I finally figured out how to smoke ribs!

[SmokinAl]

 Now that is funny, because my wife parboiled ribs too. I worked on her and worked on her to let me try smoking a slab, with her saying NO, her way was fine. One day we went to get some slabs at the local Winn Dixie and this little old lady, probably about 4' 10 was selecting packs, by going over them very closely. She looked liked what everyone would picture a perfect Grandma to be. I approached her and asked how she did the ribs. "I smoke them on my smoker!!" I told her my wife likes to par-boil them first, then place on a grill. She looked and my wife and shook her head, "honey, your boiling all the flavor out of them".

 My wife let me smoke a slab that weekend and we have never looked back at par-boiling ribs again.

Isn't it funny how no matter what you say it's wrong, but then some stranger says the same thing & all of a sudden it's the Gospel.

 

[Bearcarver]

 Now that is funny, because my wife parboiled ribs too. I worked on her and worked on her to let me try smoking a slab, with her saying NO, her way was fine. One day we went to get some slabs at the local Winn Dixie and this little old lady, probably about 4' 10 was selecting packs, by going over them very closely. She looked liked what everyone would picture a perfect Grandma to be. I approached her and asked how she did the ribs. "I smoke them on my smoker!!" I told her my wife likes to par-boil them first, then place on a grill. She looked and my wife and shook her head, "honey, your boiling all the flavor out of them".

 My wife let me smoke a slab that weekend and we have never looked back at par-boiling ribs again.

LOL----Now THAT is an Awesome Story!!!

Thanks Flash!

Bear
 

 

[ejbreeze]

Al I just tried this recipe.  I followed your instruction with the exception I didn't have any turbo sugar so I just left it out.  I did add just a tad more BBQ sauce to Chef JJ's foiling sauce along with the vinegar.  You really couldn't taste the vinegar but it helped cut the salt from that stick of butter.  What I like about this sauce is it isn't your bold sticky gooey all over your face down your pants BBQ sauce you get everywhere but instead it compliments the ribs letting you get their flavor and provides a nice dipping sauce if someone wants more.

At the end of the 3-1.5 smoke I went to remove the rib from the foil and it broke in half.  The color was smoke pink.  Since the wife isn't home yet from an outing with the girls to Palm Dessert I had to re-foil the ribs and place them into a ice chest after the hi-heat last half hour.  I did add some more sauce then also.  I cut myself off one bone so I could try it.  I got to say this is a keeper.  I just hope they don't get mushy sitting in the ice chest.  Anyone who is going to make this do yourself a favor and make extra sauce.  Your going to want it.

 

[SmokinAl]

That's great EJ!

I'm glad you liked it as much as we did!

Lately I've been cutting the racks in half & instead of wrapping them in foil, I just put them in an aluminum pan with foil on top.

They're much easier to handle after the foiling stage this way.

 

[ejbreeze]

Al how much sauce did you use per rack?

 

[SmokinAl]

I used the whole amount for 1 rack.

JJ's recipe is for 1 rack & even though I changed it I still used it all.

We were licking the sauce off the plate when the ribs were gone.

 

[flash]

We just used Blue Front. Worked real good.

 

[ejbreeze]

What's blue front?

 

[jpenny2525]

Wow, Awesome Looking BB Ribs!

 

[jpenny2525]

Wow, Awesome Looking BB Ribs!

 

[jpenny2525]

Sorry, it looked so good I couldn't help doing a double post!

 

[gyeakle]

Can you do this in a reverse flow smoker as well Instead of MES  ?

 

[scoochdude]

Thanks Al.  I'm always changing how I do my ribs, because I am never happy with the outcome.  My #1 rule is by the best product/ingredients you can, and don't screw it up.   I fed 1500 people at a company picnic ribs this week.  They loved it, but me being a perfectionist, gave it an A-.  I'm going to incorporate some of your technique into my recipe. I'll report back.

 

[SmokinAl]

Thanks Al.  I'm always changing how I do my ribs, because I am never happy with the outcome.  My #1 rule is by the best product/ingredients you can, and don't screw it up.   I fed 1500 people at a company picnic ribs this week.  They loved it, but me being a perfectionist, gave it an A-.  I'm going to incorporate some of your technique into my recipe. I'll report back.

WOW 1500 people!

You must have one heck of a smoker!

 

[flash]

What's blue front?

Vinegar Based Bar-B-que sauce from out of West Palm Beach, Fla. area.

 

[ejbreeze]

Vinegar Based Bar-B-que sauce from out of West Palm Beach, Fla. area.

Thanks!

 

[africanmeat]

Al it sound like a great idea .thinking out the box braking the rules will be,disaster or a jackpot,

and sound that you hit the jackpot .well done my Friend

 

[erain]

Glad you had good results Al... i do know there is the sauce/no sauce, foil/no foil, boil/no boil aspects to look at. but is all personal preference and i am not going to say one is better than the other. i know i have my preference and whats important is to make em how you like them...

The thing with ribs though, is they seem to be a constant work in progress type food. even though you got it down, next time you are trying a lil something different to make them even better. but either way, once you reach a point, you will generally have some super great food. thanks for sharing your technique!Thumbs Up

 

[dieseltojo]

Hi SmokinAl, I can smell that tucker down here in OZ, well done mate.

 

[matuz]

Al, Guys,  

I just did this with a few modifcations, but I tell you what.  These were great!

So there was a "manager's special" at Shop n' Save on spare ribs so I picked up a good looking rack.

Put a smoked apple rub that I bought in KC, Mo on it the night before.  Got my smoker going at 220-240F the entire time.

I did 2 hours on the smoker, 2 hours in foil with apple juice, and about 15 min on the grill until I hit 190F.  I mopped with Sweet Baby Ray's.

TENDER.  The bones pulled right out, so it was a bit to tender.  But the smoke ring was all there.  When I put the ribs on the grill I began on the lower deck.  The fat/sugar flamed up while I was cooking some green beans.  So that is why I had it on there for so little of time.  Next time,I am going to use my top rack and leave it in there for 30-45 min and let it firm back up a bit.

Al, your the man...I have tried and failed to make some tender ribs with a non-dry/tough top, until I read your post.  THANK YOU!