Who's Grilling Ribs this 4th of July

[Stangkiller]

I plan to cook/grill some Baby Back ribs <If I can find them>.

It's been a while since I've done cooked ribs, but I think I'm going to soak the ribs in beer/whiskey tonight, <after peeling off that tough thin layer of fat> then dry rub tomorrow and bake over some juice & beer, at about 200* for 3-4 hrs. Refrigerate over night and grill with BBQ on Saturday for about 30minutes or till it's warm.


What ya'll think, how are ya'll going to do it?

[DropTheTop]

I'm taking some to a party, so I'm gonna cheap out a little and do St. Louis style spare ribs. Around here, that translates to $2.49/lb versus $4.99 for baby backs.

Anywho, I'll trim 'em up proper, then marinade them in some cider and OJ, etc... overnight. Then pat dry and smear 'em with mustard, and then rub 'em down with a sweet/hot rub I make. The I'll start smoking 'em around 250 deg., spraying them with apple juice every 1/2 hour. I also like to keep a light smoke going for the first couple hours, starting with mesquite then finishing with apple wood. I'll do the Texas crutch a few hours in, then finish 'em up until I'm satisfied they're done and the meat's pulled back off the bones enough.

I personally prefer smoking baby backs with a dry rub, and just leave 'em alone for 6 hours. In this case, I know the group will be made up of people that don't really know what they're getting, and think that all ribs should have the meat falling off the bone. That's why I chose this method. :cheers:

[R.I.B.S.]

I plan to cook/grill some Baby Back ribs <If I can find them>.

It's been a while since I've done cooked ribs, but I think I'm going to soak the ribs in beer/whiskey tonight, <after peeling off that tough thin layer of fat> then dry rub tomorrow and bake over some juice & beer, at about 200* for 3-4 hrs. Refrigerate over night and grill with BBQ on Saturday for about 30minutes or till it's warm.


What ya'll think, how are ya'll going to do it?

Those sound GREAT...

Im planning on PR....:cheers:

[Stangkiller]

Overall they came out ok...they weren't fall of the bone, not sure what else I could have done. We wound up baking for 4 hours, refrigerating overnight, we put them in a smoker for about 45 minutes, then put on BBQ sauce and caramelized the sauce <5 minutes maybe>.

The flavor was great, the texture was great, they just weren't falling off the bone :-(

Did I need to cook them longer? Did I cook them at too high a temp?

[Z06David]

Overall they came out ok...they weren't fall of the bone, not sure what else I could have done. We wound up baking for 4 hours, refrigerating overnight, we put them in a smoker for about 45 minutes, then put on BBQ sauce and caramelized the sauce <5 minutes maybe>.

The flavor was great, the texture was great, they just weren't falling off the bone :-(

Did I need to cook them longer? Did I cook them at too high a temp?

200 degrees is fine, they should have just cooked longer

[Stangkiller]

200 degrees is fine, they should have just cooked longer

How long do y'all cook your ribs?

[RonC5]

Babybacks for around 4-4.5 hours at around 220. Just at the point where they pull off the bone very easily.

[Stangkiller]

Babybacks for around 4-4.5 hours at around 220. Just at the point where they pull off the bone very easily.

:banghead::banghead::banghead: I must've been close.

[Stangkiller]

:banghead::banghead::banghead: I must've been close.

Or did I need a stronger marinade the night before?

[Kerrmudgeon]

How long do y'all cook your ribs?

Easy way to check. if they break when you try to fold the rack they're done.

[Stangkiller]

Easy way to check. if they break when you try to fold the rack they're done.

So internal temp really doesn't matter...they must maintain that temp for a few hours?

[Kerrmudgeon]

So internal temp really doesn't matter...they must maintain that temp for a few hours?

6 of one, half doz of the other, when they break, they've reached the right temp!:thumbs:, unless you want mush, or don't have any teef!:D:D

[kingpin]

I don't go by the fall off the bone. I remember watching a big bbq rib contest in Texas and the judges all said that the meat should come clean off the bone when you bite it. Fall off the bone is overcooked.

You can also tell the ribs are ready when the ends of the bones are black and dried out.

[Stangkiller]

I don't go by the fall off the bone. I remember watching a big bbq rib contest in Texas and the judges all said that the meat should come clean off the bone when you bite it. Fall off the bone is overcooked.

You can also tell the ribs are ready when the ends of the bones are black and dried out.

By that definition I nailed it.

