Color my ribs


 
Brian M.

Brian M.

TVWBB Fan
My ribs always come out really black and in looking at some photo's here or if I google "competition ribs" I see some nice reddish brown ribs.

I'm not unhappy with the taste of my ribs, just the color. I did the Harry Soo Baby Backs this weekend ( I didn't use his rub. I used a little Wolfe bold) and the taste was great, but they were really black.

How do you get that nice color? Are mine black because of using sugar in the rub?

Thanks for any input.
 
Most likely the sugar, I use a rub with very little sugar. My ribs come out of the smoker a deep red color, little black on the ends.
 
Ribs don't need a lot of rub -- just a light dusting. I used to pile on the rub and got a much darker rib than I was looking for. I did a bunch of racks using Harry's method this past weekend and they were a gorgeous color. If you foil them just after the bark sets -- using the brown sugar, agave nectar and apple juice -- the bark will actually lighten in the foil. Brush on some sauce and grill them for 5-10 minutes and the color comes back nicely.
 
The only problem I had with ribs was the "bark". Ribs don't need it, the outside was turning to leather. I learned here to baste with a 50/50 mix of oil and vinegar with some rub thrown in. 2 hours into the cook I start to baste, ribs have been awesome ever since.
 
Many of us started out RUBBING ribs (it's called RUB, correct?) Anyhow, the light dusting advice is right, but I do like enough to taste some spices.
 
Referring again to the Harry Soo method, if you foil the ribs just after the bark sets, the bark will soften in the foil, but retain the smoky bark flavor. Once I tried this method, I never went back. (Once you go Soo, dats it for you?) Harry's method is very time efficient as well.
 
I like to use cherry wood on ribs along with spritzing w/FAJC cut with JB. Nice reddish mahogany color and I don't foil anymore.
I only use turbinado (sugar in the raw) in my rubs and I don't get a black color even cooking at higher heat.

Tim
 
Chris Lilly's rub recipe for Memphis style dry ribs has lots of dark brown sugar, but I haven't had any issues with them ending up too dark, foil or not. :confused:
 
I get a deep and dark redish brown on mine but I use the simplest method, water pan, dry rub (memphis dust, Meathead recipe) applewood smoke and keep the lid down for the first three hours. Depending on the style of ribs 4-5 hours about, no foil. They look great, taste great and you tug them away from the bone. There's lots of sugar in this recipe, white and brown. I wonder if you are cooking at too high a temp?
 
After reading the OP again, foil as soon as the ribs have bark and are the color you want, as that trumps any prescribed processes. However, Harry might suggest trying his rub and spritzing to control bark formation. Cooking at a lower temp should make the cook a little more forgiving, though. I prefer 275-300* if foiling, and 250* if not.
 
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