Pictures of the Spares


 
R

Rick Soliman

TVWBB Pro
Well this is my second cook with spares. I think the bark was a little too thick. However I did get the tenderness better and the sauce.

Any suggestion on how to minimize the bark? Yet these ribs are better than anything I have ever had at a resturant.

P.S. Thats my boy Simba chilling out in the sun while I cook.

spare ribs
 
Rick:

I could be wrong, but I would think the amount of bark is directly proportional to the amount of BBQ Sauce you apply. If you like less bark on your ribs, try cutting back on the amount of sauce. They still look delicious though; beautiful dog as well.

Bill
 
Rick

I do spare quite often. Usually go 7 hours without foil or 5 to 6 if I foil for an hour at 3.5 hr mark. I have never sauced them during the cook and I've never noticed any significant bark. Thus, I agree with Bill and think the sauce caused the bark. I might have guessed your temps got too high but your other thread shows you were within range. Maybe you sauced them too early in the cook ? Anyway, they looked good and I bet your dog wasn't bothered by the sauce if you let him have bones, as I do.
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Paul
 
Amount of bark is more proportional to the amount of applied rub, imo. Less rub, less bark.

But:

If you sauce or apply a heavy glaze before removing your ribs from the cooker the sauce will tighten from the heat and possibly caramelize (depending on ingredients, heat level, and length of time in the heat) which, if the sauce is thick to begin with and/or applied thickly might add to overall bark thickness as components of the sauce bond with the bark.
 
The Spares took exactly 7 hrs. Also I did use a fair amount of rub on them, along with the sauce this probably accounts for the thick bark. I will take a closer look at the slab I have left over tomorrw durning lunch and see if it carmalized and burned on. But I only had the sauce on the Rib for hte last 20 min could it happen that fast at 230 grate temp?
 
Yes. Though it may not be true caramelization (could be, it would depend on meat surface temp, ambient temp, and length of time) you'd get a tightening of the sauce as the water in it cooks off and the sugars (and other components) in it cook.

I was thinking about this last night. Another approach would be to either create a complementary glaze out of components of your sauce, create a glaze out of the sauce itself, or create a glaze anew. Glazes can be painted on thinly, like a veneer, and set very quickly.

Or, you could simply try less rub with less sauce.

(It'll be fun figuring out what you like best!)
 
Well I have a local butcher I use and I just purchased 120 lbs of Sapares from her. This was the smallest two of the bunch. I actually had them rolled because they over hung the cooker about 4 inches before they cooked down.
 
Rick,

Those spares look like some I bought at Westbrook Market in Westmont. The butcher called them 5 and up. I called them dinner.

No doubt the added bark was from carmelized sugars, either in the rub or sauce. Lately, I've taken to only rub - lightly - less is more. Then I let my guests choose the sauce.

Q-on!!

AR
 
Rick, are you making your own rub or buying something off the shelf? If you are making your own then try cutting back on the sugar in the rub. You may even want to give your thermometers a quick test to see if they are accurate. High temps will bring on a tougher bark. Also, you might want to try thinning out your sauce with water or vinegar. One of the things I do is lightly brush on a thin sauce after I pull the ribs off the cooker.

Remember this is only your second cook with spares. Give it some time and do some experimenting. You'll find what works for you pretty quickly!
 
Rick,

I know everyone here has given you a little "sugar".

They may look a little different, but how did they taste?

Maybe your on to something, or maybe the above threads may mean something.

after all, you started it and finished it, and if you finished it, you must have an opionion!!

Great BBQ to all!!
 
Great job on the spares Rick, I've noticed less bark on a shorter cook time, I think maybe the more time on the pit the more bark, but I'm by no means an expert. Did you use anything before your rub like worcheshire (sp) or mustard? I've done ribs before by just rubbing and throwing them on the pit, they seem to have less bark (but I don't mind if they do or don't). Like the man said earlier, the fun is figuring out what you like best!
 
Well I rinsed the Ribs with Vineger because I saw in a thread it works as an antibacterial. Then I rubed with Kosher Slalt and let sit for 30min befoe applying my Rub. Then during the cook I sprayed 4 times with Lemon Juice, Apple Juice, water, Cyder Vineger, and a tsp of my rub. With 30 min left I brushed with Sweet and Zesty Famous Daves BBQ sauce. My wife said they were better tasting than the last but bark was thicker.

I couldnt respond because I am sitll licking the bones if that answers what I thought.
 
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