Memorial Day BBQ recipe favs

[DJlaysitup]

OK here is my favorite:

Cut up you pork/babyback ribs as desired. Get out your crock pot and fill it halfway with apple juice (yes, apple juice). Slow cook ribs on low for about 2 hours (should be cooked by then but not falling off the bone) . Pat ribs dry with paper towel and apply your favorite BBQ sauce (I recommend one with some brown sugar in it) and let them sit for an hour or so to absorb flavor. Finish on the grill.

You will be declared the RibMaster! Best ribs I've ever had.

[bird_dirt]

I prefer to do a dry rub and throw them in the oven at very low temp (275ish) for maybe 3-4 hours or so. Unfortunately, I've never made the same rub twice, just throw together whatever I have on hand (brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper, black pepper, salt, Jamaican jerk seasoning, garlic, cumin, coriander, any and all of it and then some). What really works well with them is I also put a large drip pan under it filled with with some combination of "brown" liquid sauce (Worcestershire, Braggs liquid aminos, and/or soy) with a some vinegar (apple, white, and/or red wine), and some water. Sometimes I even add bourbon to the mix as well. The liquids steam up and add some great flavor and tenderness to them. You could pull them out early to finish on the grill if you want, especially if use some wood chips to smoke them a little. I like to soak hickory chips in something similar to the concoction of liquids i use to steam the ribs in the oven with.

I don't make these as much as I'd like to, I don't always have all the time from start to finish for it. More often times I make a killer beer-butt chicken when we grill out night with friends over. Insanely good and takes 1/3 the time.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

I make mine the same way bird_dirt does. Low temp for about 3 hours. I prefer my pull pork out of the crock pot though. So good!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DJlaysitup]

Sounds good Bird and PSS...I've been thinking about using the oven approach.

Key thing is - you have to pre-cook your ribs. Slapping on some BBQ sauce and putting them over the coals is a recipe for disaster (and loose teeth). I remember having ribs at a relative's place a few years ago who just "slapped em on the grill"...we ended up gnawing on them like Hyenas at a fresh kill ...all the while complimenting the "chef".

I tried slow smoking baby-back ribs once on a side-burner smoker - but it took forever and they ended up over-smoked...first one was OK...then everybody went for the water.

Key thing is to pre-cook and just finish them on the grill to get that hardened glaze on the BBQ suace. It's not easy to do them perfect - but either your or my way will make everbody happy...even if we miss a little bit.

As far as charcoal versus gas grill...I don't think it matters that much. I've done em both ways and haven't noticed much difference. One thing - if you use charcoal don't use the "auto-light" stuff. The reason it "auto-lights" is that the charcoal is permeated with petro-chemicals. Using regular lighter fluid on standard charcoal is OK as long as you let it all burn off prior to putting the meat on. Best method is to get one of those "stove-pipe starters".

Edited May 25, 2013 by DJlaysitup

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

When I cook mine in the oven, I use the St. Louis baby backs. I pull off the membrane from the back of the ribs (sometimes) and then generously rub both sides down in either my own rub or any store bought rub. Then I wrap them in foil and put them a cookie sheet. 2 1/2 hours at 285. Then I unwrap them (leaving them in the foil, just unwrapped so the tops of the ribs are exposed) and continue cooking at 300 for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes is up, lather the tops with your barbecue sauce and roast another 5 minutes. Pull the ribs and let cool for 10 minutes.I do mine this way because it makes the meat tender yet adds a nice thin, crispy layer to the outside of the ribs. Fall off the bone good. The only issue I have had in the past with this method is that the fat causes the foil to stick to the cookie sheet. The ribs are fine but the cookie sheet is a mess to clean afterwards...I prefer saucy ribs, but if you want a glaze, just add a few minutes after the sauce is applied.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 25, 2013 by PSSSHHHRRR87

[DJlaysitup]

Thanks for the detailed info PSS...I've got a bunch of ribs to cook this weekend (for friends and family) and I'm going to try you method out...it will double my cooking capacity

I'll report on results tomorrow.

One nice thing about pork ribs is - you can pick up a nice slab at Krogers for under $10.00. They also have a brown sugar BBQ sauce on sale for a buck where I'm at - so - realistically - you can do a top quality BBQ for a family of four for around $20 .total...(and that counts buying pre-made tater salad).

GO HAWKS !!!!

Edited May 25, 2013 by DJlaysitup

[bird_dirt]

No rookies here apparently. Everyone's sound great. Happy Memorial day ya'll, be safe and eat well.