Smoking Pork Ribs

[ding]

Seems like overkill for ribs.
I just put some rub(salt pepper ground mustard chili powder garlic cayenne and paprika) on em, and throw em on the grill for 4 hours or so. You cant beat it.

Better cooked low and slow in a proper smoker. Barbeque is all about low and slow cooking tougher cuts of meat so they break down and tenderize. The tougher cuts are typically the tastier cuts so haste makes waste and sauce hides the great flavor of the meat you've worked so hard to get. If you go smearing sauce on beef brisket in Texas you're liable to be strung up.

When i do pork ribs, i do half sauced and half dry. Most of the time.
Sauce doesnt touch my beef ribs, though!
Beef ribs are 10 times better than pork.

I like both but it's hard to find decent beef ribs to cook and good luck finding an honest to God butcher anymore. When I go to what passes for a butcher counter in any of the stores these days and ask for plate ribs I get blank stares. All they ever have in the case are shiners (aka back ribs) which I refuse to waste money on. I can't even find chuck ribs. If it doesn't come out of a friggin box what passes for a butcher in stores these days won't know anything about it.

I'm pretty sure the restaurants are getting the good beef ribs. I can't find any good ones either.

 

[ding]

I never see these in the stores.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I never see these in the stores.

View attachment 418067

I dont have a problem finding them. My local HEB almost always has them.
Love a good beef rib!!!
They taste like brisket but way richer!!!

 

[ding]

I never see these in the stores.

View attachment 418067

I dont have a problem finding them. My local HEB almost always has them.
Love a good beef rib!!!
They taste like brisket but way richer!!!
View attachment 418153
View attachment 418154

I need to try a different HEB then because I don't recall seeing those there. Nice bark.

 

[Dick Foster]

I might be going to Savannah next October. I've been down south twice for short vacations, and the one thing I've not had the chance to sample is real bbq.

Is there bbq in Savannah? What kind? What is it like and what should I look for if it exists ?

Well the best is in North Carolina but I suppose there might be some pig to be had in Savannah. In NC its whole hog with straight vinegar/pepper sauce on the coast and as you approach the mountains they start to sneak some ketchup into the table sauce and its pork shoulders aka Boston butts only not whole hog. But in the Carolinas barbecue is pig while in Texas it's all about beef. Chicken, ribs, sausage and such are kinda universal. In South Carolina they put mustard in their sauce but even that beats the hell out of the mayonnaise they use in Bama and such places. Some of the best barbeque can be had in the dumpiest looking places that look like shacks. Check the phone book about ask the locals where the best Q can be had.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I never see these in the stores.

View attachment 418067

I dont have a problem finding them. My local HEB almost always has them.
Love a good beef rib!!!
They taste like brisket but way richer!!!
View attachment 418153
View attachment 418154

I need to try a different HEB then because I don't recall seeing those there. Nice bark.

I love em because they have the fat of the brisket point but it's evenly distributed throughout the meat rather than in the huge chunks like in a point.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I might be going to Savannah next October. I've been down south twice for short vacations, and the one thing I've not had the chance to sample is real bbq.

Is there bbq in Savannah? What kind? What is it like and what should I look for if it exists ?

Well the best is in North Carolina but I suppose there might be some pig to be had in Savannah. In NC its whole hog with straight vinegar/pepper sauce on the coast and as you approach the mountains they start to sneak some ketchup into the table sauce and its pork shoulders aka Boston butts only not whole hog. But in the Carolinas barbecue is pig while in Texas it's all about beef. Chicken, ribs, sausage and such are kinda universal. In South Carolina they put mustard in their sauce but even that beats the hell out of the mayonnaise they use in Bama and such places. Some of the best barbeque can be had in the dumpiest looking places that look like shacks. Check the phone book about ask the locals where the best Q can be had.

The one thing about pork thats so appealing is how easy it is to smoke/BBQ.
You'd have to be a total fuck up to over cook it.
It's kinda like the beef short rib,it has so much fat that you're more concerned about rendering down some of it so it isn't greasy.

 

[OldLady]

I might be going to Savannah next October. I've been down south twice for short vacations, and the one thing I've not had the chance to sample is real bbq.

Is there bbq in Savannah? What kind? What is it like and what should I look for if it exists ?

