousubcap · September 2015

Looks like a good plan-for the finish I like to go with the toothpick test. Insert in the thickest meat and "no resistance" means you are there. More accurate for me than the bend test. FWIW-
BTW-I think you are missing several adult supervisory beverage steps during the process.

. Enjoy the cook and eats.

kwdickert · September 2015

Haha, i'll add the drinking steps and be sure to mention the toothpick method.

kwdickert · September 2015

Some of you may have been reading while I was editing the file. Probably annoying! Sorry. I'm finnicky about formatting and such as I add and remove things.

Ladeback69 · September 2015

Sounds like a good plan and don't let me change your mind any, but I usually do Spare ribs and Baby Backs in a 2-1-1 method cooking them at 225 to 250 and have had no problem with them not being done. I usually get a good smoke flavor and when they reach 150 they aren't really going to take much more smoke in. When I do the foil step I like to had a little apple juice. It helps braise them a little and helps keep the brown sugar from getting so dark or burnt. I also like to add squeeze butter, honey and brown sugar, but that is not necessary unless you want them a little sweeter. Are you using a finishing sauce on the ribs or any sauce? I didn't use to tell I found Slab's Finishing Sauce for ribs.

I have also cooked them straight through for 3 to 4 hours at 250 to 275 and they were good then too.

When they come out of the foil for the last step, they are basically fall of the bone at that point. Putting them back on for another hour firms them up.

Good Luck and enjoy.

kwdickert · September 2015

I am not going to add anything to the foil this go round and since I love my ribs dry with a extra coating of rub at the end, i'll forgo any sauce in hope that they'll be juicy enough that they won't need it.

Webass · September 2015

I did 2 slabs of St. Louis style this past weekend. Easiest and, according to everyone, the best I've done.

Rinsed, dried, removed membrane, applied mustard and homemade rub.

Setup the BGE for indirect with mix of hickory and cherry. Placed drip pan on platesetter on six large bolts to keep it off the hot surface. Filled the pan about 1/3 water.

Stabilzed at 240 and let burn for about 30 minutes.

Placed ribs on grid and spritzed with 1/2 mix of apple cider vinegar and apple juice every hour.

Removed at 5 hours, spritzed one last time and dusted meat side of ribs with Rendezvous Famous Seasoning. After resting for a few minutes, sliced and served them dry with choices of sauce on the side.

Ladeback69 · September 2015

Webass said:

  Filled the pan about 1/3 water.

A water pan in the egg isn't really necessary. IMO I have not had any issues with ribs or other food being dried out. If you are using one make sure it doesn't run out or your egg temp will spike up. The water acts as a heat sink. I use water when I smoke with my Weber Smokey Mountain though and that does help with the moisture.

Webass · September 2015

  Ladeback69 said:

Webass said:

  Filled the pan about 1/3 water.



A water pan in the egg isn't really necessary. IMO I have not had any issues with ribs or other food being dried out. If you are using one make sure it doesn't run out or your egg temp will spike up. The water acts as a heat sink. I use water when I smoke with my Weber Smokey Mountain though and that does help with the moisture.

I actually use the pan more as a "drip" pan. I put water in it which makes it easier to wash and reuse. The nuts keeping off the hot placesetter prevents it from drying out. I know ribs don't drip like butts or briskets but I'm a creature of habit I guess. I'm also cheap and like to be able to use those $2 pans more than once.

gdenby · September 2015

Good plan.

I don't use foil anymore, but I have come up w. I trick that seems to have a good effect. At about hour 4 for spares, I check to see hows the meat is drawing back, and if the rack is starting to bend some. If so, I lightly brush the top of the ribs w. a little more oil, and add a final sprinkle of spices and herbs, and maybe some coarse sugar. Fresh cracked pepper, and paprika, maybe cracked coriander and oregano, a bit more garlic. Those flavors seem to me to diminish during the cook, w. the exception of the sugar. That way the crust is a bit thicker, and tastier, and the coat of oil helps keep in some of the moisture to speed the last of the cooking, but keep the crust drier.

Griffin · September 2015

I'd bump the temp up to 250 and go ahead and skip the foil stage. And go ahead and reapply your rub maybe half way through the cook and then again when you pull them.

kwdickert · September 2015

I'm gonna two slabs in a rib rack. If I didn't do a rib rack, would i be flipping them?

jtcBoynton · September 2015

@kwdickert Here are a few comments on your method. Overall, looks good. Follow your outline and you should get a good meal.

Temp - 225º is a temp that many find hard to hold with a large BGE. You can increase that to 240-250º and it will produce results just as good and be easier to maintain the temp.

Wood - I would use wood chunks and not chips.

Water pan - doesn't add any benefit to the cook, so skip it. Use a drip pan instead.

Oil - it can help the rub stick to the ribs, but you may find it unnecessary.

Flipping - no need to flip.

Timing - your estimated times are good, but realize that there is lots of variability. I just cooked a couple of racks of St Louis style that got done way sooner than expected. So make sure to start checking for doneness much sooner than you expect them to be finished.

