First Baby Back Ribs Questions

[bob_loblaw]

Hey guys,

I have read every BBR thread on here, but you all know how it is, you always want direct info to your questions.  So here goes another thread.  I am making my first set of BBR for this Sunday to take to my girlfriends father's.  Ribs are cryovac'd amd "trimmed" so I assume membrane is off.  Is that correct?

Basic plan - Sat morning, unwrap, rinse, pat dry apply rub.  Sunday start smoker and follow 3-2-1 recipe with 3 hours hickory, 225 cook temp, 2 hours foil tent with apple juice, and 1 hour for sauce. 

Questions -

1) some people talk about marinading in advance with coke or pepsi.  What is the current thought on this?  Good/bad?  If I do it I assume I will just marinade in coke overnight starting Friday night, then proceed as outlined above.

2) sauce - Any standard BBQ sauce ok or does anyone have a quick/easy fav they prefer.

3) any other thoughts/comments/tips are appreciated! 

Thanks in advance guys!

[FLBentRider]

Hey guys,

I have read every BBR thread on here, but you all know how it is, you always want direct info to your questions.  So here goes another thread.  I am making my first set of BBR for this Sunday to take to my girlfriends father's.  Ribs are cryovac'd amd "trimmed" so I assume membrane is off.  Is that correct?

Basic plan - Sat morning, unwrap, rinse, pat dry apply rub.  Sunday start smoker and follow 3-2-1 recipe with 3 hours hickory, 225 cook temp, 2 hours foil tent with apple juice, and 1 hour for sauce. 

Questions -

1) some people talk about marinading in advance with coke or pepsi.  What is the current thought on this?  Good/bad?  If I do it I assume I will just marinade in coke overnight starting Friday night, then proceed as outlined above.

2) sauce - Any standard BBQ sauce ok or does anyone have a quick/easy fav they prefer.

3) any other thoughts/comments/tips are appreciated! 

Thanks in advance guys!

0. Do not assume there is no membrane.

1. I do the 3-2-1, but on the 2, you want to see the meat pulling back from the ends of the bones. sometimes it's 1.5 and sometimes it's 2.5

2. I'd stay away from commercial sauces that have smoke flavor - it tends to conflict with the real thing.

[DTAggie]

Bob, you still need to check the ribs for membrane.  I bet it is still on there.

On Baby Backs I have found that it does not take 3-2-1, more like 2-1-1 or if you want the 3 smoke then 1-1 after.

[KevinG]

Here's what is looks like, in case you haven't seen it before.

[Caneyscud]

Questions -

1) some people talk about marinading in advance with coke or pepsi.  What is the current thought on this?  Good/bad?  If I do it I assume I will just marinade in coke overnight starting Friday night, then proceed as outlined above.  Why do you want to marinade in Coke or Pepsi?  If that is what you are used to - then so be it.  I'm not trying to discourage you from doing it especially if are familiar with them prepared that way and that is how you like them, but I would hazard a guess very few ribs are.  Personally I would not want those tastes with my ribs.  My ribs are usually rubbed (no sugar) right before they go into the smoker.  Quite often all my ribs get are smoke, salt, pepper, cayenne.  I like the combination of smoke and meat without lots of spices. 

2) sauce - Any standard BBQ sauce ok or does anyone have a quick/easy fav they prefer.  Yep, any sauce will do - I'd suggest starting out with one you are familiar with and like.  However, I will agree with the smoked kinds conflicting.  Why would you spend money and time on smoking ribs, then overpower it with fake smoke flavor?  There are basically two styles of ribs - dry and wet.  Dry generally only has a rub and maybe spritzed during cooking.  Wet has sauce put on in the last 30 min to hour of smoking, or even after.  I prefer dry - that is what I grew up with and like.  But there is nothing wrong with wet ribs, if that is what you like.  Again, I like the combination of meat, smoke, and salt and don't want other things covering that up.

3) any other thoughts/comments/tips are appreciated!  If you do the foil method, then on baby racks, the timing is probably closer to 2-1-1.  But could get towards longer - that is why you test rather than just rely on time.  Them porks are not all identical.  Some baby backs have a lot of meat left on them, others don't - and that affects time also.  Ribs can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be.  Me, I like simple - take out of pkg, pull membrane, season (salt,pepper,cayenne), put into smoker until done - smoking the entire time.  No marinade, no brine, no sauce, no apple juice, no foil.  But others make some fantastic ribs other ways.  Experimentation is fun and delicious.  Baby backs are naturally more tender than spares so be careful of overcooking.  Think back to when you have eaten some fantastic rib.  Try to remember what you like about them, then replicate.  If that included soaking in Coke, lots of sugary rub, topped off with sweet smokey sauce - then do them that way.  But if you liked them in Memphis - not likely that way.  If they were from the Brisket Belt in Texas - not likely that way.  Many restaurants will oven cook, then dunk in sauce - you might like that way.  BTW, the 225 with hickory is a great combination. 