Well the best is in North Carolina but I suppose there might be some pig to be had in Savannah. In NC its whole hog with straight vinegar/pepper sauce on the coast and as you approach the mountains they start to sneak some ketchup into the table sauce and its pork shoulders aka Boston butts only not whole hog. But in the Carolinas barbecue is pig while in Texas it's all about beef. Chicken, ribs, sausage and such are kinda universal. In South Carolina they put mustard in their sauce but even that beats the hell out of the mayonnaise they use in Bama and such places. Some of the best barbeque can be had in the dumpiest looking places that look like shacks. Check the phone book about ask the locals where the best Q can be had.

Alabama is next to Georgia--I'll have to watch it. I definitely don't want MAYO on my bbq.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Seems like overkill for ribs.
I just put some rub(salt pepper ground mustard chili powder garlic cayenne and paprika) on em, and throw em on the grill for 4 hours or so. You cant beat it.

Better cooked low and slow in a proper smoker. Barbeque is all about low and slow cooking tougher cuts of meat so they break down and tenderize. The tougher cuts are typically the tastier cuts so haste makes waste and sauce hides the great flavor of the meat you've worked so hard to get. If you go smearing sauce on beef brisket in Texas you're liable to be strung up.

When i do pork ribs, i do half sauced and half dry. Most of the time.
Sauce doesnt touch my beef ribs, though!
Beef ribs are 10 times better than pork.

I like both but it's hard to find decent beef ribs to cook and good luck finding an honest to God butcher anymore. When I go to what passes for a butcher counter in any of the stores these days and ask for plate ribs I get blank stares. All they ever have in the case are shiners (aka back ribs) which I refuse to waste money on. I can't even find chuck ribs. If it doesn't come out of a friggin box what passes for a butcher in stores these days won't know anything about it.

I'm pretty sure the restaurants are getting the good beef ribs. I can't find any good ones either.

Dont know where you live in Houston but you can get all kinds of good cuts at Meat Masters in Katy.
They specialize in CAB ...(Certified Angus Beef)
They have killer Picanha which is a Brazilian style cut.
It's Fucken Awsome!!!

Trim it down to just a 1/4 inch of the fat at most,I like it a bit thicker,and steak it out in 1 or 1 and a 1/4 inch steaks and cook it hot and fast.

Meat Masters: Your Neighborhood Meat Shop | Katy, TX

www.meatmasterskaty.com

 

[ding]

Seems like overkill for ribs.
I just put some rub(salt pepper ground mustard chili powder garlic cayenne and paprika) on em, and throw em on the grill for 4 hours or so. You cant beat it.

Better cooked low and slow in a proper smoker. Barbeque is all about low and slow cooking tougher cuts of meat so they break down and tenderize. The tougher cuts are typically the tastier cuts so haste makes waste and sauce hides the great flavor of the meat you've worked so hard to get. If you go smearing sauce on beef brisket in Texas you're liable to be strung up.

When i do pork ribs, i do half sauced and half dry. Most of the time.
Sauce doesnt touch my beef ribs, though!
Beef ribs are 10 times better than pork.

I like both but it's hard to find decent beef ribs to cook and good luck finding an honest to God butcher anymore. When I go to what passes for a butcher counter in any of the stores these days and ask for plate ribs I get blank stares. All they ever have in the case are shiners (aka back ribs) which I refuse to waste money on. I can't even find chuck ribs. If it doesn't come out of a friggin box what passes for a butcher in stores these days won't know anything about it.

I'm pretty sure the restaurants are getting the good beef ribs. I can't find any good ones either.

Dont know where you live in Houston but you can get all kinds of good cuts at Meat Masters in Katy.
They specialize in CAB ...(Certified Angus Beef)
They have killer Picanha which is a Brazilian style cut.
It's Fucken Awsome!!!
View attachment 418192 Trim it down to just a 1/4 inch of the fat at most,I like it a bit thicker,and steak it out in 1 or 1 and a 1/4 inch steaks and cook it hot and fast.

Meat Masters: Your Neighborhood Meat Shop | Katy, TX

www.meatmasterskaty.com

That's not too far from me. I'll give them a try.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Seems like overkill for ribs.
I just put some rub(salt pepper ground mustard chili powder garlic cayenne and paprika) on em, and throw em on the grill for 4 hours or so. You cant beat it.

