Easter Baby Back Ribs & Smoked Italian Sausage


 
Mike Pypiak

Mike Pypiak

TVWBB Member
my first few ribs cooks have been OK - I haven't been incredibly satisfied but everyone has seemed to enjoy. I think I have turned the corner, yesterday's ribs were the best I've made yet.

I sprayed the ribs with 2/3 apple juice, 1/3 apple cider vinegar mixed with about a tablespoon of honey (dissolved) as a base layer. I then rubbed with a new rib rub I picked up from my favorite BBQ joint in Virginia, Due South BBQ in Christiansburg. I have no idea what is in the rub! Smelled like some garlic powder, maybe some onion powder, black pepper and maybe some white sugar. Never seen a white rub before but I figured I'd give it a try.

Here is the rub:
IMAG0401 by pypiak23, on Flickr

Here are the ribs after they spent the night in the fridge all rubbed down:
IMG_20140420_084753 by pypiak23, on Flickr

I put them on the smoker with 50/50 hickory & cherry at about 250 degrees for about 2.5 hours, here they are before I foiled:
IMG_20140420_133410 by pypiak23, on Flickr

I foiled them with some sprinkled brown sugar, apple juice and honey. Put them back on for about 1.5 hours. When I took them out of the foil, they were a bit too sweet so I put some "Hot Shot" on them, which is just black pepper and red pepper mixed by McCormicks:

IMAG0402 by pypiak23, on Flickr

While foiled I threw a couple of hot italian sausage on:
IMG_20140420_134322 by pypiak23, on Flickr

I took them out of the foil, put back on the WSM for about 35 minutes, then sauced them. I found this BBQ sauce at Harris Teeter - if you like Cheer Wine this is the jam! soooooo good:
IMAG0390 by pypiak23, on Flickr

If you aren't from the South, Cheerwine is basically like Dr. Pepper but more cherry and less cola.

Finished up:
IMG_20140420_142241 by pypiak23, on Flickr

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to get any pictures of them sliced up, had to run to a cookout where these were the main dish (no pressure!). They were a damn hit I was pretty proud of myself.

Hope you enjoy.
 
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Thanks for sharing. Ribs look great. Christiansburg is not too far from me. I'll have to check that out. Any other suggestions from that store?
 
Mike I read your post then had to scroll back up to see where you were from. I knew it was close when you mentioned Cheerwine. I'll have to look in our HT soon for that sauce. I can see it being good on wings too.
 
Thanks everyone!

Scott M - If you have a chance to shoot down 81 to Christiansburg to check out Due South, I highly suggest it. Their BBQ in all honesty is not going to blow you away... don't get me wrong it is great but they do seem to have better days than others. Their sides are fantastic, but what I go there for is their sauces. They have I think five: sweet brown, sweet red, spicy red, lexington & a yellow/mustard based sauce. I think they have won several awards for their sauces. I tend to stay away from lexington style sauce (personally, I'm sure theirs is great of you like that sort of thing!) but i do purchase their sweet sauces and the spicy red is really damn good. They have several rubs for sale as well.

I'm in Christiansburg about every 3 weeks and I eat there every time.
 
Neil H - this is the first time I have seen this particular flavor of Cackalacky BBQ sauce - and thanks for the inspiration I think that is going right on some wings tonight!
 
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