We need to talk more about ribs!

Big Poppa

Administrator
I cook mostly Baby Backs from Costco. I cook them many ways depending on my mood and how much I want to futz with them.

I wish the racks were more evenly weighted but the are pretty good quality.

Do you cook Spares? Baby Backs? What temp?

We had one thread on this but ribs are too good and we need to dive in more

Foil? Parkay? Clarified butter? Mix sauces? all one temp? fall off the bone (I know we arent supposed to like them...but I secretly do) Flavor of pellets? Spritz?
 

squirtthecat

New member
I like to cook the St Louis cut spares. A little Carolina Treet and a Memphis style rub, 225° (more like 240° on my Traeger) for about 5 hours - until the meat pulls back and they bend when you pick them up. No foil for me, no sauce. Spritz the last couple hours with 50/50 apple juice and apple cider vinegar. Pellets? Usually, whatever in the hopper, but I did a dedicated batch with Candy's Peach pellets and they were really good.
 

Phrett Bender

New member
I adjust cooking depending on my mood, also. I usually do baby backs atarting at 160 for an hour or two, then up to 225 until done, another 4 hours or so. I have been using a Memphis style rub and no foil or sauce lately, just a yellow mustard wipe to hold on the rub. I may spritz the last hour with apple juice. I have done the foiling, saucing, higher temps, etc., but not for personal taste. For comps it's another story!
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
YOu know I sinned this weekend and cooked some on my Meadow Creek Stickburner...It was fun to change it up. I sometimes just put them on and let them go at 210 some times 250 2 hours then foil 45 thencook to set for 30 The fun part is all the different ways.
 

Bear

Moderator
I always do ribs at 225*. If I'm only doing a few for the family, I usually do St. Louis cut. If I'm doing a bunch, it's usually baby backs. My wife likes them wet, so when I'm cooking for the family, that's the way they are. I like the 3 eyz rub, and smoke them for about 3 hrs, then foil w/ butter, honey and brown sugar for about 1.5 hrs. After they come out of the foil, I smoke for about another 1 hr to 1.5 hrs with a heavy coat of Bob Gibsons red sauce for the last 30 min. These will usually fall off of the bone (again, to my wife's liking).

If I do dry ribs, I start out the same with the 3 eyz, but I spray with apple juice and apple cider vinegar solution 2 or three times during the cook starting at about the 3 hr. mark. Cooking times for baby backs are a little less.
 

CarterQ

Moderator
Lately its been St Louis spares cooked 5-6 hours @225 no foil. No spritzing, and maybe sauce the last hour if in a sauce mood. I like mine just to the point where its about to fall off the bone but not mushy. Been using BBQers delight peach the last few batches and am really liking that flavor. As for rubs and sauces I don't think I've used the same combo twice in the past few months! So many options which make it fun.

Mmmmm
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KyNola

Member
St. Louis cut spares for me. In Kentucky, ribs = HICKORY! 225 degrees, no foil, until they will do this.....
Kurobutabendtest.jpg

If I'm going to sauce them, I just glaze them lightly the last 30 minutes or so with MAK's Honey Stinger sauce until they look like this..
Smokerpics001.jpg

BP, if you would prefer I not post the pics let me know and I'll delete them.
 

TentHunter

Moderator
Call me Mr. Frugal, but I love the extras I get by trimming Spareribs to a St. Louis cut:

1) Breast Bone: has a good bit of meat on it and can be smoked right along side the ribs as another rib, used for soup or as a treat for the dog (usually the dog wins :p).
View attachment 161


2) Skirt Flap: Trim the silverskin off and cut up for stir fry, or grind for sausage.

3) End Cut: Same as the skirt flap, or if I'm doing say 4 or 5 racks then the end cuts make great pork cutlets!

4) Rib Tips: I save them up in the freezer and when I get 7 or 8 I'll pull them out and smoke them up like I would the ribs.


Anyone else do this?
 

Deb

New member
I usually do Costco baby backs.... rub only....smoke for awhile and then 225 ...... lately I have been foiling 2 of them since that's the way my family likes them.

I don't usually sauce them but last time I brushed some blueberry hot pepper jam on right before I took them off - they were good.
 

jimtorl

New member
Costco ribs with my old bay rub ( live close to thoes Maryland Crabs) Cook 225 for 4 to 5 hours. I like mine dry but the family like them wet so some get the foil wrap with some home made sauce for a extra hour at 225
 

jimsbarbecue

Moderator
Ribs we Cook them all. If baby back either Costco, Sam's or RD as they are bigger then the stores.Just like TentHunter the cut offs on the STL cuts get used for other cooks and like Bear if I need to do bunch I do the baby back because less prep time. 225-275 for temps I do foil, been using rib candy for glue sometimes and with the foil and brown sugar. I have NOT been able to over do the rib candy yet where it is to spicy.Also us the CT or blue parkay. The fun part is figuring the flavor your after. A sweet one would use rib candy as glue for a mild rub with honey and brown sugar when foiling and blues hog bbq sauce to finish.
 
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