Better cooked low and slow in a proper smoker. Barbeque is all about low and slow cooking tougher cuts of meat so they break down and tenderize. The tougher cuts are typically the tastier cuts so haste makes waste and sauce hides the great flavor of the meat you've worked so hard to get. If you go smearing sauce on beef brisket in Texas you're liable to be strung up.

When i do pork ribs, i do half sauced and half dry. Most of the time.
Sauce doesnt touch my beef ribs, though!
Beef ribs are 10 times better than pork.

I like both but it's hard to find decent beef ribs to cook and good luck finding an honest to God butcher anymore. When I go to what passes for a butcher counter in any of the stores these days and ask for plate ribs I get blank stares. All they ever have in the case are shiners (aka back ribs) which I refuse to waste money on. I can't even find chuck ribs. If it doesn't come out of a friggin box what passes for a butcher in stores these days won't know anything about it.

I'm pretty sure the restaurants are getting the good beef ribs. I can't find any good ones either.

Dont know where you live in Houston but you can get all kinds of good cuts at Meat Masters in Katy.
They specialize in CAB ...(Certified Angus Beef)
They have killer Picanha which is a Brazilian style cut.
It's Fucken Awsome!!!
View attachment 418192 Trim it down to just a 1/4 inch of the fat at most,I like it a bit thicker,and steak it out in 1 or 1 and a 1/4 inch steaks and cook it hot and fast.

Meat Masters: Your Neighborhood Meat Shop | Katy, TX

www.meatmasterskaty.com

That's not too far from me. I'll give them a try.

You won't regret it.

 

[Dick Foster]

I might be going to Savannah next October. I've been down south twice for short vacations, and the one thing I've not had the chance to sample is real bbq.

Is there bbq in Savannah? What kind? What is it like and what should I look for if it exists ?

Well the best is in North Carolina but I suppose there might be some pig to be had in Savannah. In NC its whole hog with straight vinegar/pepper sauce on the coast and as you approach the mountains they start to sneak some ketchup into the table sauce and its pork shoulders aka Boston butts only not whole hog. But in the Carolinas barbecue is pig while in Texas it's all about beef. Chicken, ribs, sausage and such are kinda universal. In South Carolina they put mustard in their sauce but even that beats the hell out of the mayonnaise they use in Bama and such places. Some of the best barbeque can be had in the dumpiest looking places that look like shacks. Check the phone book about ask the locals where the best Q can be had.

The one thing about pork thats so appealing is how easy it is to smoke/BBQ.
You'd have to be a total fuck up to over cook it.
It's kinda like the beef short rib,it has so much fat that you're more concerned about rendering down some of it so it isn't greasy.

You want to cook it enough so that the meat pulls back a bit exposing the ends of the bones. That way you know it'll come off the bone leaving only clean bone behind.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I might be going to Savannah next October. I've been down south twice for short vacations, and the one thing I've not had the chance to sample is real bbq.

Is there bbq in Savannah? What kind? What is it like and what should I look for if it exists ?

Well the best is in North Carolina but I suppose there might be some pig to be had in Savannah. In NC its whole hog with straight vinegar/pepper sauce on the coast and as you approach the mountains they start to sneak some ketchup into the table sauce and its pork shoulders aka Boston butts only not whole hog. But in the Carolinas barbecue is pig while in Texas it's all about beef. Chicken, ribs, sausage and such are kinda universal. In South Carolina they put mustard in their sauce but even that beats the hell out of the mayonnaise they use in Bama and such places. Some of the best barbeque can be had in the dumpiest looking places that look like shacks. Check the phone book about ask the locals where the best Q can be had.

The one thing about pork thats so appealing is how easy it is to smoke/BBQ.
You'd have to be a total fuck up to over cook it.
It's kinda like the beef short rib,it has so much fat that you're more concerned about rendering down some of it so it isn't greasy.

You want to cook it enough so that the meat pulls back a bit exposing the ends of the bones. That way you know it'll come off the bone leaving only clean bone behind.

You dont want pork ribs to fall off the bone unless you're backyard cooking.
They need to have a little bite to em yet still be tender. Of course thats in competitions and is subject to personal preference at home.
Now with beef short ribs it's all about the tenderness.

 

[G.T.]

OP recipe/process looks dope. Gunna try it.

