Help with Spare Ribs

[Ivson Passos Jr]

Hello Everyone,

I am getting ready for a rib BBQ on the weekend, most likely on Saturday. I would like to once again get your advice on a couple of things. My OTG had its maiden voyage with a rack of spare ribs a while ago (http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?46560-Suggestions-for-a-pair-of-ribs) and they were good, but since I was still pretty much learning my ways around L&S BBQ'ing, I felt like there was a lot of room for improvement (well, I guess there is always room for improvement ). For instance, I intend to trim the rack St. Louis Style this time around.

Here are some things I would like to hear your thoughts on if at all possible:

1. Do you use mustard to make sure the rub sticks to the meat or not? Why?
2. The rub I have is basically made of: White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Salt, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Pepper, Cumin, Garlic and Onion. It's OK, but would you suggest something different? Something to add or remove? A completely different set of ingredients maybe?
3. Should I season the rack and leave it resting on the fridge for a while? If so, for how long? Please, let me know what gave you the best results.
4. What are your favorite cooking methods for spare ribs? Last time I used the "Last Meal Ribs" recipe as suggested by AmazingRibs.com (Here is the direct link to the recipe: http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/best_BBQ_ribs_ever.html and a link to a video if you are interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9pG4iitttY) but my wife prefers the meat falling off the bone, so I think I am going to try the 3-2-1 method now.
5. I think the snake method works GREAT, so I am inclined to use it, unless you have something else more interesting to suggest me, of course.
6. Could I possibly consider cooking two racks at the same time? One on top of the other? What do you think? Have you ever done that? What were the results?

I am also taking any advice or constructive criticism of the other cook mentioned before (http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?46560-Suggestions-for-a-pair-of-ribs). I am REALLY looking forward for this next cook on the weekend, so I appreciate anything you can suggest. Watching hundreds of rib recipes on YouTube I came across two favorite ones that I intended to use as reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5A2JcUB3jM and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKCETwZT2Hg

If you are in the mood, let me know what you think of them too.

Thank you very much!

 

[Colby R]

Personally don't think mustard is necessary or a good idea on ribs, spare ribs are pork so if you rub them and let them sit too long you get the dreaded ham taste I rub right before they go on

 

[Dave Alvarado]

Do you use mustard to make sure the rub sticks to the meat or not? Why?

I don't bother, it sticks well enough on its own. Some people use mustard to help tenderize the meat. You can make good ribs either way.

The rub I have is basically made of: White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Salt, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Pepper, Cumin, Garlic and Onion. It's OK, but would you suggest something different? Something to add or remove? A completely different set of ingredients maybe?

Sounds good. I've used rub recipes, premade rubs, all sorts of stuff. In my opinion, rub is more important if you're making dry ribs. Wet ribs you tend to taste the sauce a lot more.

Should I season the rack and leave it resting on the fridge for a while? If so, for how long? Please, let me know what gave you the best results.

Don't leave a salty rub on for more than a couple hours or you pull moisture out of the meat and can end up with a hammy taste to the ribs. I rub them before firing up the WSM and put them on when the WSM is at temp.

What are your favorite cooking methods for spare ribs? Last time I used the "Last Meal Ribs" recipe as suggested by AmazingRibs.com (Here is the direct link to the recipe: http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/best_BBQ_ribs_ever.html and a link to a video if you are interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9pG4iitttY) but my wife prefers the meat falling off the bone, so I think I am going to try the 3-2-1 method now.

I do a modified 3-2-1. I cook at 275F with the ribs in the smoke for about 2.5 hours, then wrapped in foil for about an hour, then sauced and cooked unwrapped until done. If your wife likes the meat falling off the bone, you'll want to foil for longer than I do. I shoot for competition-style tenderness, where the meat is tender but you leave bite marks.

I think the snake method works GREAT, so I am inclined to use it, unless you have something else more interesting to suggest me, of course.

For kettle cooking, snake works great. I have a Smokenator that I use, but it's not necessary.

Could I possibly consider cooking two racks at the same time? One on top of the other? What do you think? Have you ever done that? What were the results?

Don't stack them. Cook whatever fits.

Good luck!

 

[Darren C.]

Those are great questions. I wish I had great answers .

