My MiL came into town to help out with minding the house while my wife recovers from knee replacement and I travel for work, etc., so I wanted to do something a little special for her before I left town. We have a butcher shop/market here in Denver called Tony's: there are 6 of them I think, but they're old school butcher's, and stock quality product. I called and asked them to to cut me two racks of Tony's special baby back ribs (they cut them with a pretty thick layer of loin meat left in place) and I wanted to experiment. I picked them up Monday night (no trimming required, membrane already removed by Tony's), brined them, and popped them into the garage fridge. 
these are they, prior to chilling.
Side view showing the extra meat.
This morning I pulled them and applied the Pig Candy rub that's based on the Amazingribs pork rub (in all honesty, VERY closely based on on Meathead's work). Five more hours in the chill chest, and when I pulled them they looked like this before hanging at noon in the PBC:
The next photo is a shoot after hanging an hour and a half when I lightly mopped the racks with the NC vinegar mop sauce: I do that twice during rib cooks.
This might have been right after I hung them, after looking art the charcoal unburned in the basket at the 4 o'clock position, but the method I used is still accurate.
A second mop at 3 hours, sauced at 3.5 hours, then pulled at 4.5 hours and popped into the oven on the half sheet pan set to bread proof (80 degrees) for a bit while I finish the sides. Before going into the faux camber I retook the pig candy on one rack to simulate the dry, Memphis style ribs, and left the other rack sauced (my peeps are a mixed bunch regarding textures...). The wife, MiL, and a good friend showed after about 15 minute resting and they were ravenous, so I pulled the racks, cut them, and we ate before I remembered to take a picture of the leftovers.
The ones upper Left were the Memphis style-lower right was sauced.
This is a pretty good shot of just how meaty these bad dogs are, and why they're a buck more than St Louis cut, and 2$ more than regular baby backs from Tony's. I don't think I'll ever get a plain baby back again (and I'd rather eat a kale than the Smithfield cryo-packed ones), but I still love me some St Louis ribs...
The cook was the usual: full basket, about an 8 to 10 oz. hunk of good applewood. Hanging temp, 405, 305 shortly after lidding. Most of the smoke was between 260 and 295, depending on changing temps, how many times I opened the lid, etc. Doing it again I'd pull them at about my regular time for St Louis cuts (4 hours) instead of giving it a bit of extra time, but the butcher said give it a bit more gas because of the thickness. Should've known the PBC breaks the rules about time. The loin meat was still tender, but not a moist as I like it when I grill it.
That being said, the mob gave them rave reviews with some Hawaiian style macaroni salad, and doctored baked beans (lots of bacon and more molasses and mustard powder than you'd expect).
Ping me with questions and thoughts, gang-I'd love the input.
these are they, prior to chilling.
Side view showing the extra meat.
This morning I pulled them and applied the Pig Candy rub that's based on the Amazingribs pork rub (in all honesty, VERY closely based on on Meathead's work). Five more hours in the chill chest, and when I pulled them they looked like this before hanging at noon in the PBC:
The next photo is a shoot after hanging an hour and a half when I lightly mopped the racks with the NC vinegar mop sauce: I do that twice during rib cooks.
This might have been right after I hung them, after looking art the charcoal unburned in the basket at the 4 o'clock position, but the method I used is still accurate.
A second mop at 3 hours, sauced at 3.5 hours, then pulled at 4.5 hours and popped into the oven on the half sheet pan set to bread proof (80 degrees) for a bit while I finish the sides. Before going into the faux camber I retook the pig candy on one rack to simulate the dry, Memphis style ribs, and left the other rack sauced (my peeps are a mixed bunch regarding textures...). The wife, MiL, and a good friend showed after about 15 minute resting and they were ravenous, so I pulled the racks, cut them, and we ate before I remembered to take a picture of the leftovers.
The ones upper Left were the Memphis style-lower right was sauced.
This is a pretty good shot of just how meaty these bad dogs are, and why they're a buck more than St Louis cut, and 2$ more than regular baby backs from Tony's. I don't think I'll ever get a plain baby back again (and I'd rather eat a kale than the Smithfield cryo-packed ones), but I still love me some St Louis ribs...
The cook was the usual: full basket, about an 8 to 10 oz. hunk of good applewood. Hanging temp, 405, 305 shortly after lidding. Most of the smoke was between 260 and 295, depending on changing temps, how many times I opened the lid, etc. Doing it again I'd pull them at about my regular time for St Louis cuts (4 hours) instead of giving it a bit of extra time, but the butcher said give it a bit more gas because of the thickness. Should've known the PBC breaks the rules about time. The loin meat was still tender, but not a moist as I like it when I grill it.
That being said, the mob gave them rave reviews with some Hawaiian style macaroni salad, and doctored baked beans (lots of bacon and more molasses and mustard powder than you'd expect).
Ping me with questions and thoughts, gang-I'd love the input.
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