Whats your best piece of advice for cooking ribs?

[Offthehook]

Everyone pretty much covered it, now I want some ribs.

 

[Redleg71]

If I add another piece of grill equipment my wife will kill me!!!

 

[DriverWild]

What size is your egg?

 

[16Adams]

If I add another piece of grill equipment my wife will kill me!!!

Oh Wow- be quiet 16A be very quiet. Your humor is not transcending the web isotherm. Arrggggggh

 

[DaveAlvarado]

More than one piece of advice, but dead simple ribs:

- Smoker at 275F
- St Louis cut spares
- Remove the membrane and apply rub
- In the smoke for 2 hours
- Foil with some kind of liquid and sugar if you like them sweet, I use brown sugar, agave nectar, and Cholula. Cook for 45-60 minutes
- Remove from foil and sauce if you want. Back in the smoke until they pass the bend test.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

I like the 2-1-1 method similar to 3-2-1 method Just 2 hours smoke 1 hour foil and 1 hour no foil or smoke to get a nice bark. I recommend the higher temps I had problems with my ribs being well nasty to be honest they were gross. Also a little apple cider vinegar in the foil tenderizes it nicely go heavy on the rub meaty side and light on the bone side and remove that silver skin. Good Luck! I like Baby Back ribs get really meaty ones if you can.

 

[Redleg71]

I have a large big green egg. Just got done building a fairly nice outdoor kitchen with a 42" gasser, dual side burner, set back for my egg, sink and a fridge. I also have a weber kettle that was not incorporated into the design. Maybe I should upgrade to an XL egg? but ireally dont want to do that.

 

[Beentown]

Never used one but maybe a rib rack?

 

[Redleg71]

I have a rib rack but the side ways thing never seems to work well. Need a way to lay them flat and get at least six racks on the egg.

 

[Lake Dogs]

1. Everyone has talked temperature, from a minimum of 250 to 300. I agree, and find that sweet spot that your smoker likes; dont arbitrarily force any one temperature at the sacrifice of sweet blue... 225 is frankly too low for ribs IMHO.

2. On the above, temperature is measured on the cooking surface, and NOT on the external mounted thermometer. The external ones are notoriously off, some as much as 60 degrees. Heaven forbid (and this happened to me) try to cook at 225 using the external thermometer only to find out that the surface cooking temperature was more like 190; this makes extremely sucky BBQ.

3. Foil, dont foil. That's a huge argument to some. I do and I'm not ashamed a bit. I foil on mine right at 1.5 hours mainly to limit the amount of smoke, but this is how I like my ribs. When I foil, right before I seal up the foil, I spritz them heavily.

4. Depending on your temperature is how long you cook 'em. The bend test is time honored and proven. I like mine ever-so-slighly more done than that, where they might pull apart if I bend them... Cook them to the texture you prefer.

5. Sauce, be careful when applying sauce. Know that nothing absorbs smoke better than sauce... Mind you, I prefer a Memphis Style no-sauce rib, but it's tough to get them to look heavenly that way, so I usually add sauce to some. I do so after the fact, after we've removed them from the smoker and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving. The sauce is applied HOT HOT HOT, so it "sets up" all by itself...

6. EAT. PIG OUT. Get nasty with 'em. Like sex, you cant have too many, too much, or get too nasty. It's all gooooooood! *ZAP*

 

[Lake Dogs]

I have a rib rack but the side ways thing never seems to work well. Need a way to lay them flat and get at least six racks on the egg.

If you use a rib rack, leave a slot open between the ribs. Otherwise the heat and smoke will not circulate around properly and the rib will not cook in the center. The outside and edges will get done way, way, way before the center.

 

[DriverWild]

I have the XL and 4 trimmed spares will fit flat so upgrading to the XL won't do the trick for you if you need 6.

 

[chunkylatinlover]

I don't really smoke based on time. I follow a loose 3-2-1 method. I wrap after I achieve the color I'm looking for, unwrap after the bones start poking through, and pull them off after the sauce has glazed and caramelized. This could take anywhere from 4 - 6 hours on my spares. The most important piece of advice to cook anything thing is "cook it till its done"

 

[sliding_billy]

...answering the original question (one piece of advice). No sauce!

 

[pjtexas1]

...answering the original question (one piece of advice). No sauce!

And I thought I was the only one who could follow instructions.:shock:

 

[Bludawg]

rinse the rack under cold water pat it dry apply seasoning drop on pit membrane down cook until they pass the bend test I like to cook mine 275-325 BB 3-3.5 hrs St. Louie 3.5-4 hrs Full spares & KC cut 4-4.5 hrs YMMV

 

[Bludawg]

Wow. Great Advice so far. I have had to roll mine up when cooking because my big green egg can only hold a few. Any tips from Egg owners?

Plant Flowers in that thing and get some steel:laugh: Get another grate a few carriage bolts and flat washers & Bob's ur uncle with a Double decker

 

[Drake]

When I cook ribs on the egg, I keep the temp around 225-250. They usually take around 3-3.5 hrs. I dont foil. I have used a rib rack with good results but usually dont cook that many ribs to need the rack. I can fit 2 racks of trimmed spares flat.

 

[dadsr4]

Remove the membrane.

 

[16Adams]

Janaks or John Henry + Kosher Salt

I remove the membrane, maybe I just feel more in touch when ripping flesh. I sprinkle membrane side with Kosher Salt. On meat side I prefer Janaks Brisket and Rib Rub, John Henry Pecan or Coopers. But I change that up as well.

Insert hooks, hang and close lid. 3:45-4 hours BB and 4:15-4:45 spares. No brown sugar, no margarine or that stuff. If sauce is used when serving it's Stubbs or Shack or a mix.

I don't have a clue the temp. I have a TelTru but have been to lazy to install.