The rib thread

[ChileRick]

Originally Posted by flaggship1

Took a while but finally got to the important stuff. Spare, back or short - rubbed or sauced? Time to open a rib thread. You got this one Wayne??

I'll start........
Our first year out, we were out "sightseeing" so often we usually didn't have the daylight or energy to spend a couple three hours BBQ'ing rib racks. That said, we do carry a small slow cooker, and can leave the short ribs going while we're out.
We salt, pepper and lightly brown the required amount of short ribs, lay them over some onions in the slow cooker. Cover them about half way or so with a 50/50 blend of beef stock and a chocolate porter or stout ( Sam Adams has a great one available this time of year ). Put the cooker on low, throw in a bay leaf, if I remember to bring any, there you go, ready when you get back.
Just thicken the liquid for gravy over mashed potatoes or rice.

[flaggship1]

ChileRick - thanks for kicking this off. I have a list of honey dos pressing me at the moment but have high hopes for this tread. I know there are rib experts here and looking forward to hearing and learning how they do it. For now I can add this



Peel the membrane and even if you sauce - a good rub first can make flavors more complex.



Looking forward to lessons and the short ribs sound great. Meat and tators - now we're talking and I don't mean bacon.

[Sohapi]

Ribs are some of our favorite things........but we both like them in a different way. LOL

I usually will put a pot of water and cider vinegar together and boil the ribs till tender. Then I put on a rub (DH likes the rub) I slow cook/smoke them and I make a coke sauce and brush half with the sauce and leave the other half with out.

This is just one way we like ribs.

Coke BBQ Ribs
Sweet Cola Barbecue Sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups ketchup
1 can Coke
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dry Rub:
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper

2 racks pork spare ribs (about 3 pound each)

　
For the sauce:
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add oil. Once heated, add the onion and garlic and sauté until tender. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

For the dry rub:
Whisk all dry ingredients together in a small bowl. This can be stored up to 6 months in an airtight container.

For the ribs:
Rinse and dry ribs. Place on a clean cutting board, pull off the membrane and trim the ribs of excess fat. Liberally season both sides of the ribs with rub. Wrap ribs with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 to 12 hours so flavors can permeate.
Preheat grill to 250 degrees F. using hickory and charcoal. Set up your grill for indirect heat.

Place ribs, meatier side down, on the grill away from the coals. Close grill cover. Cook the pork ribs for 1 hour 15 minutes; flipping several times for even cook.
*Coat ribs with Barbecue Sauce and cook for another 20 minutes.
*Reserve some of the sauce for dipping when the ribs are served

[Possum]

Has anyone tried Llama ribs this way? DW and I are being gifted a slab of these ribs and I would like to find a good recipe for them. DW does wonderfully cooking beef and pork ribs but is uncertain of what to do with Llama. Anyone???

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by Possum

Has anyone tried Llama ribs this way? DW and I are being gifted a slab of these ribs and I would like to find a good recipe for them. DW does wonderfully cooking beef and pork ribs but is uncertain of what to do with Llama. Anyone???

Never knew llama ribs were even available. Suggest low and slow.

[flaggship1]

Sohapi - looks like you've mastered this. Two great sounding methods.

[DinnerDiva]

I, too, usually boil my ribs. We used to run a "make and take" type business (similar to a Super Suppers) but we had prepared entree's for folks to just pick up, take home, heat and enjoy. We sold a lot of ribs.
We would steam them - for this we had a big, electric Turkey Fryer - but we would fill it with water, a handfull of garlic cloves, a couple bay leaves and a couple quartered onions. We would cook a couple batches in this - about 5# at a time - maybe more. When the ribs were tender, we took them out of the fryer, brushed them with a little melted bacon fat, some
salt and pepper. That's it - we gave everyone a container of BBQ sauce.
Some folks just heated them on the grill and either enjoyed them plain or with sauce - others heated in the oven. Either way, they were a big seller.

Sohapi you bring back fond memories. I'll have to make these again and I'll try your BBQ Sauce recipe - that sounds amazing. Thanks for the great post!!

[flaggship1]

I've never boiled ribs. Thought about in the depths of winter. Thought perhaps the water could be used as soup stock as a bonus. I'm a fan of low and slow. The target heat to hold is



So if you boil them and can't finish on the grill - what's the best way to finish them in the oven? Ever turn that water to stock? Or do the ribs not spend enough time in the water to render flavor. That was also a concern - loss of flavor in the process. Like I said - never tried it or even really perused recipes on the method. Some swear by it. I know that.

[ischua]

I crockpot ribs in apple cider before putting them in the oven. Cider adds sweetness to the meat and tenderizes the meat too. I boil down a little cider with maple syrup add my spice mix and throw them under the broiler and baste them till they get good and sticky. They need no other sugar. Works great on wings too.

[85antique]

Originally Posted by ischua

I crockpot ribs in apple cider before putting them in the oven. Cider adds sweetness to the meat and tenderizes the meat too. I boil down a little cider with maple syrup add my spice mix and throw them under the broiler and baste them till they get good and sticky. They need no other sugar. Works great on wings too.

How long in crockpot? We got a pig & soon a cow Then going to have a Rib night while camping this summer. Tnx

[85antique]

How long to cook the ribs in the crockpot? Planning a Rib night this summer while at Hickory Run SP. tnx

[ChileRick]

Originally Posted by 85antique

How long to cook the ribs in the crockpot? Planning a Rib night this summer while at Hickory Run SP. tnx

Well, unless they're short ribs, I'd say zero. I'm a low and slow guy as well. Only time I did pork ribs in the slow cooker, it ended up being pulled pork with bones. I prefer marinating ribs over night in the fridge in apple juice/cider, then about 4 hours at 275 with a pan of the juice in the oven or BBQ. I'd tell you about my sauce, but I have never made the same kind twice! That's a whole other thread.......

[Whatnobeer]

Originally Posted by ChileRick

Well, unless they're short ribs, I'd say zero. I'm a low and slow guy as well. Only time I did pork ribs in the slow cooker, it ended up being pulled pork with bones. I prefer marinating ribs over night in the fridge in apple juice/cider, then about 4 hours at 275 with a pan of the juice in the oven or BBQ. I'd tell you about my sauce, but I have never made the same kind twice! That's a whole other thread.......

Your sauce sounds like mine, empty out the fridge and see what ya get. Sometimes you wish you would write down the concoction because it's delicious.

[ChileRick]

Originally Posted by Whatnobeer

Your sauce sounds like mine, empty out the fridge and see what ya get. Sometimes you wish you would write down the concoction because it's delicious.

More art than science actually!