Looking for Rib ideas


 
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lewjeff

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I've used the BRITU numerous times with great success, as well as the sugarless rib recipe.

I want to try something different.

Any ideas?

Somewhere I thought I read about smothering the ribs with yellow mustard before the rub - kinda like you do with a pork butt. Anyone tried this?

Any other ideas out there?
 
Hi lewjeff,
If you are looking for an excellent rib recipe I highly reccommend Willingham's recipe. I just finished polishing off the best ribs that I have ever made. I used his rub and his technique. Both my wife and I agreed that we ate way more than we should have, but they were too good to stop. If you would like the recipe, e-mail me and I will give it to you. Happy Qing!

Derek
 
I've used BRITU myself with success, but it does go heavy on the salt compared to some.

What you really need to do is develop one for your taste.

Check out other rub recipes. There are as many as there are spices, practically. IMHO you want sweet, salty, spicy and savory (chile powder, paprika, cumin, garlic) to start. Then add from there.

You know what spices you like, if you cook.

My baseline rub:

1 part kosher salt
1 part fresh crushed black pepper
1 part chili powder
1 part fresh toasted cumin, ground
1 part granulated garlic
1 part brown sugar
1 part paprika
1 part coriander
1/2 part onion powder
1/2 part ground white pepper

This rub and ones like it, actually rubbed in, tend to form a spice crust if you let the ribs finish at 300.
 
I've tried this several times, on both baby backs and spares. I gave up on it in favor of an ordinary dry rub due to inconsistent results.

Seems to work better on spares than baby backs. I also found it better if applied to the "meaty" side only. Sometimes the mustard seemed to form an unappealing skin on the back side of the ribs (but not the front for some reason) similiar to what I experienced before I learned to remove the membrane. I would apply the mustard right before putting them on the WSM and sprinkle with a dry rub.

It's possible I was applying too thick a coat or not being consistent about how much I applied. Some where really good, others not so hot. A straight dry rub produces more even results for me. If i try it again (which I probably will someday) I'll be very careful about how much mustard I apply.
 
Hi lewjeff!

In my early years of Qing I tested literally hundreds of rubs and sauces. Every time we cooked ribs, I would split the racks in half and would apply various rubs. Then adding different sauces at the end. This gave me twice as many ribs to sample, plus it was GREAT fun because you never had the "same old ribs..."

Always try the ribs before glazing or saucing first...this is the only way to gauge the rub you used. Then you can sauce at the table. If you cut the ribs into individual bones, you can then sample 3-4 bone of the same rub, with 3-4 different sauces.

Be sure you take copius notes!! I would print the recipes onto an 8 1/2" X 11" sheet of paper. Then I took many notes on that paper and kept it. I also like to note what others think and will write down their suggestions as well.

Over time you will start to see what you really like in a rub/sauce combo. As was mentioned, there are so many recipes for rubs and sauces it would take a lifetime to get through them all.

Keep us posted on your results!

Stogie
 
'Morning:
Kevin's advice is totally right-on. I just finished a marathon smoking (15 racks) using 5 different rubs (Kirk's basic, Willingham's mild, Kirk's Tommy, Kirk's jerk, and BRITU). I slathered all 15 in French's yellow mustard, I mean applying it sparingly but really rubbing it in, before sprinkling on my rubs and allowing for an overnight marinade. Each set of ribs had a slightly distinctive but not overpowering flavor and overall were the best ribs I have ever smoked. All in all, however, I think the long, slow WSM smoke (7.5 hrs per 5 racks) using a good combination of woods would make any rub or combination of spices taste great!
?John


[This message has been edited by John Lancaster (edited 09-10-2001).]
 
Paul Kirk has been teaching the use of mustard, the idea is to apply a lite coat of mustard and then rub. The mustard holds the rub on the ribs better than a dry rib would.
You could use oil but keep in mind that oil will intensify the heat of all the peppers in the rub.
Another thing to keep in mind is with ribs you have a lot of surface and not much mass so rubbing ribs a couple of hours before cooking is plenty. I think one of the reason so many complain about the amount of salt in BRITU is because the rubs been on two long.
This will hold true for any rub unless you cut the salt way down, but if you cut the salt way back the rub can't what it was intended to do.
Jim
 
More proof that this forum is invaluable....

I smoked 2 racks, cut into thirds, with various rubs...all variations of the BRITU rub...what a variety.

The ironic thing is I left one set of 3/4 ribs unrubbed, and they were the fav by my wife and daughter.

Anyways, variety is the spice of life, along with a good rub....so I'm gonna keep on rubbin' with different mixes.

Thanks again to everyone
 
I used the BRITU recipe this weekend in a competition in Illinois. Came out 5th of 25 teams. Used mustard to hold rub, only for four hours prior to putting on grill.

Dale
 
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