What to do with country style boneless ribs


 
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David Munson

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I have 12lbs of country style boneless ribs for this weekend. I have been thinking about what to apply for a dry rub and for the cook. Any recommendations? I have been thinking about a mostly sweet spicy rub (i.e. a bit more brown sugar than normal along with the normal dry rub).I suppose apple wood.

Also considering topping the ribs ~1-2 hrs from the end of the smoke with onions and slices of lemon / lime (like I would if I baked them).

Any suggestions or recommendations from past history.
 
My advice with those would be to make some of the BRITU rub on Chris' Cooking page, and double the brown sugar portion in the recipe. If you like it a little spicer, increase the cayenne.

My personal feeling is that you aren't going to get a whole lot of flavor out of the onions and lemons. But.......you never know! /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

Good luck!!!
 
David,

I agree with Pat. I think BRITU would do well on country-style ribs. I would not try Mr. Brown. That comes from personal experience. It is much to peppery for country-style ribs and will set your mouth on fire.

Cook the ribs to 190.
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Mark WAR EAGLE!!
 
Decades ago, Mom would bake boneless country style boneless ribs in the oven coated with BBQ sauce and topped with slices of lemons and onions. The lemons and onions seemed to mop the ribs and also mix with the drippings and baste the bottoms of the ribs as they cooked. What was left from the mostly semi-sour, mostly-dried lemon slices were very good. The onions really added flavor to the bottom basting of the ribs.

I have mostly followed Paul Kirks (author Championship Barbecue Sauce) general recommendations on how to construct a rub. Of the books on barbecue I have found that I keep re-reading his book because of the short section on rub construction. The BTRU rub is good and the rub I will make will be close (don't have cumin). I really enjoy mixing up the rub fresh each time.

This time I think I will try to add a bit more brown sugar (less white sugar). I had some luck with beef ribs last weekend. I applied a (sugarless) basic rub and after everything was coated and laid out on a cookie sheet, I took the time to uniformly sprinkle ?fresh? brown sugar on the ribs and then ?gently? press it in. The beef ribs ended up with a very good semi-sweet flavor without adding much more sugar than normal. I consider a normal rub as roughly equal amounts of sugars and salts.

I am also not sure that I would get a lot of flavor from just placing onions and lemon or lime slices on the ribs. That is why I am considering applying lemon slices about an hour or two before they are the ribs are cooked along with some sort of mop. I think that onion flavor may best come from the mop. Specifically, I am considering making a pork mop made from chopped up bacon, onions, apple juice, bbq sauce and other spices somewhat similar to the one listed in Paul Kirk?s book. I am going to try chopping up some bacon, frying it with minced onions and mixing in the other ingredients.

I guess the goal is a semi-sweet rub balanced with a semi-smoky onion mop balanced with sour citrus tang from the lemon/lime slices. I am still in the planning stage and if it seems like it is getting too complex; well, I do have rum. As long as I DO NOT overpower anything I think it will work out.

Why I am doing this is because it sems that country style ribs do not seem to have as much flavor as baby back or spareribs or cook-up as well . Country style ribs do have more meat and cost much less but seem to need a bit more assistance and flavor enhancement than just a rub. Just IMHO. Something to try.
 
David,

You seem to have put a great deal of thought into this, and I applaud your efforts. I too have seen the country style ribs and have wondered how they would do. My personal family history with them was that they were cooked in a slow cook pot on the stove with a gallon or so of sauce. My fear is that they would dry out on the WSM and be tough. You're right as well about the flavoring. Again, I think you've thought about it a good deal, and am anxious to see how it turns out.

Good luck, and thanks for taking one for the team!!!

We're pulling for you!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
 
Hi Dave,

That sounds like a great plan. Since country ribs are leaner, your mop idea with bacon is going to compensate. I think you have a great idea with the onions and lemons at the end, it sounds reeal goood!

I took the Paul Kirk course a while back and I really enjoyed the anatomy of a rub bit too. In the course you have to construct your own rub recipe and you go over it with him, make some changes if you want, and use it on the stuff you cook during the day. -good fun!

Please post how your recipe works out and take notes. I would like to try it after you -but only after your human trials. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Dave
 
Before the existence of the WSM or what a rub was, I would take country style ribs, coat them with seasoned salt and pepper and grill them 2/3 done on the gas grill. When the ribs had a semi-cooked crust but juices still ran pink (still 75% pink/red inside) I would take them and finish throw them in a crock pot either with or without sauce. (If no sauce add a bit of water as necessary). When the ribs fell apart when poked in the crock pot they were done. The ribs were very tender, juicy. We had a guy that was a vegetarian all year around except for our annual rib cook.

I am tempted to try this with the WSM. I want what the WSM is able to add and fall-apart moist flavorful country style ribs. Still in the planning stage. I have time today to ?process? /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif four of the ribs for dinner tonight and see if it works.
 
The trial ribs turned out good. Nothing truly wonderful. For tomorrow, I am considering traditionally grilling. Can it be that they are not meant for the smoker? Too lean to cook low and slow. Too easy to overcook.
 
I like to grill them with a no sugar rub. When they are done coat in BBQ sauce wrap up tight in foil or plastic film wrap in a clean dry towel and place in a small dry cooler (pre warmed with hot water) to rest for an hour.
 
I am going to try to 'smoke' them at a high temperature. Empty water pan, WSM started as per The Standard Method, High Temperature. I already have a basic rub (salt, paprika, onion, garlic, pepper(s)), more onion powder and a bit of brown sugar. I threw a lemon slice on top and have reserved the lime slices for the rum.
 
David,
Country style ribs are cut from either the shoulder (butt end) or the loin. You can tell the difference by their color - the ones from the shoulder are darker and contain more fat. I cook them very much like a butt and they come out very juicy and tender. The loin cut country ribs should be cooked the same as you would the loin.
 
That worked. The ribs cooked for about two hours. Checked once (quick look and saw they were not ready). The second time I checked they were ready. Good timing. The temp of the meat was about 150 to 160 (checked a few ribs). Dumped the lemon slices and set the meat aside to rest. Moist and a bit salty ? not dry.

These ribs have very little fat.

Also the hot sauce gift box from the ?pain is good? people arrived. Very nice. Sauces range from Sweet and Smokey to Painful but flavorful.
 
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