I want my baby back...

[LMJ]

Mothers Day is fast approaching, and since it'll almost be the weekend I come home from college, I've decided to make baby back ribs for my mother, a long-deprived rib fan who can't grill to save her life, god bless her. Coincidently, the local Acme has baby back ribs (two racks in a cryovac bag) for $3.99/lb. More than I'd usually spend for any meat, but this is a gift, after all.

Now, I was going to follow Alton Brown's broiler-braised recipe from "Pork Fiction"... But it came to my attention today that the family oven's broiler no longer works. Thanks, dad...

This leaves me with five methods of applying heat to the meat:

1. Ol' Smokey, a flare-up prone but nonetheless reliable Charbroil propane grill. Does a beautiful job of carmalizing meat with those flare-ups, actually, especially if you've got a good amount of garlic and herbs on the surface to carmelize. Can't take your eyes off it, though.

2. A pair of Farberware open-hearth broilers. They do the same job as the grill, but indoors. No way to control the heat.

3. The gas stovetop, with the usual assortment of stock pots, saucepans, and skillets, both iron and stainless.

4. The oven. Gas again, and quite reliable.

5. A collection of slow cookers dating to the early '70s, in varying sizes.


There's also a complement of blowtorches and welders in the garage, and the fireplace, but I'm kind of fond of my eyebrows and forearm hair.

And so I put this question to you, my fellow foodies: How the hell am I going to cook these ribs? :?

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

The grill of course! Well.... half way. I'll assume that the ribs have no sauce and are not cooked yet. If so, then simmer them in water for 45 minutes (depending on the amount you have... etc.) then take them to the grill and put them on low heat. Rub your preferred spices on before the grill. Cook for 10 minutes and rub your BBQ sauce on them. Wait 3-5 minutes while the lid is closed. Then flip them and rub the BBQ sauce on the other side. Close the grill and wait 3-5 minutes again. Take them off the grill and serve!
Boom badda bang... great ribs!

 

[ironchef]

i agree with sushi, you need to cook your ribs in a liquid to get them tender before you grill them. this way, they shouldn't get overly charred since you're just getting that "grilled flavor" at the end. you could even use beer or some other flavoring for your liquid to give it more depth as well.

 

[MJ]

I bake mine in the oven at 200* with sauce on them, -maybe 1.5 hours until done. Then I finish them on the grill with some more bbq sauce. mmmmm

 

[wolfie]

We had a recipe that was lost in 1992 in a hurricane in Hawaii. Recently found out that my mother outlaw had copied it when she was out there the year before. It's a good one. I don't know where we got the recipe originally, but we never had any leftovers. 8)


Ono Ono Spareribs

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion; chopped
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 cup bottled chili sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup molasses
3 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dark rum
2 lbs spareribs

Saute chopped onion and minced garlic until onion turns golden and
translucent, about five minutes.
Lower heat and add remainder of sauce ingredients, except for rum.
Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about twenty minutes.
When almost done slowly stir in dark rum.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Boil spareribs for thirty minutes and let cool. Then soak ribs covered with
sauce, in the refrigerator, for four or five hours; turning once in a
while. Bake ribs in sauce or do on the grill, basting occasionally, until crusty.

My wife says she bakes them about 350 degrees F.

wolfie

 

[LMJ]

Thanks guys!

Looks like I'll mostly be able to follow that recipe, just substituting the grill for the broiler. I should've thought of that myself...

Uhm... Anybody know what's in Jalapeño Shake? I know they don't see it here.

 

[LMJ]

Mmm.... Ribs.

Too sweet for my taste, but they were awful tender. The women in the family loved them, so mission accomplished.

Thanks again.

 

[DampCharcoal]

It's chilly and rainy here in the outback of Ohio but I thought I'd try (for the five millionth time) to make fall-off-the-bone ribs. My cousin swears up and down that marinating the ribs in orange juice and lemon juice for a few hours helps break apart the tough fibers. Anybody ever hear this? I haven't tried it yet cuz I don't want to waste perfectly good orange juice! For the sauce, I've become a big fan of Sweet Baby Ray's. Probably one of the better commercial BBQ sauces.

 

[MJ]

Sweet Baby Ray bbq sauce ROCKS! Thats my favorite to. I like the spicy kind.
I think the acidity does break down the meat.
I used to marinate porkchops in apple cider. They always turn out good.

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

I really like Sweet Baby Rays too!

BUT.... I found a sauce BETTER!!!!

It is Famous Daves BBQ. http://www.famousbbqsauce.com/mailorder.html

They have a restraunt close to me. And it is the BEST BBQ I have EVER slapped my tounge on!!!
The "Rich & Sassy" with the blue label is the most popular... and I think the best. They also sell the sauce in the grocery stores here too.
I hope you guys get to try it!!!

 

[DampCharcoal]

Which state are YOU stuck in DS? We have a wide (not necessarily good) selection of BBQ sauces but I've never noticed Famous Dave's, although it does sound familiar. As for ordering online, I just don't trust the net enough to start sending credit card numbers over the wire! If it's that good though, I might just take the risk...

