Rib Prep


 
T

tmfast

TVWBB Super Fan
I have always jsut rubbed em down, let em get up to room temp & smoked em. Is there a better way? Has anyone used a wet brine, soaked for a certain amount of time? I read about some one asking about using vinegar.
I would like to try the minion method with out foiling this time, low & real slow this time. Not real keen on mopping, unless it would be an improvement. I like that real smoke taste.
I know there are some experts out there. Can you help me out?
 
I have marinated overnight before.....ribs came out mushy.

I do mine with only a dry rub except for a last minute glaze. Sauce is on the side always.

For something different, try lump instead of charcoal. A short cook would be the ideal time to try if you haven't yet.
 
You didn't say if you were asking about loin backs or spares. I'm most familiar with spares.

For prep, I always remove the membrane from the bone side. The prep section on the mainsite is really quite complete.

I do like a mustard rub, cheap yellow mustard, because it seems to really help keeping the rub on the ribs. I've heard Keri C (an oldtimer on the board - boy, I'll catch it !) post on a wash down with vinegar. I don't know about the benefit, but her grandma did it, so she does. However she is an excellent bbq cook so maybe its good.

I really wouldn't recommend a further prep. I do think a spritz with AJ/A vinegar is good along the way. If you don't foil spares, you're looking at a 7+ hr cook and they still may not meet your tender level. I foil them for 45 min. at the 4 hr mark and finish them without foil.

Paul
 
Thank you all for your quick reply,
I have had better luck with loin backs (less fatty). OK, no wet brine. Just a thought. All my 3 day brine turkeys turn out great. I am just trying to perfect a good rib tecnique. Thanks Paul & Greg. It's just another weekend to experiment. I will try a spray with out the foil this time.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Paul G.:
You didn't say if you were asking about loin backs or spares. I'm most familiar with spares.

For prep, I always remove the membrane from the bone side. The prep section on the mainsite is really quite complete.

I do like a mustard rub, cheap yellow mustard, because it seems to really help keeping the rub on the ribs. I've heard Keri C (an oldtimer on the board - boy, I'll catch it !) post on a wash down with vinegar. I don't know about the benefit, but her grandma did it, so she does. However she is an excellent bbq cook so maybe its good.

I really wouldn't recommend a further prep. I do think a spritz with AJ/A vinegar is good along the way. If you don't foil spares, you're looking at a 7+ hr cook and they still may not meet your tender level. I foil them for 45 min. at the 4 hr mark and finish them without foil.

Paul </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.....Keri could make a VW bumper taste good I believe!
icon_smile.gif


FWIW, I've never foiled a spare or BB using a WSM. A little Head Country rub, or Dixie Dust right before they go on the pit. Never had any complaints..(knock on hardwood)
 
I prep as Paul does and always cook spares (unless paid to cook otherwise); I do not use mustard though. I make all my rubs without salt so I salt the meat first, wait till the meat gets nice and moist (from the salt drawing moisture; meanwhile I make the rub), then apply the rub over the salt.

A brine is good for ribs that you are not cooking low and slow. You can use one on low/slow but to me it's overkill. For faster, higher heat, herb- or paste-rubbed ribs I really recommend a brine.

Don't know Keri's grandmother but vinegar is (and was) commonly used to acidify meats' surfaces before cooking thus reducing or eliminating potential bacterial development. It is something I do with some cuts of meat from some sources. It is not a flavoring mechanism, it is a wash.

I don't spray or mop when cooking in the WSM because I really like to minimize lid-lifting but do if cooking at higher heat on a rotis in the kettle or on the grate in a kettle. Mopping or spraying fairly frequently with a water-based solution will slow cooking by cooling the surface. The odd spritz here or there does little flavor- or cooking-wise imo so if cooking in a WSM I don't bother. There are better ways to control cooking temp and speed and/or add flavor when using a vertical smoker.

I foil most cooks--when the ribs are deeply colored. That is how I add another flavor layer. It is not at all necessary to foil to produce great ribs. It speeds the cook a bit and can be used to add flavor. If you are looking for a fall-off-the-bone finish then foiling during the cook is really the way to go. I (and others--not just me!) think fall-off-the-bone is overcooked--I'd go so far as to say WAY overcooked--but, like everything else, finish is a personal preference. It is not an area I give in on, however.

Like Craig, always sauce on side and in this case I don't care what you're paying me. If you want sauce all over go to Chili's. I do periodically glaze--the thinnest veneer so that the rub and exterior meat texture will not be compromised.

A propos your first question: If you are not pleased with your ribs now then yes there is a better way. You can make ribs to die for--believe me you can. Whether the approach to those ribs will be Craig's way, or Paul's, or Jim's, or mine, or a combination of our approaches, or an approach the uses none or our suggestions remains for you to discover through experimenting on your own, the fun (and very cool thing) about barbecue.
 
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