1st attempt at smoking/grilling ribs tomorrow

[Scottw]

Anyone else on this thread getting hungry? I'm dying over here.

[Volt]

I was just thinking the same thing.... Ian needs to send us a few ribs for all this great advice

[chippewastud79]

Originally Posted by BengalMan

Sounds good, I'll do this. I'm wanting to eat around 6pm, so I'll start by around 2pm. Can't wait to see how it all comes out.

I'll be there around 5:45

[Scottw]

C'mon Ian, show the freekin pics already. I'm about to eat my keyboard.

[Volt]

As we are waiting on Ian to finish these puppies up. Did ya know that viniger based marinades and sauces actually start the cooking process? Marinating too long in a viniger marinade can be a bad thing....

[Scottw]

I have used pineapple juice in marinades for too long as well. It has an enzyme in it that will dissolve food. I do use it sparingly when marinading tough cuts of meat and let me tell you, it turns out great. I marinade london broils with some dry rub and pineapple juice then smoke them with mesquite for 2 hours at 220 degrees and they are incredible, no one believes they are londons.

[BengalMan]

I only let the ribs sit in the marinade for about 6 hours, then rubbed them and wrapped them in cello

[BengalMan]

Just basted them a little more. They seem done, but not very tender. Thoughts?

http://twitpic.com/6f9ii

[Scottw]

Originally Posted by BengalMan

Just basted them a little more. They seem done, but not very tender. Thoughts?

Grab a bone at the end and twist it, does it come out? What temp is the grill? What kind of ribs are they (babyback, country cut?) and finally, did you remove the membrane off the back of them?

[Smokin Gator]

Originally Posted by BengalMan

Just basted them a little more. They seem done, but not very tender. Thoughts?

http://twitpic.com/6f9ii

Put out two pieces of aluminum foil (HD if you have it), put some apple juice in there, wrap with one piece of foil, and then the other. Let them cook for another hour then check them. If they still aren't tender enough wrap them back up and keep cooking. If they get a little too done, just set them out open to cool for 15 minutes or so.

[BengalMan]

Originally Posted by Smokin Gator

Put out two pieces of aluminum foil (HD if you have it), put some apple juice in there, wrap with one piece of foil, and then the other. Let them cook for another hour then check them. If they still aren't tender enough wrap them back up and keep cooking. If they get a little too done, just set them out open to cool for 15 minutes or so.

So put apple juice in the foil, place the ribs on the juice, and wrap up, then wrap again?

[Smokin Gator]

Originally Posted by BengalMan

So put apple juice in the foil, place the ribs on the juice, and wrap up, then wrap again?

Yep... to a bunch of juice... just a couple of tablespoons.

[BengalMan]

Done. will update with final product around 6pm

[Smokin Gator]

I meant to say NOT a bunch of apple juice.

[BengalMan]

I know, I only put a little in the foil, enough to have a coating on the bottom of it, no more.

[Volt]

That's why I plan on ribs for a long cook. Most of the BBQ compitions you can watch on the Food Channel go for 16 hours or so. Not really needed for the home, but stunningly good if you try them.

Temps in the grill can be hard to judge.... I use a oven thrmometer on the grill as oppose to the installed which measures at teh top. Best part though about BBQing, If it's not perfect, you get to try again.

Prolly took me many a try before I thought I could do them good. Along with the apple juce option if you don't have any is to use the same amout of viniger. Not enough to heavily flavor it, just to help with the tenderness.

I now have to get my london broil for this weekend. Hopefully I will not embarass my self at teh Herf.

[BengalMan]

Well I wasn't seeing too much smoke at all through out the whole process of the ribs today. I'm thinking I didn't heat up the grill and the chips hot enough to get them all smoking, then take it down and put the meat on. I'll play with it next time.

[Volt]

I have a 4 burner grill. The left 2 stay off and that is where I keep the meat. On my grill I put the right two burners as low as I can with them staying lit. Depends on the wind. I remove the grill grate above the flames and on top of the lit burners I place a cast iron smoke box I got at Lowes. The provides the needed heat to smoke but not hot enough to cook the meat to quick. With the grate off, it's easy to keep adding extra wood as needed.

[BengalMan]

Originally Posted by Volt

I have a 4 burner grill. The left 2 stay off and that is where I keep the meat. On my grill I put the right two burners as low as I can with them staying lit. Depends on the wind. I remove the grill grate above the flames and on top of the lit burners I place a cast iron smoke box I got at Lowes. The provides the needed heat to smoke but not hot enough to cook the meat to quick. With the grate off, it's easy to keep adding extra wood as needed.

Ahhh. I have a 3 burner grill, but I put the similar cast iron smoke box on top of the grill grate which probably didn't give it enough heat. I turned the middle and left burners off and had the ribs to the far left, the smoke box on the far right. Next time I'll put the smoke box right on the burner and maybe turn the middle burner on low.

The ribs came out great, they weren't fall off the bone, but damn were they tasty. I have a feeling however that it had more to do with my merinade and rub than the smoking. I really don't think I got much smoke at all in them. Will try the above method next time. Maybe I'll do a london broil or brisket next time when I have a good 6-8 hours.

[Smokin Gator]

Glad they ended up well brother. Qing is always a refining thing. Enjoy these and the plans for the next ones.