Sauced ribs vs nekkid ribs on the PBC--

[HC in SC]

So I have been experimenting with different ribs on the PBC in preparation to cook for family coming in town next week.

Thus far we have enjoyed eating ribs nekkid; i.e - no saucing / glazing a la MH Last Meal or Noah's instructional video -- until this test.

First I prepped 2 - 3.5 slabs of St. Louis ribs identically:

1. Rinsed, patted dry and removed the membranes.
2. Rubbed appx 1.5 - 2 teaspoons per pound HRR on the clean and dried meat - 3/4 on the meat side; 1/4 on the bone side. On butts I only use 1 teaspoon per pound, but then I mix more HRR into the mustard before slathering; here I went heavy with the rub on the meat and did not mix any HRR in the mustard.
3. Lightly squirted the cheap yellow French's ballpark mustard on the front and back of both slabs and spread evenly.
4. Tightly wrapped both slabs in food service wrap and stuck in the fridge for appx 22 hours.



Cooking:

1. Put about a 1/2 basked of unlit coals in the PBC (since this wouldn't be a full-on, rock out cook for 8 hours) and removed 40 for the mini chimney; lit chimney and waited 15 mins to get to peak temp. Dumped chimney on unlit coals in basket and gave about 5-10 mins for fire basket to catch and then added appx 1/2 pound total of various size chunks of apple wood on top of coals.
2. Hung ribs in PBC - 1 on each rebar, pretty close to hanging over center of fire basket. Put lid on cracked until PBC reached 250 and closed lid.
3. After appx 3 hours at 235-250 in the PBC both racks were about 164-166 degrees. I pulled one rack out quickly and painted it on both sides with Bulls Eye KC style BBQ sauce and re-hung in PBC.
4. After another 45-55 mins the ribs were up to 190-194 degrees and I pulled both off the PBC. I let them rest for 10 mins, sliced and served.



Conclusion:

Although the nekkid ribs were jam-up -- the HRR and smoky taste was delectable; everyone including me preferred the Last Meal / Noah style glazed ribs.

I had just assumed that the BBQ sauce would completely block out the rub; as it does when you pour BBQ sauce on pulled pork or dip cooked ribs in BBQ sauce on the side, but it didn't. You could still taste the rub, but it had melded with the reduced BBQ sauce glaze for a fantastic product!

Before this test I figured myself sort of a purist and that if you have to sauce your meat, your meat had no flavor to begin with; but now I have had a complete change of heart - ONLY when the sauce is allowed to reduce and glaze on the meat. We did not add additional sauce when done or when served and they were perfect.

I did take a nekkid rib and put a few drops of Bulls Eye BBQ sauce on the side when done - and yes, when I dipped the nekkid meat in the sauce straight from the bottle the sauce blotted out the taste of the rub - and the meat.

At least I think I finally have ribs down for my guests coming next week.

I think I'll do 4 racks Last Meal / Noah style to compare sauces: 1 Bulls Eye, 1 Sticky Fingers Carolina Gold, 1 Sweet Baby Rays and 1 with a favorite locally made sauce.

I never thought I'd say it, but Last Meal / Noah style sauced and glazed ribs (with the HRR + mustard slather prep of course) is they way I'll be making them from now on!

As Jerry Lee Lewis sez: "All killer, no filler!"

Thanks for looking!

[Jerod Broussard]

Nice Test. Got me thinking of getting those 2 racks of SLC out the freezer.

If I am saucing I prefer my Modified Memphis Dust with Meathead's KC Classic Sauce.

If I am doing dry, I prefer Huskee's Rib Rub, with a little more rub right before I munch down.

[Spinaker]

Husk needs to start selling this stuff....he's losing $$$$ royalties everyday!!!!

[Jerod Broussard]

I have some allspice in mine.

[HC in SC]

Allspice is an interesting direction, but the sweetness is there to support it. I might try adding some.

[Psinderson]

Nice comparison! I really enjoyed the Last Meal ribs I did last weekend and they did have the reduced sauce layer as you said. I will try straight rub-only next time and see what I think. I am definitely a rub guy and don't usually like my meat dripping in sauce but the added depth of the thin layer near the end was nice.