 

[Flash]

Before brining I rinse the ribs thoroughly. I brine my ribs with 1 cup of kosher salt, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 gallon of tap water for two hours. You can brine them for longer but the minimum time is 2 hours. As long as you use a 1 cup of salt to 1 cup of sugar in 1 gallon of water ratio you can’t over brine anything whether it be ribs, pork roasts or chicken. You can use a greater ratio of sugar but don’t use less than a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar to salt. 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of salt is fine in 1 gallon of water. You can use kosher salt or sea salt or Himalayan salt or table salt. You can use white sugar or brown sugar or raw sugar or any combination of the above.

I cut my rack in half so it fits nicely in my brining bucket and my rib rack. If doing more than 1 rack of ribs you can stack them but you will have to add another gallon of brine mixture to cover the ribs. I mix my brine in the bucket before putting the ribs in so it’s good to know how much brine to mix beforehand. The picture below is of one rack of ribs which were cut in half and brined in 1 gallon of my brine mixture.
View attachment 417939

After brining the ribs for 2 hours I rinsed the ribs thoroughly. If you don’t do this the ribs will be saltier. After rinsing thoroughly it is important to dry both side of the ribs with paper towels before seasoning. This is a learning from America’s Test Kitchen and is something that you should do for cooking all meats regardless of the cooking method as it promotes better browning.

If you decide not to brine you should allow the ribs to come to room temperature and rinse and dry the ribs before seasoning. This is also an America’s Test Kitchen learning and it applies to all meats regardless of the cooking method. Brining the ribs with tap water for 2 hours will bring the ribs to room temperature so you can go straight from the fridge to the brine.

View attachment 417941

After brining, rinsing and drying the ribs I season both sides. I season them right before they go in the pit. This too is a learning from America’s Test Kitchen. I used Butt Rub from Costco but I have also seasoned with coarse Kosher salt, black pepper and paprika and get excellent results. What you choose to season with and how liberally you season the ribs is personal preference. I tend to not over do it. You can see from the pictures below how much I seasoned the ribs. Just make sure to season both sides
View attachment 417942

I always use a rib rack because it promotes equal browning and eliminates the need to open the pit to flip the ribs and it serves as a de facto heat shield to force the heat to flow around the sides
View attachment 417943

I use oak whenever I can. I find that oak works really well with everything and is not overpowering. I will typically put the ribs in at 200F and slowly build the heat to 225F. If the heat gets away from me I close the firebox flue and wait for the temp to drop below 225F before cracking it back open
View attachment 417944

Ribs are the only meat I smoke based on time and pit temperature. Typically that is around 5 to 6 hours at 225F. If my temp is running hot or I have the bark I want I may take the off at 5 1/2 hours. If I am making extras, I may take the ones that I am saving for later off at 5 hours. More on that later.

The picture below was taken at 4 hours. As long as my temp was good I never open the pit until at least 4 hours for my first check
View attachment 417945

At 225F ribs are technically cooked after 3 hours but they wil be tough. It’s the extra 2 to 3 hours that the fats break down and the meat gets tender.

I took these ribs off after 5 1/2 hours because the meat had pulled away from the bone and I had the bark like I like it. At 4 1/2 hours I put corn into the pit and roasted it.

The picture below is the finished product and they were amazing.
View attachment 417946

Everything I mentioned above can be used whether you are smoking ribs on a pit or cooking them in an oven or an outside gas grill.

I have tried multiple methods; wrapping after 3 hours, basting, etc. and this is the method I believe produces the best results consistently. It doesn’t matter if you use baby back ribs, spare ribs or St Louis style spare ribs. This method works.

Lastly, sometimes I will purposely cook more than we are planning to eat for the express purpose of saving leftovers. When I do that I will take the ones I am planning to save our of the smoker 30 minutes early. I do this so that when they are reheated they are as moist as the ones we ate that day. I wrap them in Saran Wrap twice then vacuum seal them and store them in the fridge. They will keep this way safely for 30 days. Then when I reheat them I put the vacuum sealed bag in a hot water bath for 10 to 15 minutes, and they are just as good and juicy as the day I cooked them.

Enjoy.

Great job!

I think brining always helps the moisture.

I don't cook them to falling off the bone. To me they are overcooked at that point.