SmokeyPitt · September 2015

Looks like a good plan to me. One tip that comes to mind is if your ribs are enhanced with some kind of solution, they may already be pre "brined" so to speak. You may want to try to find ribs that are not packed in a solution, or skip the dry brine step. It is only 2 hours so you would probably be fine...but they may be too salty or even come out a bit "hammy".

tarheelmatt · September 2015

If this is your SOP for a rib cook, I'd like to see your running instructions for the household.

Ladeback69 · September 2015

SmokeyPitt said:

Looks like a good plan to me. One tip that comes to mind is if your ribs are enhanced with some kind of solution, they may already be pre "brined" so to speak. You may want to try to find ribs that are not packed in a solution, or skip the dry brine step. It is only 2 hours so you would probably be fine...but they may be too salty or even come out a bit "hammy".

Are ribs stored in a brine solution in a cryovac? I have never noticed them having a salty smell and I think they would be a different color like corn beef. I have put rub on ribs the night before and left them set in the fridge over night for 8 hours and had now problem. A friend of mine likes to inject is ribs for competition.

kwdickert · September 2015

tarheelmatt said:

If this is your SOP for a rib cook, I'd like to see your running instructions for the household.

She too is surprised I am this organized at the grill. That and drinking are the only things I take serious!

tarheelmatt · September 2015

kwdickert said:

tarheelmatt said:

If this is your SOP for a rib cook, I'd like to see your running instructions for the household.

She too is surprised I am this organized at the grill. That and drinking are the only things I take serious!

Man, you would not like me. Hardly ever go by a recipe and I don't drink.

SmokeyPitt · September 2015

Ladeback69 said:

SmokeyPitt said:

Looks like a good plan to me. One tip that comes to mind is if your ribs are enhanced with some kind of solution, they may already be pre "brined" so to speak. You may want to try to find ribs that are not packed in a solution, or skip the dry brine step. It is only 2 hours so you would probably be fine...but they may be too salty or even come out a bit "hammy".

Are ribs stored in a brine solution in a cryovac? I have never noticed them having a salty smell and I think they would be a different color like corn beef. I have put rub on ribs the night before and left them set in the fridge over night for 8 hours and had now problem. A friend of mine likes to inject is ribs for competition.

Not all ribs in cryovac are "enhanced". I think they have to put it on the label if they are- it will say something like "enhanced with 7% solutions". In my area Kroger meat labeled "Moist and Tender" is enhanced. The solution contains salt so it is basically like a brine I think. I have had enhanced that were fine but others that came out a little too salty, and I think perhaps I used too much salt in my rub in addition to the salt from the solution.

toogoodootgr · September 2015

I am going to give it a try this weekend. My wife really likes sweet baby ray's BBQ sauce. I can take it or leave it. I am going to do one rack the way you described, and the do one with her sauce. I haven't had the BGE long, and haven't done any ribs. I normally don't put the sauce on until about 45 minutes left in the cook with my charcoal grill. I definitely wouldn't call myself a rib expert. Any thoughts and advice would be appreciated. I do have a great dry rub recipe passed on from my grandfather that I will try to locate tonight. Since I'm only doing two racks I figured I could lay them directly on the grate. Flip or don't flip...that is the question?

Ivanhoe · September 2015

I've been trying different baby back recipes and my last was Car Wash Mikes and it was great!

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1133699/car-wash-mikes-baby-back-rib-class/p1

Legume · September 2015

Damn, now I want ribs.

good plans, you distilled some good stuff there.

I agree you should target 240-250, chunks not chips, water optional/useless

skip dry brine, just let them setup with the rub on for a couple of hours instead, dust a little more before you put them on if you want

I think your timing for BBs might be short, I usually see ~5+ for BBs and ~6+ for St Louis spares in this temp range without foiling. little longer for untrimmed spares maybe.

get progressively lighter with rub application each time - lightest as you take them off or you could get too salty or strong.

beverage management and tunes, keep a few tools or garden implements close by so you can defend against any claims you are just sitting there

Just opinions here, so enjoy and good luck!

kwdickert · September 2015

Now THIS is good advice!!!

kwdickert · October 2015

UPDATE:
After a few weeks of family issues popping up and me dropping everything two weekends in a row, my grandfather, who gave me my egg and built the table in which it sit, passed away. It was a few hard weeks but he's in a better place. After we got home and settled in, I decided that this past weekend was a good time to honor his gift and finally do the ribs.

I followed my recipe and it came out pretty good.

A few thoughts:

-after 4.5 hours they were tender and I never used the crutch but I would've preferred a crispier skin. not sure how to have both tender/moist AND crispy crust
-The AmazingRibs.com memphis dust rub wasn't my favorite for two reasons. one, the ginger was too forward and i thought that was odd. two, the sugars made it overall too sweet and it could be cut in half and be better.
-I had my grill run on me for 5 minutes from 225 to 300 and i ran out and yanked the grill grate, ribs, and all off the grill until i choked it back down to 225. Do you think that screwed me up?

logchief · October 2015

Sorry to hear about your loss, what a great gift. Ribs come out great between 250-275 and minor fluctuations aren't critical. It's easier to keep a large at that temp range.

I really like the Memphis Dust without any sauce.

About to try my next big green egg adventure... Dry Rub Ribs

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