[squirtthecat]

I hope you have your OBS nailed down!


Severe thunderstorms expected in Chicago area this afternoon
June 18, 2010 12:01 PM

Severe thunderstorms expected to move through the Chicago area later this afternoon could produce winds as high as 70 m.p.h.

The National Weather Service said the winds could cause widespread damage around the area. The storms could produce rainfall at roughly two inches an hour, and hail.

The storms, which were moving across Iowa as of noon, were expected to hit the Chicago area by 3 p.m. or 4 p.m., the weather service said, adding that the severe weather in the area could last through the evening.

[bob_loblaw]

Thanks for the tips.  Revised plan

Will check for membrane.  No marinade, I just read it a few places.

I do love experimenting but these are not just for me so.  I am going to try the heralded 2-1-1 (or something close) recipe.  All ribs rubbed with a simple rub.  Half will be sauced during the last hour, other half dry and allowed to firm up.  FTC then to the party. 

Squirt, good memory that I am in Chitown!  At least I hope so, otherwise I am just worried!!  :o

[squirtthecat]

Squirt, good memory that I am in Chitown!  At least I hope so, otherwise I am just worried!!  :o

I recall that you were up high in the Loop/Gold Coast-ish area..

MrsSTC will be up there for a 'girls trip' in late July.   If I knew where you were (and if she wouldn't pitch a fit for lugging it), I'd send up a big jug of Carolina Treet for you to use on your next ribs/butt/chicken/brisket/whatever.

[bob_loblaw]

Yep, I am in Printer's Row or the near south loop so very close to downtown.  Very good memory.

If you could swing it I would absolutely love to figure out a way to acquire some treet.  I hear great things about it.

Fingers crossed that the nice weather lasts one  more day.  On the plus side my balcony is recessed and will almost always stay dry, does get some wind though. 

[bob_loblaw]

Oh and thanks much for the detailed answers Caneyscud! 

[squirtthecat]

If you could swing it I would absolutely love to figure out a way to acquire some treet.  I hear great things about it.

They are coming up on the train, staying up by Water Tower place, and these 1/2 gallon jugs are heavy..  So I don't think that will work.  If I was coming with her it would be a no brainer - as I always swing down by the Art/History Museum campus while she is storming the Mag Mile. 

I'll figure out a way to ship one up to you.   The trick will be finding the right sized box.
PM me a shipping address and I'll start scrounging through our distribution room this week.

PS - it's awesome on ribs!

[hal4uk]

Bob, I agree %100 with everything Caneyscud said.

About using Coke...
I have never marinated ribs in Coke, and don't plan to, but if you do, you might want to be careful as to how long you let them go.  A common cure for a car that won't start is pouring coke on the battery terminals because the acid in the coke will eat through the corrosion (quickly) and restore the metal-to-metal connection.  I assume the theory for Coke marinade on ribs is similar - i.e. for tenderization; I expect it could change the texture of the meat considerably.  The idea might have some merit if you're trying to do a "smoked ribs" knock-off on your gasser.  But, you have a smoker, and proper low-n-slow cooking will tenderize the meat naturally. 

That said, I'll reiterate that I haven't tried it, but I have started a few cars with coke.  If you try it, let us know how they come out.

P.S.  Coke is also good for dissolving dead bugs off your windshield.

[FLBentRider]

P.S.  Coke is also good for dissolving dead bugs off your windshield.

And OFF! is great to dissolve pine sap on a windshield.

[bob_loblaw]

Ugh, not a great start to the day.  Trying to be clever I put a foil drip pan on the bottom rack thinking it would be an easier cleanup.  Not the worst until I realized (90 min in) I had my thermometer underneath the pan and NOT the lowest rack of ribs.  Rectifying that problem dropped the cab temp and after another hour it still had not returned to 225.  >:(

Being a total rookie, my solution was to pull everything (smoke was done anyway), foil with apple juice and stick in a 225 oven.  Will check after an hour and keep them tented until meat pulls back, figuring that is where you really cook the meat the most.  Then 1 hour with no foil to firm up. Hopefully it will work out.  Fingers crossed.

Long and slow right?  

Squirt - Thanks for the offer!  I will PM you tomorrow when I am not running around like crazy!

[FLBentRider]

Ugh, not a great start to the day.  Trying to be clever I put a foil drip pan on the bottom rack thinking it would be an easier cleanup.  Not the worst until I realized (90 min in) I had my thermometer underneath the pan and NOT the lowest rack of ribs.  Rectifying that problem dropped the cab temp and after another hour it still had not returned to 225.  >:(

Being a total rookie, my solution was to pull everything (smoke was done anyway), foil with apple juice and stick in a 225 oven.  Will check after an hour and keep them tented until meat pulls back, figuring that is where you really cook the meat the most.  Then 1 hour with no foil to firm up. Hopefully it will work out.  Fingers crossed.

Long and slow right?  

That sounds like a solid plan. I have done them that way in the past.