I usually wrap them after a couple of hours of smoking. I do 2-1.5-1.

I use a Big Green Egg.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Before brining I rinse the ribs thoroughly. I brine my ribs with 1 cup of kosher salt, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 gallon of tap water for two hours. You can brine them for longer but the minimum time is 2 hours. As long as you use a 1 cup of salt to 1 cup of sugar in 1 gallon of water ratio you can’t over brine anything whether it be ribs, pork roasts or chicken. You can use a greater ratio of sugar but don’t use less than a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar to salt. 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of salt is fine in 1 gallon of water. You can use kosher salt or sea salt or Himalayan salt or table salt. You can use white sugar or brown sugar or raw sugar or any combination of the above.

I cut my rack in half so it fits nicely in my brining bucket and my rib rack. If doing more than 1 rack of ribs you can stack them but you will have to add another gallon of brine mixture to cover the ribs. I mix my brine in the bucket before putting the ribs in so it’s good to know how much brine to mix beforehand. The picture below is of one rack of ribs which were cut in half and brined in 1 gallon of my brine mixture.
View attachment 417939

After brining the ribs for 2 hours I rinsed the ribs thoroughly. If you don’t do this the ribs will be saltier. After rinsing thoroughly it is important to dry both side of the ribs with paper towels before seasoning. This is a learning from America’s Test Kitchen and is something that you should do for cooking all meats regardless of the cooking method as it promotes better browning.

If you decide not to brine you should allow the ribs to come to room temperature and rinse and dry the ribs before seasoning. This is also an America’s Test Kitchen learning and it applies to all meats regardless of the cooking method. Brining the ribs with tap water for 2 hours will bring the ribs to room temperature so you can go straight from the fridge to the brine.

View attachment 417941

After brining, rinsing and drying the ribs I season both sides. I season them right before they go in the pit. This too is a learning from America’s Test Kitchen. I used Butt Rub from Costco but I have also seasoned with coarse Kosher salt, black pepper and paprika and get excellent results. What you choose to season with and how liberally you season the ribs is personal preference. I tend to not over do it. You can see from the pictures below how much I seasoned the ribs. Just make sure to season both sides
View attachment 417942

I always use a rib rack because it promotes equal browning and eliminates the need to open the pit to flip the ribs and it serves as a de facto heat shield to force the heat to flow around the sides
View attachment 417943

I use oak whenever I can. I find that oak works really well with everything and is not overpowering. I will typically put the ribs in at 200F and slowly build the heat to 225F. If the heat gets away from me I close the firebox flue and wait for the temp to drop below 225F before cracking it back open
View attachment 417944

Ribs are the only meat I smoke based on time and pit temperature. Typically that is around 5 to 6 hours at 225F. If my temp is running hot or I have the bark I want I may take the off at 5 1/2 hours. If I am making extras, I may take the ones that I am saving for later off at 5 hours. More on that later.

The picture below was taken at 4 hours. As long as my temp was good I never open the pit until at least 4 hours for my first check
View attachment 417945

At 225F ribs are technically cooked after 3 hours but they wil be tough. It’s the extra 2 to 3 hours that the fats break down and the meat gets tender.

I took these ribs off after 5 1/2 hours because the meat had pulled away from the bone and I had the bark like I like it. At 4 1/2 hours I put corn into the pit and roasted it.

The picture below is the finished product and they were amazing.
View attachment 417946

Everything I mentioned above can be used whether you are smoking ribs on a pit or cooking them in an oven or an outside gas grill.

I have tried multiple methods; wrapping after 3 hours, basting, etc. and this is the method I believe produces the best results consistently. It doesn’t matter if you use baby back ribs, spare ribs or St Louis style spare ribs. This method works.

Lastly, sometimes I will purposely cook more than we are planning to eat for the express purpose of saving leftovers. When I do that I will take the ones I am planning to save our of the smoker 30 minutes early. I do this so that when they are reheated they are as moist as the ones we ate that day. I wrap them in Saran Wrap twice then vacuum seal them and store them in the fridge. They will keep this way safely for 30 days. Then when I reheat them I put the vacuum sealed bag in a hot water bath for 10 to 15 minutes, and they are just as good and juicy as the day I cooked them.

Enjoy.

Great job!

I think brining always helps the moisture.