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

I live in the Chicago western burbs. Here is a link to what Famous Daves looks like. http://www.famousdaves.com/restaura.cfm
The one thats closest to me is the one on the left.... 2nd from the top. God I just LOVE it! I can understand you not being 100% happy sending your credit card # over the internet. I have doe it with no problem though. But Im VERY careful where I give it out. It MUST be a well known company and it HAS to be on a secured webpage.
I forgot, where do you live?

 

[DampCharcoal]

I currently reside in farming country, NE of Columbus, uh-HI-yuh. Food out here is somewhat influenced by our Amish buddies. Talk about experts in the field of comfort food! I might have to track down some recipes and post them! I'll examine the condiments section of the local Kroger and see if I can find Famous Dave's. I know I've seen it before somewhere!

 

[MJ]

My children LOVE the good ole' KC masterpiece, original. That is A good sauce to, I must admit. I want to make it to there restuarant in K.C. some day.
Sushi, theres A Famous Daves in my town . I think we will go there for supper Sunday evening, now that you mention that!~

 

[LilTiggrrr]

ok, i'm new to the rib scene

hi everyone, i'm new here, but have been looking for a place to talk about ribs. I love them, but have never been able to make them very well. Either they turn out crunchy and dry because they cooked too long to get tender, or they are nice and done, but so tough it's like eating shoe leather. I have a good rub that gives them good flavor, but my problem is the tenderness. How do I get the stupid things fall off the bone tender like the TGIFriday's ribs? I have just a little charcoal grill outside (one of the cheaper ones you'd use mainly for hamburgers and hotdogs). It works pretty well, but I'm worried about the "smoking" thing with it. I do have an oven, and broiler, but want that smoky flavor you get from the great outdoor cooking. I just don't want them burnt, and my family doesn't want to have to chew their shoes anymore. It's become an embarassment for me to make ribs anymore. Any suggestions?

LilTiggrrr

 

[RAYT721]

My Recipe for Success

I always boil my ribs before grilling and they usually fall off the bone. My favorite BBQ sauce ... Open Pit Original.

 

[LilTiggrrr]

fall off the bone ribs

oh, really? i didn't know you could do that. how long would you boil them. Would you put them in the oven afterward or on the grill? and doesn't it make them taste different? Would you put the rub on them afterward? and do you marinate them overnight in anything in the frig? Told you I might ask some stupid questions about this for a while, but I've been so frustrated with making them that I've refused to go anywhere near one of those cryovac bags in our freezer.

 

[RAYT721]

I'm Always in Hot Water

I've been boiling my ribs (Western and Spareribs) before grilling for many years. I don't use a marinade or rub although I am sure you could do that after boiling (let them cool). I boil for probably 45 minutes (depends on thickness) in a stockpot which also precooks them and removes some of the fat. Then they go on the grill or oven with the sauce and I have always had tender and juicy BBQ ribs. /rayt721

 

[Raine]

Boilng them, boils out all the flavor.

Tig,

How long and at what temp are you cooking them?
Cooking direct or indirect?

 

[Raine]

Buy one or more whole racks of ribs (end-on or "St. Louis Style" -- ask your butcher) and coat lightly with olive or vebetable oil using your hand or a brush. Sprinkle lots of "rub" on both sides and ends, patting and slapping it firmly into place. Surface of meat should be completely covered with a layer of rub. Wrap each rib in two layers of plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours.

Bank a small amount of coals on one side of the grill and let smoker warm up for 20-30 minutes. Stick a meat thermometer in the top or side of the grill (you may need to drill a hole), and work the fire to stabilize the temperature around 200-300 degrees. Hotter fires will significantly shorten cooking times and not allow slow-cooking of the meat.

Soak hickory, mesquite, cherry, apple or other wood chips in a bowl of water for 20 minutes or more, and sprinkle small amounts on the coals every 20-30 minutes or as often as desired.

Optional: Partially fill a small disposable aluminum pan with water and place at the bottom of the Weber or partially over the coals. Fill as necessary during the cooking process.

Place ribs away from the heat source, on the side opposite the banked coals. If you have two or more racks of ribs, use a 'rib rack' purchased at your local hardware store for $10 to help stand the rib racks on their side next to each other. Place rib racks thick side up/bone-end down, so the small ends stay moist.

That's it! Sit back for 4 to 6 hours, watch the smoke rise, and drink your favorite beverage. Don't forget to add soaked wood chips every so often, and keep the water pan half full. You may want to turn the meat in-place to give each rib end or side equal time nearest the heat source. If you're curious whether the ribs are done, try cutting one off and eating it (cook's privilege). The meat should be pink around the edges (called a 'smoke ring'), pull cleanly from the bone and taste nice and smoky.

Before serving or for the last 10 minutes of cooking, lightly brush each rack with your homemade barbecue sauce. Cut between each rib, brush again with sauce if desired, and serve. Make sure you save a few ribs for yourself -- they'll go quickly! You're now a real, slow cookin', wood smokin' barbecue chef.