apple cider substitution

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Howdy all.

I'm looking to use my WSM for the first time on Sunday by making some spareribs. The problem is that the recipe calls for apple cider and I can't find it anywhere due to its seasonal nature. Any suggestions as to what to use for a substitution? I've considered apple juice, hard cider or a combination of apple juice and apple cider vinegar but thought that I'd ask the experts. Also, I'm adapting this recipe from a non-smoker recipe in which it says to spray the ribs every 30 minutes with cider. Can I put cider in the pan with water and achieve the same results? If so, what water/cider ratio should I go for?

Thanks a bunch.

-Brandon
 
Combining apple juice and cider vinegar sounds good. Some people use one or the other, but both together might be interesting. Try basting using the "half times" method, i.e. if you're figuring on cooking six hours, baste at 3 hours (half of 6), then at 4-1/2 hours (half of the remaining 3 hours), and so on.

Some folks swear putting ingredients other than water in the pan enhances the flavor of the final product. Me? I dont think so.

Not an expert, just an educated guesser.
 
Welcome Aboard Brandon!

I'm not sure you're going to have any discernable taste difference using apple juice or cider with the ribs, but I would use 3/4 juice to 1/4 apple cider vinegar and I think you'll get pretty close.

Remember, you should lift the lid as little as possible, so you won't be in a position to spray the ribs except when you turn (three or four times at most).

Putting flavored liquids in the pan will effect the flavor very little, if any. The water pan dispenses the heat evenly, but doesn't effect the flavor.

Hope this helps, and again, Good Luck!
 
Did you look in the juice section of your grocery store for cider? I too thought cider was a fall item, but the other day I was at Safeway looking for Martinelli's apple juice and there were several brands of cider as well, including Martinelli's cider.
 
Thanks for all of the great advice. I'll give the juice/vinegar combo and let you all know how it turned out. I did look for cider here in the juice aisle, but all they had was sparkling cider. Not sure what that would do to the meat, but I'd feel mighty silly basting my ribs with a faux champagne bottle next to me. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
 
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