4 racks dry brining question

[fracmeister]

So I have 4 racks of STL style ribs membrane off and salted in the fridge. How long do you guys do that before smoking seems it shouldnt take long to do all it is going to do. I dont like to do pork butts more than 4-5 hours to avoid getting hammy but never had that problem with ribs.

per family request following some experimentation last time/// do them EXACTLY THE WAY YOU NORMALLY DO THEM...."why would you ever change that Dad?"

Basically last meal style with my mods on the rub and sauce...sauce has some jam added..small amount...finish with a high flame sear (searzall now used to us big torch)

[Ricardo]

I give them 30 minutes, but I think your family is right. Do them as usual, that’s what they like. How long do you normally rest them?

[klflowers]

Last cook I brined them for a couple of hours cause I forgot to do it the night before. Still came out pretty durn good.

[Dewesq55]

Generally I prep them (trim, peel, salt and rub) late in the evening (between 11 pm and 1 am) the night before.

[Rod]

I always brine the night before. I imagine you probably only need 2 hours tops though. According to Meathead, that's ample time for a 1.5 inch steak. So why not pork ribs which are usually much thinner?

[BFlynn]

I normally prep and dry brine the night before.

But I've also smoked them without dry brining and they were still tasty

[Ricardo]

fracmeister
Here is a link to one of Malcom Reed’s HowToBBQRight Videos. Take a look when you get the chance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRe0WymG1Jk

This is a new video; however, Malcom is pretty consistent, and he follows his own methods pretty consistently. If you like it, check the rest of his earlier videos and you will see what I’m talking about.

I follow Malcom’s procedures as close as reasonable possible, with some variations. Specifically... I don’t have a drum smoker, so I don’t bother with the rotate step. I don’t throw an onion in the fire box either. I throw a couple of cherrywood chucks right off the bat which often times results in an incredible smoke ring, which my family likes, and cook it with southern live oak for BTUs on my offset stick burner, because that’s my local wood... everything else, I pretty much do just like Malcom has been showing throughout the years.

I dry brine them using KillerHogs rubs for 30 minutes, then I smoke them for color. This I would say, answers your original question.

I let them rest for 30 minutes once the dry rub is applied, right after pulling the back membrane. The salt ions will penetrate the ribs quickly. The larger molecules of rub... pepper, sugar, garlic, paprika, won’t get in, they are too big, but I don’t think they ever do, regardless of how long you let them marinate.

I do sprits with a 50:50 mixture my family likes very much. I use apple cider vinegar and Jack Daniel’s apple whisky or an equivalent good quality bourbon whisky, and 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar in a spray bottle. Malcom uses water and at times diluted apple cider vinegar. I don’t dilute anything.

Once they get the color and are no longer tacky to the touch, I wrap just like he suggests and recommends, then sauce a bit with KillerHogs THE BBQ sauce. Back to the smoker till they are pulling from the back and are hitting 200F. I remove them from the wrap and back they go for another 15-20 minutes with some sauce and sometimes I hit them with a gentle dusting of rub, not always... and that’s it.

This technique has been a winner for me. My family has always enjoyed when I prepare them following this technique. It’s of course a variation to accommodate my equipment and sprits solution, but my family too always say... "Don’t Change Anything", just make us some more!!!

Hope this helps. These are truly fun and rewarding for me, not just because they are good to eat, but in all honesty, primarily because my wife and daughter love them very much, and that to me is all what matters.

Cheers,
Ricardo.
PS: Here are some pictures from last weekend of STL ribs just like described above.

Applying the KillerHogs treatment:


Giving them some spritz:


Checking for doneness:


Finished product:

[Troutman]

Malcom is that you? Did you loose a bunch of weight? You been working out haven't you?

[DavidNorcross]

I am also a follower of Malcom Reed. He rarely gives bad advice. Great post.

[Mosca]

I’ve done them the night before, and I’ve salted them as I put the rub on. They come out great either way.

I’m not saying there is no difference, but I feel safe saying that considering they are wiped, trimmed, salted, rested, rubbed, smoked, cooked, sprayed, wrapped, and sauced, when you salted them isn’t that big a deal.

[MBMorgan]

Yep. Ditto. +1

[HouseHomey]

I do easy salt overnight when possible. I’ve tended to over salt (at least they tasted that way to me though not others) for a long time but since have cut back. No one has noticed and I’m happy with it. Although the 9 year old last week or so asked if I seasoned her "dry ribs" or forgot so she may have noticed.

[N227GB]

I dry brine about 1-2 hours before. If it's good enough for a thick ribeye, it should be good enough for wibs.

I usually do BBs with extra loin meat, not STls, so I'm not sure how much a difference it would be.

[FireMan]

Wibs ya say? Brining? Ever so lightly, a couple hrs at best. Wibs, mmm, mmm good!

[Schwyy]

I am with you frac, I used to buy my meat, salt and prep everything right away and then everything was 'ready to go'. I started to really not like the 'hammy' cured taste that was happneing for having the salt on too long. I ruined a tri tip by postponing the cook three days. Now I do overnight max on all meats that ill cook right in the morning.

Ill do a couple hours if I am cooking later in the day.

Hope this helps

[HawkerXP]

I clean and rub first thing the morning of the cook. Soooo, a couple or three hours.

[Troutman]

I don't like to buy commodity pork, most of what I do buy is fresh as possible and not pre-brined. That being the case I dry brine overnight.

[Sweaty Paul]

I favor dry brining overnight. Go a little lighter on salt depending on the rub I plan to use. Think the overnight dry brine is key.