Babyback Ribs #4 - 11-Dec-2011

Get

I promised some buddies to bring ribs to the Chiefs game.

I bought two slabs of ribs from Hen House. They were on sale. I paid $21 including a bottle of Famous Dave's Rib Rub. I saved $18. So, I was off to a nice start.

Rub

I unpacked the ribs and put them on a Jelly Roll pan. I inspected the meat. There was no tenderloin and there appeared to be no film on the underside.

I lavished rub on the top of ribs, and rubbed in the rub. I shook off the extra. I flipped the ribs and did the same to the bottom.

I laid the ribs in the pan side by side, covered them in foil and put them in the fridge.

Ready

I assumed 4.5 hours of cooking time. I had to be at my buddy's at 12. So, I got up at 8am (wtf).

I took me about 40 minutes to prep. (Those who studied Math in High School do not get hung up on apparent delay. Assume I was doing this at high altitude and therefore my speed was closer to the speed of light.)

I got the wood ready

2 hand of mesquite

1 hand of alder

2 hands of apple

I soaked it in water for 30 minutes

the fire needed some help. At first only the left top was firing. I had to rearrange coals twice and relight to finally get a even fire.

BBQ

The temperature was 350F

I threw on the wood, then the indirect element, the grill and the rib slab holder.

I put on two slabs the bone ends up.

The temperature dropped to 150F.

I moved the top and bottom vents to 50% closed and walked away until 12pm.

At 12pm, the temperature was 225F. The smell was great. I put in the meat thermometer and it read 180F. Success!

Lessons Learned

1) recipe says to apply mustard and then add the rub; I should try this again

2) do not put the ribs in the main fridge; they make the whole fridge smell like "meat"

3) put the wood in the water the night before

4) in the cold weather it takes the BGE longer to get hot

5) the ribs were great. The meat stripped easily off the bone. I would have like to have cooked it a bit longer (30 minutes?). The gumbadees thought the ribs were delicious.

Baby Back Ribs #3 - Saturday 15-Oct-2011

This is my third time smoking Baby Back Ribs.

This morning we purchased 3 slabs of Baby Back ribs from McGonigle's Market

I started at 2:30 PM

the Rib Rub Down

I could not find the membrane to peel on the bone side. This is my third time smoking Baby Back ribs. I have never be successful finding this and peeling it.

The rub is McCormick's GrillMates Applewood rub. It was on sale at Costco.

liberally pour the rub on bone side and massage the rub into the rib.

Flip the ribs and generously add the rub to the meat side.

Quarter turn and massage the rub into the sides

I noticed that the rub did not stick to the bone side. So, I drizzled mustard to the bone side, poured on more rub, and massaged in the mustard and rub combination.

With much hope after all the messaging, I put the ribs in the refrigerator to get acquainted with the rub.

I need to do this either the night before or earlier in the morning.

Wood That Be Nice

WHOOPS. I forgot to prep the wood chips. I would like to soak the chips for at least an hour.

Woodchips

2 handfuls of Pecan

1 handful of Apple

1 handful of Mesquite

Firing Up the BGE

I added a quarter of a bag of charcol to the BGE.

Lite the BGE using 90% rubbing alcohol.

Left BGE burning with vent open and lid open for 10 minutes

Closed the lid and checked the temperature after 10 minutes - 350 F

Adjusted the top and bottom vents to what I thought looked good (let's call this Point A) and waited 10 minutes

The temp was now 320F

Get Cooking

Drained the wood and put it on the charcol (the woods sat in water for about 30 minutes)

the temperature dropped to 200F

Added indirect heating thingie

Added the ribs (they sat in the rub for about 45 minutes)

Closed the lid adjusted the vents to Point A

The time was 3:25 PM

Waited 10 minutes and the temperature was 208F

I opened the bottom vent .5 inch

Waited 5 minutes and the temperature was 220F

Waited 10 minutes (3:55pm) and the temp was 245F 30 minutes after adding the wood and ribs.

Waited 10 minuted (4:05pm) and the temp was 260F, so I reduced the bottom vent

Walk away

If you are looking it is not cooking. We went to the park.

I pulled the ribs off the grill at 6:30pm after a little more than 4 hrs on the grill at about 250F.

Lessons Learned

1) The temperature of the ribs was only about 140F as opposed to 165F, but 4 hours at 250 made me think they were done. Though I am concerned that the thermometer does not lie.

2) the meat tasted good and were tender. The meat was not falling off the bone.

3) A big lesson - check the meat prior to cooking. One of the ribs in particular was thick and did not cook enough.

4) I caked the ribs in rub and it was too much when we were eating them. The kids thought the rub made the ribs too spicy. This was because I over rubbed. I can shake the ribs before smoking and that should be ok.