Spare rib revaluation

[Oak Smoke]

As I mentioned in another thread earlier today I’ve been smoking a couple of racks of spare ribs for a dinner at the daughter’s home school gathering. I’m doing 2 racks today and 2 tomorrow. There are a couple of kids in the group with some food allergies so I got the ingredients for Memphis dust approved ahead of time. Since it would be mostly children eating these I backed off on the smoke and went with no sauce at all, just Memphis Dust. They were on about 4 hours at 250 F when I went to check how they were doing. The probe on my instant read slid through like butter. When I tried the bend test they showed some small cracks but didn’t really open up. I was pleased with the beautiful mahogany color they had and since the probe went through so easily I pulled them off and wrapped them to let them rest for a bit. I just sliced them and had to sample one. These may be the best ribs I’ve ever done. They are moist, flavorful, but without the overwhelming flavor of smoke, just an hint of smoke, and just right bite off the bone tenderness. I’m going to try this way again tomorrow. If it holds up I’m adding this to my how to cook ribs list. One more tool in the bag.

The reason for ribs is they want primitive food with bones in it. I didn’t ask why.

[captainlee]

You could of done Tomahawks, now that's real primitive.

[Oak Smoke]

CaptainMike Maybe you’ll use it more when y’all move to Texas.

[texastweeter]

Or fried whole catfish!

[Oak Smoke]

texastweeter I would have eaten the catfish. A few hushpuppies and some home made tar tar sauce and I’m as happy as I can be. It may be my favorite meal.

[CaptainMike]

What rig were you smoking them on? I use my LSG PP almost exclusively with ribs, poultry and brisket now. It's just right with the level of smokiness for my tastes. Butts and bellies still go on the stick burner.

[Oak Smoke]

CaptainMike Mike it was on my Kamado Joe Big Joe. It’s a pretty straightforward cook. The more smoking wood chunks you add the more and longer it will smoke. For this cook I added a couple of small chunks of apple. With the smobot it stayed rock solid on 250 F for the whole cook. I like it because of the way it holds moisture in also.

[CaptainMike]

Yeah, my WSCG works well too, I just haven't used it much during construction.

[DennyWoo]

That's awesome! I've always been a baby back rib guy myself, but the last time I did ribs, I picked up a nice 3-pack of St Louis ribs at The Costco. Just seasoned them with coarse salt and pepper, and went old school on the PBC: just charcoal and no wood chunks. Best dang ribs I've ever done. Sometimes the simplest way is the best way, maybe?

[Oak Smoke]

The more I smoke and grill the more I see your wisdom in the simplest way being the best most of the time.

[jfmorris]

Hmmm. I need to carry something to a potluck and bonfire on Saturday evening, where we get there at 4pm to hang, and eat at 5pm. I was thinking "pulled pork" - it is what I ALWAYS take. But now you got me thinking ribs! Ribs would hold fine in cambro for an hour or two, without suffering much. I think the dry rub only treatment with just 1 or 2 chunks of wood on the kamado sounds like the way to go.

I am thinking spares, but maybe I cut them up individually (aka "Blasphemy ribs") and season and smoke that way. Get done faster, and then just pile them all together in a heap inside heavy duty foil inside my small cooler... otherwise I gotta carry the big cooler of full slabs of ribs wrapped in foil and towels - and slice them on a cutting board there. Of course, a cutting board of steaming ribs is more impressive.... Decisions, decisions!

[Uncle Bob]

Jim, just a cultural reference note for we old folks (I'm way closer to your dad's age than yours though) if your potluck group consists mostly of "social media" driven folks the current jargon for individual cooked ribs is "Party Ribs"........just tryin' to keep you relevant...

[jfmorris]

Thanks for keeping me young and hip Uncle Bob ! I guess only us folks here in the Pit would call them blasphemy ribs!

[Sweaty Paul]

Outstanding! What pit did you cook them in? Love a rib without sauce!

[texastweeter]

You can use a light coat of sauce as the binder.