Rendezvous style baby backs


 
W. Holder III

W. Holder III

TVWBB Member
I decided to change it up from the way I normally smoke my ribs low and slow for 4-5 hours and I tried to replicate the way that Rendezvous cooks them in Memphis. I removed the water pan from my 22.5 WSM and used the lower cooking grate. Put nothing on the ribs except for some salt and cooked them over a full lit chimney and 2 chunks of hickory wood. Started them bone side down and mopped them every 10 minutes for 45 minutes, flipped them over and mopped them every 10 minutes for another 45 minutes. Pulled them after an hour and a half total, mopped them one more time on the cutting board and then finished them in the rub.

They were so good. They were very tender and had the perfect bite off the bone texture. I am not sure I will ever cook baby backs any other way after trying this method. Next time I will do 2 racks and glaze one in sauce the final 30 minutes because that is how my wife prefers them, but I really prefer the dry finish.


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Really cool post, W.H. III! Someday I hope to visit Memphis and eat at Rendezvous (among many other places too). In what I've read about how they cook ribs at Rendezvous, it seems like they grill them at an elevated height over the coals as opposed to low-and-slow indirect heat, and from looking at your photos, it looks like this is what you've done. Is the commercial Rendezvous rub the same as they use in the restaurant?
 
Jerome D. said:
Really cool post, W.H. III! Someday I hope to visit Memphis and eat at Rendezvous (among many other places too). In what I've read about how they cook ribs at Rendezvous, it seems like they grill them at an elevated height over the coals as opposed to low-and-slow indirect heat, and from looking at your photos, it looks like this is what you've done. Is the commercial Rendezvous rub the same as they use in the restaurant?
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Yeah I used the lower rack so that put the ribs about 18" over the hot coals. It really was so easy and I honestly wasn't expecting to like them as much as I did, but man, I really don't think I will ever do them any other way. As far as I know the commercial rub is what they use in the restaurant. It sure tastes like it.
 
I can only assume everyone there loved you for this - excellent cook and thanks for sharing the different than usual cooking technique too, I love Rendezvous, after seeing your success will have to give it a go
 
Zac_Callier said:
I can only assume everyone there loved you for this - excellent cook and thanks for sharing the different than usual cooking technique too, I love Rendezvous, after seeing your success will have to give it a go
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Ha, well to be totally honest with you, the pictures document the first cook on Saturday. I just wanted to try something different and if I failed, no big deal, I was only cooking for myself. I ate the entire rack in about 10 minutes. So I went to Costco and bought a 3 pack of baby backs and cooked them the same way the following day. My wife was back in town and we had some folks over. The ribs were all devoured in minutes. All of these folks had eaten my traditional low and slow ribs before and loved them, but these are just other level. At least for us. If you don't like dry rub and you want them to literally fall off the bone, then these wouldn't be for you, but if you like that herbal, vinegary dry rub flavor and bite off the bone, then it doesn't get any better.
 
Great job on the ribs. I have made Rendezvous-style baby backs several times, and use the same method as you -- ribs on bottom rack of the WSM, mop frequently, coat in rub at the end. Turns out great every time.

If you are interested in making your own rub, Charlie Vergos shared the recipe some time ago. I don't have it handy but a Google search should turn it up pretty quickly.
 
Looks fantastic! I love "dry" ribs, so I'll have to try this. How did you have the lower vents set? I mean, popping the lid every 10 minutes, the dome thermometer was probably all over the place.
 
ChadVKealey said:
Looks fantastic! I love "dry" ribs, so I'll have to try this. How did you have the lower vents set? I mean, popping the lid every 10 minutes, the dome thermometer was probably all over the place.
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Wide open. Dome thermometer was pegged when I first put them on and stayed above 300 the entire time. The temp up there doesn't matter at all, though, because they are cooking off direct heat of the charcoal and not indirect heat in the cooking chamber.
 
Those ribs look amazing!! I have two racks of baby backs in the freezer that I will be pulling out tomorrow or Thursday when my WSM 22.5 gets here. I will definitely be trying this with one of the racks. For anyone that is interested, I found this link on Google for the rub recipe. Someone earlier in the thread had mentioned it.
 
I have used Steven Raichlens "Rendezvous style" technique before and was really happy with the result. It's different to say the least. Tried Jamie Purvience's coffee rubbed recipe yesterday, I think I like Raichlen's better.
The higher heat method is very different but, way easier!
Hmm, maybe it's time for some leftovers!
 
I did this once on my WSM 18.5 for Sunday dinner at my Mom's house with good results. Great cook!
 
When I had my 18.5 inch WSM I started out with water in the pan...then foiling the pan....them just removed the pan and cooked around 275 TO 300.Just let the dripping fall on the coals. If you think about it that's the way real pit bbq is. Oh I did use the highest grate.
 
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