[HC in SC]

Me either, but these weren't dripping with sauce. Putting them back on to glaze almost makes a nice crust out of the sauce and rub.

[mtford72]

great write up - they do look superb ribs.

[HC in SC]

Thanks Matt - I was surprised by the results; but at the end of the day - pleasantly surprised for a change!!

[Huskee]

It has crossed my mind to sell it...but would you pay for it when I have the recipe posted? I really didn't think anyone would since it's so easy to make your own. I dunno, I might consider making up really big batches and taking orders for those who don't want to make it themselves.

[mtford72]

I had a quick scout - where is the recipe? I'd like to give it a try considering the rave reviews!

[HC in SC]

Go to the Pit and look under rubs.

The HRR is only for paying members only - not on the TOC on the front page.

http://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/rubs-pastes-marinades-and-brines/1585-huskee-s-rib-rub-recipe

I add 1/4 teaspoon chipolte powder to this recipe - but that is it!

[mtford72]

Cheers!

[fzxdoc]

HC, thanks for that awesome writeup. I'm still on the fence about using mustard (Meathead's recommendations against it go deep I guess) but you and others certainly have me convinced to give HR₂ a try.

In general I don't like overly sweet ribs, but the blend of flavors that Huskee has in that rub, especially with a little chipotle added, sounds too good not to ride around the block at least once. Thanks, Huskee for so generously sharing your concoction!

Add that to the many things I like about this site in general and The Pit in particular. When someone shares a recipe or detailed info about a successful cook (especially on equipment that I have), I feel myself inching up the learning curve a bit more. What a great group this is.

Kathryn

[mtford72]

HC, I'm not sure 'gaggle' is the correct noun of assemblage for engineers.
I like to use a 'boredom' of accountants, so perhaps a 'correction' of engineers?
Bizarre factoid: a group of cobblers is a drunkship.

[HC in SC]

Well, I'd agree about your assessment of engineers, as long as it didn't include design engineers. They are responsible for causing issues, the rest of us have to fix them.


But I see nothing wrong with running the PBC back thru the AR BBQ Material Review Board. Lol

[fzxdoc]

Matt, don't get me talking about a herd of physicists...

Thanks for the tip about the mustard, HC. One thing I've learned with respect to BBQ is to keep an open mind because more than likely a lot of good taste and technique can result!

Kathryn

[Huskee]

You're right Kathryn, a great group we have here. No egos, no insults, no petty competition...just sharing tips tricks advice and recipes. We have a great forum here, thanks to all you good folks!!

About the rub, I've had some folks say it's salty, some say it's savory, and some say it's sweet. I guess it's all of those (in fact that's how I like to describe it) but whichever you're most sensitive to will probably stand out. There are no herbs though, I prefer the savory to come from chili powder, pepper and cumin. It's REALLY good on chicken too. One thing I've found is to ONLY use name brand trusted spices. I've purchased some bargain bin $1 chili powder and it was terrible, it was red salt. Thankfully I taste test spices before using so i didn't waste an entire batch. (I make 4x batches). I suggest good ingredients to really get a good read on it. Like with anything I suppose

[fzxdoc]

Good to know, Huskee. Thanks!

Kathryn

[HC in SC]

I think it is (in this order as this is how the favors hit me) sweet, then a bit of salt, then the richness of the chile powder and cumin and finally the heat and smokiness of the cayenne and chipolte. None of the flavored are overpowing and they go really well together. They also melt on the meat well for a nice crust (see the fabulous close ups of Jerods ribs).


At this point I have only used on pork. I just can't get away from the Tony Chachere's or Huli Huli on chicken, but I will do the HRR on chicken at some point. There was a pretty good consensus that the PBC AP rub is where it's at for turkey and that is my next challenge.

[Huskee]

I've never used the PBC rub, but stick to what you like for turkey. I have never used my rub on turkey, I choose not to. It may be a mind thing but I cannot picture a classic turkey dinner with HRR, even though it's excellent on chicken, go figure. I just think it makes chicken more of a BBQed dry rub chicken and to me that's not what a turkey dinner should be. Yes, probably a mind thing.