[COOKING] How to make the most tender ribs?

Blowtorch.


(No, really...)

 

Speaking of "falling off the bone", how many of you BBQ crazies (and yes, I'm among them) believe that meat that "falls off the bone" is overcooked? I know in BBQ competitions, if the meat truly is falling off the bone as you pick it up, you get dinged points, but I've had some pretty good ribs where the meat was falling off the bone... just sayin'...

 

make a dry rub. use some combination of cumin, dry mustard, brown sugar, garlic salt, chili powder, and paprika. if you can find smoked paprika, use that. stay away from liquid smoke.

remove the thin "skin" from the back side of the ribs. sprinkle the rub all over the ribs. if you have time, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or over night.

when you're ready to cook them, let them come to room temp (remove the plastic wrap). line a baking sheet with foil, and place the ribs in a 200-225 degree oven for several hours (3-4), until done. if you like, baste them with your fav sauce during the last 30 minutes or so. don't overdo the sauce- you can serve more on the side.

 

Tender pork ribs is easy. You just cook it until all the connective tissue breaks down. The challenge is to not dry it out in the process which is why people go low and slow.

If you are going to smother it in BBQ sauce like some restaurants, then it doesn't matter how you cook it because all the flavor comes from the sauce. That is why they boil it. There is no risk of drying it out and the meat comes tender, but also tasteless.

 

Because you coated them all with the same sauce?

 

It wasn't a disaster.

Texture wise it was fantastic.

I can see what people are saying about taste though. Boiling the meat removes some of its flavor, to the point that the BBQ sauce is what I tasted most. I was hoping that the onions and garlic in the boiling mixture would infuse the meat with flavor, but I really didn't taste it.

All in all I would give it a 6/10. It was still satisfying.