I don't cook them to falling off the bone. To me they are overcooked at that point.

I usually wrap them after a couple of hours of smoking. I do 2-1.5-1.

I use a Big Green Egg.

I love my Kamado Joe!!
Was talking to the wife the other day about all my cookers and if I had to keep only two of the five which would they be.
The Kamado was a no brainer as is my Lang reverse flow offset smoker.
If you put a gun to my head and made me pick one it'd be the kamado.
Those things are so versatile!!! You can do a close proximation of real BBQ and so much more. Controlling temps on em is ridiculously easy and they burn forever at low temps. And clean out is a breeze!
I've had mine for two years now and all I've done is empty the ash tray every use and add charcoal when needed.
I really need to pull the guts out and clean behind them but so far performance hasn't suffered one bit.
While they aren't cheap at $1300 bucks they're worth every penny!

 

[Flash]

Before brining I rinse the ribs thoroughly. I brine my ribs with 1 cup of kosher salt, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 gallon of tap water for two hours. You can brine them for longer but the minimum time is 2 hours. As long as you use a 1 cup of salt to 1 cup of sugar in 1 gallon of water ratio you can’t over brine anything whether it be ribs, pork roasts or chicken. You can use a greater ratio of sugar but don’t use less than a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar to salt. 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of salt is fine in 1 gallon of water. You can use kosher salt or sea salt or Himalayan salt or table salt. You can use white sugar or brown sugar or raw sugar or any combination of the above.

I cut my rack in half so it fits nicely in my brining bucket and my rib rack. If doing more than 1 rack of ribs you can stack them but you will have to add another gallon of brine mixture to cover the ribs. I mix my brine in the bucket before putting the ribs in so it’s good to know how much brine to mix beforehand. The picture below is of one rack of ribs which were cut in half and brined in 1 gallon of my brine mixture.
View attachment 417939

After brining the ribs for 2 hours I rinsed the ribs thoroughly. If you don’t do this the ribs will be saltier. After rinsing thoroughly it is important to dry both side of the ribs with paper towels before seasoning. This is a learning from America’s Test Kitchen and is something that you should do for cooking all meats regardless of the cooking method as it promotes better browning.

If you decide not to brine you should allow the ribs to come to room temperature and rinse and dry the ribs before seasoning. This is also an America’s Test Kitchen learning and it applies to all meats regardless of the cooking method. Brining the ribs with tap water for 2 hours will bring the ribs to room temperature so you can go straight from the fridge to the brine.

View attachment 417941

After brining, rinsing and drying the ribs I season both sides. I season them right before they go in the pit. This too is a learning from America’s Test Kitchen. I used Butt Rub from Costco but I have also seasoned with coarse Kosher salt, black pepper and paprika and get excellent results. What you choose to season with and how liberally you season the ribs is personal preference. I tend to not over do it. You can see from the pictures below how much I seasoned the ribs. Just make sure to season both sides
View attachment 417942

I always use a rib rack because it promotes equal browning and eliminates the need to open the pit to flip the ribs and it serves as a de facto heat shield to force the heat to flow around the sides
View attachment 417943

I use oak whenever I can. I find that oak works really well with everything and is not overpowering. I will typically put the ribs in at 200F and slowly build the heat to 225F. If the heat gets away from me I close the firebox flue and wait for the temp to drop below 225F before cracking it back open
View attachment 417944

Ribs are the only meat I smoke based on time and pit temperature. Typically that is around 5 to 6 hours at 225F. If my temp is running hot or I have the bark I want I may take the off at 5 1/2 hours. If I am making extras, I may take the ones that I am saving for later off at 5 hours. More on that later.

The picture below was taken at 4 hours. As long as my temp was good I never open the pit until at least 4 hours for my first check
View attachment 417945

At 225F ribs are technically cooked after 3 hours but they wil be tough. It’s the extra 2 to 3 hours that the fats break down and the meat gets tender.

I took these ribs off after 5 1/2 hours because the meat had pulled away from the bone and I had the bark like I like it. At 4 1/2 hours I put corn into the pit and roasted it.

The picture below is the finished product and they were amazing.
View attachment 417946

Everything I mentioned above can be used whether you are smoking ribs on a pit or cooking them in an oven or an outside gas grill.

