Ribs - Step-By-Step Primer

[lizzybbq]

Sometimes you get what you paid for and with this site it holds true.
Troutman, thanks for the tips!

[Mosca]

That was probably a lot of fun to produce; you did a great job with it!

Myself, I usually have people waiting for the pork ribs. They rest, but in hungry guests’ bellies.

[jgreen]

Great write up, but your pictures just made me hungry again. Too bad ribs are not a last minute snack.

[Red Man]

Oh man, I’m hungry for some ribs! 😋
Great write up!

[ddmcwhirter]

Excellent article...following...it would attract subscribers! You've convinced me to put on a glaze...raspberry-chipotle. Just a few days ago my wife turned two bags of dried peppers into two cups of thick chipotle paste.

[treesmacker]

Very nice! It's dinner hour and why did you have to bite that one - cruel!

I saved the whole thing - twice; once in my Pork tab, and once in my Beef tab. I haven't tried the St Louis ribs yet with my smoker, only baby backs - next ribs will be following your step by step and mmmm I think they will be great. Thanks!

[Mr. Bones]

Great write up, Brother!

[MichaelF]

Excellent article, thank you!

[dsohmer]

Troutman - great write up. Those look fantastic. A couple questions:
1. What smoker are you using? What wood?
2. You said you were resting them in the oven. Is it heated at all or are you using it as a cambro?
3. What brand ribs are you buying at HEB?

Note: I've become a real fan of fresh smoked pineapple.

Thanks again.

[Troutman]

1. Pitts & Spitts 24x36 pellet cooker. For pork I use Lumberjack fruitwood mix pellets (apple,pecan,cherry)
2. As I said, resting was a timing issue not a need. Ribs I hardly rest at all under normal circumstances.
3. I buy the HEB All Natural. I think it's very good pork. It's $3.49/lb (versus $0.99/lb for their commodity brands), but well worth it to me.

[dsohmer]

Thank you sir.

[binarypaladin]

I have never done beef ribs. I'm thinking I need to change that up since I tend to really like them at decent BBQ joints around here.

Ribs are my favorite food to make, by far (aside from cookies, because no food makes me the king with my kids quite like cookies). They're great for parties and tend to be impressive to people. Not sure why, but I'll always get a lot more generic interest in ribs than a brisket. Getting to play around with a variety of sauces and rubs is super fun too.

I like the pink butcher paper idea. I might try that if I cook them flat again. (Seems like that'd be tough when hanging them.)

I can't remember where I heard it, it was somewhere on this forum I believe, but I use mayo on mine. Dry brine a day or two before, plop a thin coat of mayo on, then use that to stick the rub. I've been happy with the results and it makes better "glue" than straight up oil.

One more thing, my typical rib cook comes from Costco. Prices and availability are great. But man, I'm with you: whole spare ribs > St. Louis (my next pick) and when they come from something like a Berkshire, there is a huge difference in quality. The price is a lot more where I am, but if I'm cooking for my family rather than like... a party of 30, I go with those.

How long do you typically smoke the pineapple? That sounds like a really nice addition.

[Troutman]

Pineapple I just threw on the hot grates at 275* after I pulled the meat. Just flipped them a couple of times, maybe 20-25 minutes worth.

[bardsleyque]

Nice write up,my rub still has salt in it(just can't get myself to leave it out!)so I rub the day before.I don't sauce or glaze but think I might try that soon.(as Fireman would say)WIBS!!!!

[Hulagn1971]

Excellent write-up! I use the pink butcher paper for brisket so will have to give this method a try for ribs.

[nsbbqguy]

Great write up! Lots of good info. Thanks for taking the time to do it as I’m sure lots of people will gain something from it. Edit..... I hasn’t used butchers paper yet on ribs only brisket , going to have to try it on my next rack!

[Sweaty Paul]

Great write up. Now I want to make ribs this weekend.

[KarchyBBQ]

Thanks for the great write up! Appreciate the time you took to do it! While pork ribs are a favorite of mine, I definitely find myself craving the beef ribs more these days. I have a hard time finding good thick meaty ones here in DC. Any suggestions on where to buy, especially fellow DC pitmasters?

[ClayJones]

KarchyBBQ have you tried the butcher in Eastern Market? The shorts I got there last summer were no joke. I think I may have posted them here somewhere... I'll go look.

[KarchyBBQ]

ClayJones - I’ve not but that’s a good idea. I’ll try that - THANKS! The Organic Butcher in McLean does get them too. Not exactly convenient for me, but I do get to VA for work a good bit.

[Jfrosty27]

My local Costco has prime grade beef shorts almost always. (Not since this Covid thing though). Usually just $5.49 per pound. Sold in packs of 2 racks. Check it out!