I have a few questions, I will be cooking up some ribs on my grill and want to cook them BBQ style, not like they do here in the West on a grill over high heat. My first question involves the briquettes I wiil be using, what are the best to use? Right now I have Kingsford mesquite, but I want to know what everyone else thinks is the best charcoal. Also does anyone have any real good BBQ recipes for ribs, I would love to try it out. Its hard to find anything that's really BBQ in Idaho.
I use hardwood, chunk charcoal (the kind that is not in perfect briquettes and looks like burnt chunks of wood). Do you want to cook the ribs over the grill for the entire time they cook or does it matter. I've never heard of cooking ribs on high heat, it makes them tough.
Oh yeah, for more help I'm sure Behad, RM Tex, and other folks with their doctorates in BBQ will chime in.
Do you have Bolner's Fiesta Brand spices up there? If not, find you a good rib rub to use. Two ways to do this. One, boil your ribs for a short time to get the escess fat off. Not long, maybe 20-30 minutes tops, depending on the size of the ribs. Then use the rub on them, more or less depending on how spicy you want your ribs. As for the charcoal, if it's a big event and I want to make sure everything is perfect, I buy lump charcoal from Academy. It's charcoal in its natural state, not the process briquets like Kingsford. For everyday cooking, Kingsford is fine, but I use the plain ones, not the mesquite. I hate mesquite. Pecan wood is the best smoking wood there is. A few chunks of pecan wood on the charcoal is perfect. Maintain the cooking chamber at 225-250 degrees (a thermometer is a MUST!), and cook the ribs for about 4-6 hours, depending on the size. They'll be done when the meat is generously pulled back from the bone. With about 15 minutes left, brush a small amount of your favorite bbq sauce on them, then enjoy!! The second method is basically the same, only do not boil them. Choice less fatty racks and cook them longer at a lower temp.
damn you guys! You are making me drool! I so want to go and eat some BBQ now! Time to drive home for lunch!
okay I dont know about the thermometer, I mean I have a 30 dollar grill for cryin out loud, I am getting into BBQ slowly, I dont want to shock my neighbors. I may sound dense but I have never seen a rib rub up here, what I have seen is pre packaged ribs that are marinated in the package, I want to do this old school and cook them on my own, from start to finish. So thanks for the tips, more are welcomed. Like how to maintain my heat for 4-6 hours. I dont think Mr. Kingsford has that type of stamina. . . . . at least thats what Mrs Kingsford keeps telling me.
LUMP and/or NATURAL charcoal, that's what it's called. Behad, do you pull the membrane off your ribs? I don't know how to do it but my cousin does it when I make ribs and they're always a bit more tender.
If you want truly tender ribs, season and slow bake them in the oven before you fire up the grill and cook everything else on the grill first. Then slap the ribs on the grill to smoke them. TENDER!!!
How long does your average briquet fire last? Thats the one thing I worry about using kingsford is that it will burn out before I want to pull the ribs off. Do you guys have any tips on making it burn longer?
Yes! This is the way I do it. Don't take the chance of over/under cooking them on the grill and you still get a good grill taste.
When you see that your coals have turned almost completely grey but are still glowing just throw a few more on the fire WITHOUT LIGHTER FLUID. They will slowly light up and keep the fire going. Using hardwood, natural, chunk charcoal I've had fires last all day.
Yes, you will have to add briquets and /or pecan wood occasionally, depending on your grill. Also, the time and temp will vary for the open grill you have. I use indirect heat (a firebox), so yours will be different. This is the rib rub I reccommend: http://www.fiestaspices.com/?page=ribrub
You can also order Rendezvous' rib rub online. Truly on of the ONLY good things about Memphis. Only use on Pork ribs, though. www.hogsfly.com
I make my own rub and haven't had a complaint yet. I'd give you the recipe but it's my own. Rubs are one of the easiest things to make though.
Have to disagree with both statements. Memphis is good for a lot of things, especially for me since I live sort of close. Their rub is GREAT on whole chickens.
Meh. I meant not to be used on beef ribs. Personally, I dislike Memphis. I go there six times a year. Haven't seen much to enjoy there, ever.
Yeah I go there twice a week, I go to UM. It doesn't offer a lot but there are SOME good things about it.
HA HA HA thats going to cost me $10 with shipping thats the hard part about living in this part of the country, there isnt a very good selection of things southern.