I have tried multiple methods; wrapping after 3 hours, basting, etc. and this is the method I believe produces the best results consistently. It doesn’t matter if you use baby back ribs, spare ribs or St Louis style spare ribs. This method works.

Lastly, sometimes I will purposely cook more than we are planning to eat for the express purpose of saving leftovers. When I do that I will take the ones I am planning to save our of the smoker 30 minutes early. I do this so that when they are reheated they are as moist as the ones we ate that day. I wrap them in Saran Wrap twice then vacuum seal them and store them in the fridge. They will keep this way safely for 30 days. Then when I reheat them I put the vacuum sealed bag in a hot water bath for 10 to 15 minutes, and they are just as good and juicy as the day I cooked them.

Enjoy.

Great job!

I think brining always helps the moisture.

I don't cook them to falling off the bone. To me they are overcooked at that point.

I usually wrap them after a couple of hours of smoking. I do 2-1.5-1.

I use a Big Green Egg.

I love my Kamado Joe!!
Was talking to the wife the other day about all my cookers and if I had to keep only two of the five which would they be.
The Kamado was a no brainer as is my Lang reverse flow offset smoker.
If you put a gun to my head and made me pick one it'd be the kamado.
Those things are so versatile!!! You can do a close proximation of real BBQ and so much more. Controlling temps on em is ridiculously easy and they burn forever at low temps. And clean out is a breeze!
I've had mine for two years now and all I've done is empty the ash tray every use and add charcoal when needed.
I really need to pull the guts out and clean behind them but so far performance hasn't suffered one bit.
While they aren't cheap at $1300 bucks they're worth every penny!

I think the Kamado Joe is a little better unit than the BGE but they are both good to go.

I've had my BGE for about 15 years now.

It doesn't turn out quite as good BBQ as a stick burner but it is darn close with a lot less hassle.

My ratings for the BBQ I do.

Pork ribs A+
Pork shoulder A
Brisket B+
Beef ribs A
Poultry A-

I bought a four burner griddle and I actually have been using it more lately than the smoker.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Before brining I rinse the ribs thoroughly. I brine my ribs with 1 cup of kosher salt, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 gallon of tap water for two hours. You can brine them for longer but the minimum time is 2 hours. As long as you use a 1 cup of salt to 1 cup of sugar in 1 gallon of water ratio you can’t over brine anything whether it be ribs, pork roasts or chicken. You can use a greater ratio of sugar but don’t use less than a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar to salt. 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of salt is fine in 1 gallon of water. You can use kosher salt or sea salt or Himalayan salt or table salt. You can use white sugar or brown sugar or raw sugar or any combination of the above.

I cut my rack in half so it fits nicely in my brining bucket and my rib rack. If doing more than 1 rack of ribs you can stack them but you will have to add another gallon of brine mixture to cover the ribs. I mix my brine in the bucket before putting the ribs in so it’s good to know how much brine to mix beforehand. The picture below is of one rack of ribs which were cut in half and brined in 1 gallon of my brine mixture.
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After brining the ribs for 2 hours I rinsed the ribs thoroughly. If you don’t do this the ribs will be saltier. After rinsing thoroughly it is important to dry both side of the ribs with paper towels before seasoning. This is a learning from America’s Test Kitchen and is something that you should do for cooking all meats regardless of the cooking method as it promotes better browning.

If you decide not to brine you should allow the ribs to come to room temperature and rinse and dry the ribs before seasoning. This is also an America’s Test Kitchen learning and it applies to all meats regardless of the cooking method. Brining the ribs with tap water for 2 hours will bring the ribs to room temperature so you can go straight from the fridge to the brine.

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After brining, rinsing and drying the ribs I season both sides. I season them right before they go in the pit. This too is a learning from America’s Test Kitchen. I used Butt Rub from Costco but I have also seasoned with coarse Kosher salt, black pepper and paprika and get excellent results. What you choose to season with and how liberally you season the ribs is personal preference. I tend to not over do it. You can see from the pictures below how much I seasoned the ribs. Just make sure to season both sides
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I always use a rib rack because it promotes equal browning and eliminates the need to open the pit to flip the ribs and it serves as a de facto heat shield to force the heat to flow around the sides
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I use oak whenever I can. I find that oak works really well with everything and is not overpowering. I will typically put the ribs in at 200F and slowly build the heat to 225F. If the heat gets away from me I close the firebox flue and wait for the temp to drop below 225F before cracking it back open
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Ribs are the only meat I smoke based on time and pit temperature. Typically that is around 5 to 6 hours at 225F. If my temp is running hot or I have the bark I want I may take the off at 5 1/2 hours. If I am making extras, I may take the ones that I am saving for later off at 5 hours. More on that later.