[DropTheTop]

I don't go by the fall off the bone. I remember watching a big bbq rib contest in Texas and the judges all said that the meat should come clean off the bone when you bite it. Fall off the bone is overcooked.

You can also tell the ribs are ready when the ends of the bones are black and dried out.

You got it. It's a matter of preference, so I gauge the crowd.

Fall off the bone is easy, raise your temps. Just don't go over 275.
Easiest way to raise consistent temps on a smoker, is to use lump charcoal rather than charcoal brickettes. Lump burns hotter and longer with less ash, just have plenty on hand. Brickettes burn cooler, and all that ash claps up the air flow after a while, making temp adjustments a real PITA.

[Stangkiller]

Well it's 4th of July again, and I'll be grillin ribs! Hahaha , if I cut the racks in half prior to cooking, will it cause any changes with cooking times?

[MikeB]

I got 2 packages of baby backs yesterday, $2.88/lb, so they're scheduled to be smoked on Wednesday.
I do this a few times each year.
On occassion, I'll throw a whole chicken in with the ribs:
Hand rub applied (Paprika, garlic powder (not salt) and pepper. Minimum 3 hour set time, longer is better)
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/Touringmike/grilling201/03cda0f9.jpg

Hickory chips, soaked in water for 3 hours, 3 burner grill, center burner off, 2 outside burners at low with inverted tents that hold the chips(indirect heat). I put a hand-full of chips in every 15 minutes over a two hour period.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/Touringmike/grilling201/100_1155.jpg

Pot of salt potatoes (sp :slap:) , 30 minutes over direct (low) heat with a slathering of BBQ sauce,

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/Touringmike/grilling201/100_1158.jpg


2.5 hrs cooking time, not much work, turns out great:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/Touringmike/grilling201/100_1159.jpg

Wednesday can't get here fast enough: :seasix:

[smokestack]

That seems easy enough. Im going to use your grill method. First time rib chef here lol

[Stangkiller]

That seems easy enough. Im going to use your grill method. First time rib chef here lol

Make sure the broiler pan is tightly wrapped with tin foil, it won't hurt to cook more like 5 hours in the oven, :yesnod:

[smokestack]

Its been so hot i want to use the grill. Do you need to use the oven too or just the grill? I really need to find all the info somewhere online i guess lol. Wife and i really want ribs. Neither of us have ever made them from scratch. We have just got the premade store deals where you just warm them up. Really burnt out on those.

[Stangkiller]

Its been so hot i want to use the grill. Do you need to use the oven too or just the grill? I really need to find all the info somewhere online i guess lol. Wife and i really want ribs. Neither of us have ever made them from scratch. We have just got the premade store deals where you just warm them up. Really burnt out on those.
This recipe came from my last roommate, the baby bak ribs really need to be slow cooked to make them tender. I highly recommend either a smoker (which I don't have) or bake in the oven in a broiler pan for 4-5hrs, (I chill them after this) then put on the grill with BBQ sauce till its to temperature, up to 30 minutes on the grill.

If you really want to grill some ribs, I'd suggest beef ribs. Or follow Touring mikes Style!

[kingpin]

This recipe came from my last roommate, the baby bak ribs really need to be slow cooked to make them tender. I highly recommend either a smoker (which I don't have) or bake in the oven in a broiler pan for 4-5hrs, (I chill them after this) then put on the grill with BBQ sauce till its to temperature, up to 30 minutes on the grill.

If you really want to grill some ribs, I'd suggest beef ribs. Or follow Touring mikes Style!

I do the rub and let them sit for 6-12 hours to absorb some of the flavours.
My rub consists of:
paprika
brown sugar
sea salt
red chili flakes
black pepper
chili powder
garlic powder
onion powder
oregano
and my secret pumpkin pie spice

I prep them for the oven by cutting apples into 3/4" thick slices and lining the broiling pan with them. Add rougly 1/4" of apple cider and then lay the ribs bone side down on the apples. Cover with tinfoil tightly and bake for 2 hours at 250.

After the ribs are done I take them out of the pan and set aside. I then drain all the juices through a strainer in to a sauce pan. Maybe about 1/2 -1 cup of the sauce.

I simmer it on high heat to evaporate some of the water then add more brown sugar, molasses, s&p, garlic powder and my secret pumpkin pie spice.

Let it reduce until it coats the back of a spoon.

