Spare RIb prep


 
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BrandonC

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What do you guys think of this for spare rib pep?

"1/2-cup apple cider vinegar mixed with 1/2 cup water" "Lay the ribs in a non-reactive pan and brush on both sides with the vinegar water mixture. Sprinkle with seasoning mix and rub with your fingertips, massaging it into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours."
From Food TV recipe

I usually don't brine or marinade ribs. Just add rub a couple hours before smoking.
 
That it came from a Bobby Flay show makes me immediately skeptical. (Let the Flay Smack begin.)
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Doug D:
[qb]Let the Flay Smack begin.[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>No, let's don't go there again.

The method is attributed to Willingham's BBQ, so that would lend credibility in the minds of some.

As Jim Minion likes to say, letting rub sit on ribs for more than a couple of hours can result in a hammy taste, so maybe you'd get that with this approach.

Regards,
Chris
 
Sorry, couldn't resist. OK, then, seriously, the part that says "Start the grill, allowing it to reach a temperature of 250-degrees", and then "Cook for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, turning the meat every 15 minutes" makes me dismiss it out-of-hand, what a 12-hour vinegar soak would do to the meat not-withstanding. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif
 
Willingham's approach was that the vinegar prepared the meat to accept th spices so that's why he did it. I don't remember the twelve hour part. I'll check his book tomorrow.

FYI John Willingham is the only guy ever to win both the American Royal and Memphis in May and he did it the same year!!!

Big Bob Gibson's almost did it. They lost a dead heat tie breaker at the Royal last year and had won MIM before and have since won it again.
 
One of my BBQ buddies, for whom I have a great deal of respect for his cooking abilities, "washes" his ribs in basalmic vinegar prior to applying the rub. I believe he leaves them damp from the washing, which probably allows some extra rub to stick to the meat.

I've tried it several times. Have not noticed a major tenderizing effect, but felt the "bark" was somewhat more pronounced.

Could just be my imagination, but it is worth a try, if'n you are into experimenting.

Dale
 
A short quote from page 44 of John Willingham's World Champion Bar-B-Q regarding the "vinegar bath":
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>It's important to douse the meat with the liquid--it opens the pores and removes any residual bone dust too. The open pores permit the spices to penetrate the meat. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>A few lines later...
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>After the ribs marinate in their own juices for ten to twelve hours, they look wet and tacky. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Regards,
Chris
 
Thanks Chris. As for the hammy taste, it may have something to do with his rub. It's unique.

Another thing to consider is that these old school guys weren't playing at the level we are playing at today. Not that they weren't cooking good BBQ but they weren't playing against the amount of teams that are doing the research and practicing and reading the books and watching the videos and taking the classes.
 
I always use a vinegar based marinade (Chiavetta's) on my ribs. I marinate them for 2-3 hours, pat them dry and apply my rub. They always come out tender with no "hammy" taste. I do not bother taking the membrane off the ribs either. I have not tried this with Baby Backs, only St. Louis style ribs.
YMMV
 
Brandon
A little cooking 101 would help here. Vinegar-based marinades have a high acidic content and tend to 'cook' the meat. It's the same concept behind marinating sushi in citrus juice. Is that what you're looking for? Just a word of caution there.... be careful with vinegar in marinades.

Also, marinating for extended periods with a salt based rub tends to draw the moisture out of meat. As an example, watch what happens when you put a salt based rub on simple chicken breasts prior to grilling. After about 20 minutes or so the moisture comes out of the chicken. You can observe this same thing when you salt tomatoes.

Full disclosure: I probably have the least experience with smoking meats around here, as I just got my WSM a month ago. But I have been cooking for as long as I can remember.
Peter
 
Thanks for everyones input. I decided not to do the overnight soak. I did apply a little balsamic wash and then applied my rub a hour or so before cooking. Will see if it makes a difference and let you know.
 
There's a whole other theory I learned from one of my earliest rib influences and have since seen as a common belief among black BBQ guys and that is that the vinegar helps dissolve the fat so it can render.

If I had a pit that favored mopping I would use a heavy vinegar base early on and get away from it later.
 
Ray....

You are correct! I compete against lots of blacks in a local contest....The Roots of Soul. Every one of them uses copious amounts of vinegar. Very simple stuff........1/2 gal. of vinegar, take cap off and dump in 1 bottle of red pepper flakes. Then, poke holes in the cap and shake this concotion on your meat.

Now, all these guys use direct heat, but the meat is above the coals far enough to avoid scorching. Using this method calls for lots of mopping.

The biggest drawback...the ribs are terrible! Very though and extrememly fatty. They will cook them for less than an hour.
 
My guy used to soak some fresh peppers in the vinegar for a few days before using it.

Last year I had a couple ribs in Rockford, Illinois cooked by Mo' Ribs (after you eat some you'll want "Mo' Ribs") and that was his basic plan. He put foil on his grate though and had it down. His ribs were really good.

Matter of fact he took second place despite the rumors of the judges favoring boiled ribs.
 
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