The picture below was taken at 4 hours. As long as my temp was good I never open the pit until at least 4 hours for my first check
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At 225F ribs are technically cooked after 3 hours but they wil be tough. It’s the extra 2 to 3 hours that the fats break down and the meat gets tender.

I took these ribs off after 5 1/2 hours because the meat had pulled away from the bone and I had the bark like I like it. At 4 1/2 hours I put corn into the pit and roasted it.

The picture below is the finished product and they were amazing.
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Everything I mentioned above can be used whether you are smoking ribs on a pit or cooking them in an oven or an outside gas grill.

I have tried multiple methods; wrapping after 3 hours, basting, etc. and this is the method I believe produces the best results consistently. It doesn’t matter if you use baby back ribs, spare ribs or St Louis style spare ribs. This method works.

Lastly, sometimes I will purposely cook more than we are planning to eat for the express purpose of saving leftovers. When I do that I will take the ones I am planning to save our of the smoker 30 minutes early. I do this so that when they are reheated they are as moist as the ones we ate that day. I wrap them in Saran Wrap twice then vacuum seal them and store them in the fridge. They will keep this way safely for 30 days. Then when I reheat them I put the vacuum sealed bag in a hot water bath for 10 to 15 minutes, and they are just as good and juicy as the day I cooked them.

Enjoy.

Great job!

I think brining always helps the moisture.

I don't cook them to falling off the bone. To me they are overcooked at that point.

I usually wrap them after a couple of hours of smoking. I do 2-1.5-1.

I use a Big Green Egg.

I love my Kamado Joe!!
Was talking to the wife the other day about all my cookers and if I had to keep only two of the five which would they be.
The Kamado was a no brainer as is my Lang reverse flow offset smoker.
If you put a gun to my head and made me pick one it'd be the kamado.
Those things are so versatile!!! You can do a close proximation of real BBQ and so much more. Controlling temps on em is ridiculously easy and they burn forever at low temps. And clean out is a breeze!
I've had mine for two years now and all I've done is empty the ash tray every use and add charcoal when needed.
I really need to pull the guts out and clean behind them but so far performance hasn't suffered one bit.
While they aren't cheap at $1300 bucks they're worth every penny!

I think the Kamado Joe is a little better unit than the BGE but they are both good to go.

I've had my BGE for about 15 years now.

It doesn't turn out quite as good BBQ as a stick burner but it is darn close with a lot less hassle.

My ratings for the BBQ I do.

Pork ribs A+
Pork shoulder A
Brisket B+
Beef ribs A
Poultry A-

I bought a four burner griddle and I actually have been using it more lately than the smoker.

I have the large stainless version BlackStone griddle.
I like it well enough but it's a pain in the ass to clean up after.
It does certain things far better than the average grill like Philly Cheesesteaks, smash burgers and breakfast.
Bought the smaller version for the camper.

 

[Flash]

I might be going to Savannah next October. I've been down south twice for short vacations, and the one thing I've not had the chance to sample is real bbq.

Is there bbq in Savannah? What kind? What is it like and what should I look for if it exists ?

Well the best is in North Carolina but I suppose there might be some pig to be had in Savannah. In NC its whole hog with straight vinegar/pepper sauce on the coast and as you approach the mountains they start to sneak some ketchup into the table sauce and its pork shoulders aka Boston butts only not whole hog. But in the Carolinas barbecue is pig while in Texas it's all about beef. Chicken, ribs, sausage and such are kinda universal. In South Carolina they put mustard in their sauce but even that beats the hell out of the mayonnaise they use in Bama and such places. Some of the best barbeque can be had in the dumpiest looking places that look like shacks. Check the phone book about ask the locals where the best Q can be had.

I have had BBQ from all over the country.

There are regional differences but for the most part it is all good.

I have come to the conclusion that it is not the regional differences that makes good BBQ but simply the skill of the Pitmaster.