I then grill the ribs so they form a thin crust on the meaty side and put a couple layers of the sauce I made. I usually leave a rack dry without sauce and 1 with sauce.

I'd be scared to leave them in the oven for 5 hours.

[Stangkiller]

I do the rub and let them sit for 6-12 hours to absorb some of the flavours.
My rub consists of:
paprika
brown sugar
sea salt
red chili flakes
black pepper
chili powder
garlic powder
onion powder
oregano
and my secret pumpkin pie spice

I prep them for the oven by cutting apples into 3/4" thick slices and lining the broiling pan with them. Add rougly 1/4" of apple cider and then lay the ribs bone side down on the apples. Cover with tinfoil tightly and bake for 2 hours at 250.

After the ribs are done I take them out of the pan and set aside. I then drain all the juices through a strainer in to a sauce pan. Maybe about 1/2 -1 cup of the sauce.

I simmer it on high heat to evaporate some of the water then add more brown sugar, molasses, s&p, garlic powder and my secret pumpkin pie spice.

Let it reduce until it coats the back of a spoon.

I then grill the ribs so they form a thin crust on the meaty side and put a couple layers of the sauce I made. I usually leave a rack dry without sauce and 1 with sauce.

I'd be scared to leave them in the oven for 5 hours.

I did 4 hours last year, they came out ok, the meat came cleanly off the bone, this year i'm going for a bit more fall off the bone, so 4 hours or so, I'm going to cut them in half (need to to transport to the cabin) and then cook for 5 hours at 200* instead of 220 or 250, we'll see what happens.

[NeedSpeed]

For those that like fall of the rib and want to cheat a little or are in a hurrry (BBQ Flame Suit Activated) you could boil them.

What I do sometimes is season the water a lot with things like liquid smoke, hot sauces, worcheshire, various dry seasons, pretty much whatever. I like to think of it as kind of a bbq crab boil. Then some white vinegar as well if you like (helps them break down).

Boil them for a few hours or till desired fall of bone-ed-ness. Pull them. Let them cool slightly. Add some dry rub of your liking. Add some of your favorite BBQ and throw them on the grill.

Baste often. You just want to grill long enough to get that carmelized bbq goodness going.

Purists hate it, but if you're a shitty cook you can't go wrong with this method. :D

[kingpin]

For those that like fall of the rib and want to cheat a little or are in a hurrry (BBQ Flame Suit Activated) you could boil them.

What I do sometimes is season the water a lot with things like liquid smoke, hot sauces, worcheshire, various dry seasons, pretty much whatever. I like to think of it as kind of a bbq crab boil. Then some white vinegar as well if you like (helps them break down).

Boil them for a few hours or till desired fall of bone-ed-ness. Pull them. Let them cool slightly. Add some dry rub of your liking. Add some of your favorite BBQ and throw them on the grill.

Baste often. You just want to grill long enough to get that carmelized bbq goodness going.

Purists hate it, but if you're a shitty cook you can't go wrong with this method. :D

:skia:

[NeedSpeed]

I've gotten many compliments on that method.

I usually go a braising route now which works well too. Takes a bit longer though.

[kingpin]

I've gotten many compliments on that method.

I usually go a braising route now which works well too. Takes a bit longer though.

I use to boil them myself. But for the same amount of time you can throw them in the oven the way I mentioned and avoid the grey meat. :D

[NeedSpeed]

I use to boil them myself. But for the same amount of time you can throw them in the oven the way I mentioned and avoid the grey meat. :D

Basically you braised them. I dig that as well and a little more respectable :lol:

[DropTheTop]

:kick: You oven and boiler guys are killing me! For crying out loud, go pick up a Char-Griller or Brinkmann with a the side add-on Texas smoker, or even one of the smaller vertical smokers. :D

[kingpin]

:kick: You oven and boiler guys are killing me! For crying out loud, go pick up a Char-Griller or Brinkmann with a the side add-on Texas smoker, or even one of the smaller vertical smokers. :D

I don't have the space, time or cash to do that.
Eventually I want to be one of those 24 hour slow cooker guys though.

[NeedSpeed]

:kick: You oven and boiler guys are killing me! For crying out loud, go pick up a Char-Griller or Brinkmann with a the side add-on Texas smoker, or even one of the smaller vertical smokers. :D

I got one, just usually not the time to use it.

[DropTheTop]

I don't have the space, time or cash to do that.
Eventually I want to be one of those 24 hour slow cooker guys though.