The rub I've used is this one. I put it on thick. It's a bit hot. But, I love heat in my food. So, it's not too spicy for me. Others may find it too spicy though. Next time, I think I might replace some of the brown sugar with white sugar next time I mix up a batch. I've read that white sugar helps more with the bark.

I have also brined using that recipe. I can see an improvement in moisture when I brine. If you use it, don't leave them brining longer than 4-6 hours, at least not your first time. I've put things in that brine, left it for 8 hours+ and it was a little on the salty side. I always wash the meat off under water after brining to remove the salt on the outside. Also, this brine gives the meat an odd color near the edges where the meat is thinnest. I don't know why. I think it's the strong acidity. But, I've never noticed it adversely affecting the outcome. It could be a matter of "ignorance is bliss".

Instead of stacking them, could you not use rib racks?

Using my WSM, my goal has been to cook them at 225 for about 6 hours and that's pretty much it. Last time I spritzed them with apple juice a couple of times near the end. I thought it might help keep them more moist. I'm not sure that I could tell a difference. They have always been moist enough for me anyway. I also put mustard and honey on them last time because I was thinking it might help the rub stick better. The honey was kinda thin. Next time, I might mix in something thicker like molasses.

I'm glad you posted this. I'm a noob at low and slow. I'm anxious to see what the experienced guys have to say.

 

[Paul Pearson]

I have been doing spares at 275 in my 18.5 WSM for about 5 to 6 hours. I use a rub with no sugar and get a nice dark crust without foiling them. I haven't been saucing them but no one has asked for any either. Once I even had someone say they liked them better than with sauce but thats all personal preference. That and I am too lazy to foil the ribs since I use racks and cut them in half.

Some day I will have to try foiling and saucing just to compare.

 

[M Hoss]

1. No mustard. Light olive oil thinly brushed on ribs then the rub. No mustard or olive oil is needed to help the rub stick....it will stick just fine with nothing added. I use light olive oil because the end result is better. I estimate that I have done at least 50 rib cooks since last May.
2. Go light on the sugar and salt. Use turbanado sugar if possible as it has the highest burning point. If you choose to cook the ribs at anything higher than 280f or so omit the sugar as it will burn.
3. Let rubbed ribs rest for no longer than 4 hours. I aim for about 2 hours. Resting overnight results in ribs that taste like the rub and not pork.
4. I leave my ribs naked and no spritzing with liquid or water in a pan in the cooking chamber till a good crust has formed.....you can tell this by dragging your fingernail across the surface of the ribs.....when there is a crust the fingernail will stutter as oppossed to scrapeing the illformed crust. When you have a crust you can begin to spritz or add a water bath somewhere in the cooking chamber or do both. When I foil I do it when the ribs look right......there will be good colour, the meat will be starting to pull back from the bones and the meat in general will start looing dry. The ribs go meat side down in the foil and I normally use parkay, honey, brown sugar and Tiger Sauce in the bottom of the foil......other things can be used but I like Trigg's way. When a toothpick easily slides in and out of the meat you put the ribs on and glaze with sauce till it carmelizes.
5. I suspend my chunks above a coal bed. I get cleaner smoke but it takes more work.
6. You can get 2 racks on without stacking them...you may have to customize the size to fit your grill. Stacking them would not let the smoke evenly get to them and they would cook unevenly as well. Leave space betweeen cuts of meat on the grill so the smoke and heat can circulate. If you need more cooking space get another Kettle.

I cook my ribs at about 275f. I have gone higher and lower but find this temp proves about best. St Louis style sides take me about 5 hours. Do not rely on time as your guide....let look, feel and the toothpick be your guides.

 

[Robert McGee]

I use Extra Virgin Olive oil to lightly coat the ribs and I, without shame, use Harry Soo's method:

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?21030-PDF-The-BBQ-Wisdom-of-Harry-Soo

Before I got my smokers I did my ribs on my OTG using a rib rack. I still use rib racks in both my smokers. I LIKE rib racks...

FWIW
Dale53

 

[Cody]

Looking at your signature you just have a kettle, right? I smoked ribs on my kettle for 2 yrs with great success. I personally don't use mustard tried it once and didn't see the need for it. Also in my experience the 3-2-1 method will get you fall off the bone ribs. I modify mine but I don't like fob ribs. I actually never did the snake method in my kettle so can't help there and your rub seems fine to me but never hurts to try a something a little different but I wouldn't change more then a spice or two. Good luck!