FYI: Grill w/ side smoker ~ $180, and small vertical smokers are anywhere from $40 to $100

If smoking meat was expensive I wouldn't be doing it! :lol: :cert:

[Stangkiller]

:kick: You oven and boiler guys are killing me! For crying out loud, go pick up a Char-Griller or Brinkmann with a the side add-on Texas smoker, or even one of the smaller vertical smokers. :D

Yes the oven is cheating and missing some of the flavor, but for now, it's what I got and can use. Eventually I'll get a smoker, but it's hard to rationalize something I'd use once or twice a year.

[Rob]

Yes the oven is cheating and missing some of the flavor, but for now, it's what I got and can use. Eventually I'll get a smoker, but it's hard to rationalize something I'd use once or twice a year.

I bet you would use it once a week once you get one.

[RonC5]

I bet you would use it once a week once you get one.

It is true, I use the smoker easily 4x as much as the gas grill.

[Rob]

I don't go by the fall off the bone. I remember watching a big bbq rib contest in Texas and the judges all said that the meat should come clean off the bone when you bite it. Fall off the bone is overcooked.

You can also tell the ribs are ready when the ends of the bones are black and dried out.

Falling off the bone is easy, cooking ribs correctly is not. You should be able to get a nice solid bite from the meat without pulling the rest of the meat off the bone.

The best method I have found is a standard 3-2-1 method.

3 hours unwrapped on the smoker at 270*
2 hours on the smoker wrapped in foil at 250*
1 hour unwrapped on the smoker at 225*

Then let it rest for 30-45 min before serving.



For those that like fall of the rib and want to cheat a little or are in a hurrry (BBQ Flame Suit Activated) you could boil them.

What I do sometimes is season the water a lot with things like liquid smoke, hot sauces, worcheshire, various dry seasons, pretty much whatever. I like to think of it as kind of a bbq crab boil. Then some white vinegar as well if you like (helps them break down).

Boil them for a few hours or till desired fall of bone-ed-ness. Pull them. Let them cool slightly. Add some dry rub of your liking. Add some of your favorite BBQ and throw them on the grill.

Baste often. You just want to grill long enough to get that carmelized bbq goodness going.

Purists hate it, but if you're a shitty cook you can't go wrong with this method. :D

:skep: I thought you lived in Memphis

:kick: You oven and boiler guys are killing me! For crying out loud, go pick up a Char-Griller or Brinkmann with a the side add-on Texas smoker, or even one of the smaller vertical smokers. :D

Thank you!

[MikeB]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/Touringmike/100_3087.jpg

2.5 hours wrapped in foil on top rack(not shown) in center of grill (both ribs and chicken) The meat was about 1 foot above the burner tents.
2 outside burners on lowest setting with tents inverted to smoke hickory chips on.
30 minutes over direct low heat.
Fork tender, came off the bone clean.
:seasix:

[kingpin]

Falling off the bone is easy, cooking ribs correctly is not. You should be able to get a nice solid bite from the meat without pulling the rest of the meat off the bone.

The best method I have found is a standard 3-2-1 method.

3 hours unwrapped on the smoker at 270*
2 hours on the smoker wrapped in foil at 250*
1 hour unwrapped on the smoker at 225*

Then let it rest for 30-45 min before serving.





:skep: I thought you lived in Memphis



Thank you!

:seasix:

So after you let it rest do you reheat the ribs again?

[NeedSpeed]

:skep: I thought you lived in Memphis


Yep, and I know good BBQ. But my method works well for the culinary challenged. If you like wet ribs, the sauce is king and meat becomes more of a delivery vessel.

I didn't say it was right, I said it was easy. :cert:

[Rob]

:seasix:

So after you let it rest do you reheat the ribs again?

No, rest then serve, they are plenty hot still.

[Bucwheat]

Some good BBQ tips for Labor day too.

[NeedSpeed]

Ribs sound like a plan this afternoon. :cert:

[kingpin]

Ribs sound like a plan this afternoon. :cert:

:iagree:

[kingpin]

I have 3 racks in the oven now. :hide:
I was almost on the way out this morning to go to the shop and I forgot the ribs marinading in the fridge from yesterday.
I opened the fridge to get a bottle of water and I could smell them on the bottom shelf all wrapped in foil. :lol:
I was like "SHIT" I forgot all aboot the ribs.

Another hour in the oven then on the bbq for 10-15 minutes. :drool:
I will have to enjoy them at work unfortunately.