Beef Ribs

idahobeekeeper · Dec 11, 2007

Here's a couple of pics of some ribs I cured and smoked the week after Thanksgiving (Got behind on my photo management). These were cured with a dry rub of salt, sugar, Tenderquick, paprika, chili powder, cumin, pepper, and maybe something else, don't remember. Held in a vacumned Foodsaver bag for about a week, then smoked for about 6 hours.

Next time, less cure time and at least twice the smoke time. They were done, but not tender enough for my taste. Flavor was great, good smokey character, nice and juicy.

irwinwd · Dec 11, 2007

beekeeper, I've never tried curing ribs like that. I'm a huge beef rib fan though so it might be a good experiment some weekend.

ggnutsc · Dec 11, 2007

Those ribs look pretty good to me!!! I've never tried to let them sit in salt/rub for that long... Are you attributing the lack of tenderness to the long cure time??

I've not had real good luck with hanging ribs like you did in the photo they always get too tender and want to fall off the hooks, but then again the hooks I used didn't have as big of cross section. Did you make or buy them?

idahobeekeeper · Dec 11, 2007

I suspect the toughness was probably due to both the prolonged curing time - will go just 24 hours next time as a control time, then lengthen the smoke time. I kept the tem at about 120 degrees, so need to have the meat cured, but a week is long in anyone's book I think.

The long curing time wasn't intentional - just was overcome by events and couldn't get 'em on the rack. The next rib smoke will be at least 12 hours, perhaps the first few hours at a higher temp, then back off to 120.

The hangers are stainless, bought them at Sportsman's Warehouse in a package of 10. They're about a half inch wide and seem to hold quite well. I was worried about the meat pulling apart, so put a rack below the ribs after I took the photo. Needn't have worried though.

Ken

flash · Dec 11, 2007

Did you peel the membrane off the backside of the bones ?
I rarely do beef ribs over 3 1/2 hours. Tender, juicy, med to med rare. Love em that way. Still alittle bite, but that is too be expected for beef ribs.
try marinading them in Mojo Crillio if you can find it. Dam fine.

ggnutsc · Dec 11, 2007

Beekeeper

I'll have to look into the hangers I'd like to try something different than the plain old S hooks that I've been using...

If you liked the taste of the ribs your almost there. Most times when I do beef ribs and they've smoked for 3-4 hours I pull them and stack them up in pairs and double wrap'm tight in foil and finish them off at about 220-250 deg in either the smoker or the oven. By the time they come out the bones can usually just be pulled out.

What I'm saying is if you like what you had this time, and you just want to go more tender, it might be as simple as finishing them off in foil.

Good luck with the next batch!!

Greg

skinnerc06 · Dec 11, 2007

If i could afford it, I would bathe in Mojo

flash · Dec 11, 2007

I am starting to make versions of my own. Q3131A gave me this and I modified.

Mojo:
4 garlic cloves, minced ( I use minced from jar)
1 jalapeno, minced (Used crushed red peppers instead 1 Â½ tsp)
1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped (used 1 tblsp Parsley)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper)
2 limes, juiced (used one of the store bought lime juice limes, around Â½ cup)
1 orange, juiced (used store bought OJ, around Â½ cup)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Â¼ cup bitter orange
Â½ cup red onion chopped
Finely chop and mix together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Use as a marinade for chicken or beef or as a table condiment.
Yield: approximately 1 1/4 cups

Remember, overnight marinade for pork or beef, but only up to 4 hours for chicken or fish.

idahobeekeeper · Dec 11, 2007

Flash,

Yep, peeled the membrane completely. I think this set of ribs must have come from a range-bound old cow, just way more tough than I've had with prior sets. In any event, I'll try again.

Thanks for the recipe! This is not something I've used before, so I'll be making up a batch to try with the next set of ribs.

GGNUTSC, I'll keep my eye out for a source for the hangers - only place I've seen them is Sportsman's Warehouse, and they haven't had 'em for a year or better.

Great feedback everyone, thanks!

Ken

flash · Dec 11, 2007

I think you will like it. Especially on beef and pork. I cannot get away from it on my beef ribs and am trying a flank steak tonight marinaded in Mojo. There are fine store bought mojo's out there. Goya, Iberia, Badia and Conchita. The Goya brand seems to separate easily but will be the one you will probably see the most. I find the other three seem to coat the meats better, but that's just my personal taste. The recipe will suffice for those of you too far north to find this Latin marinade.

squeezy · Dec 11, 2007

Just stumbled upon this thread and I'm wondering about the 120Âº temp ... seems very low to me, almost cold smoking. I think if you smoked it at 225 - 250Âº for the 6 hours you wouldn't have a problem. I would spritz with apple juice or ? every hour or so as well.
Just my .02 worth!

kew_el_steve · Dec 11, 2007

I love beef ribs. I do regular-cut (like you did) and Flanken-cut (Amish across the ribs, you can find at Sam's). Beef is different than Pork. Long smokes don't tenderize beef ribs. Think in terms of keeping them medium or medium-rare. At Flash's encouragement, I usually marinate them in Mojo. At the supermarket you can buy a bottle of Goya Mojo in the ethnic aisle for $2.50. I'm lazy, and I'll spend that for a quart of ready-made, great-tasting Mojo. Pork is low and slow, beef is medium or medium-rare.

idahobeekeeper · Dec 12, 2007

Thanks Squeezy, I think you have a point. This smoke was definately an experiment from the gitgo, rub/cure, length of cure, and temp. My original intention was to smoke for up to 12 hours to see how that affected flavor and mouth feel.

Next experiment won't be till after Christmas, as I have a full waiting list of requests for holiday treats. Starting some salmon and a bone-in turkey breast today. These are more in line with my experience and competencies. I've refined the methods for both over the last 10 years or so. Will post pics as I work through both pieces.

Next week it's off to DC for bidness, so no smoking for a week. Then Christmas and the prime rib. I generally do salt/herb crusted in the oven. This year it's gonna be herb rubbed (just harvested a ton of rosemary) and smoke cooked with rosemary wood tossed on the smoke pan for the final half hour.

I also have a boatload - BOATLOAD! of horseradish in the ground, and I dig it fresh the day of the feed. Man, preparing that will clear a house, not to mention one's sinuses. Anybody need fresh horseradish?

Back to ribs - Steve - haven't seen Flanken-cut ribs, will have to look. But, we are a long way from any Amish influence, so I'm a bit doubtful I'll find it.

I see a couple of adverts for butcher hogs on the local Craigslist. Been a while since I butchered, but I can do it...

The first time I took my wife-to-be (city girl) to the farm to meet my folks, I took her out and we butchered a hog. She did very well with the pig-stickin' and the gutting. Figured I had a keeper. Then, when I told her I was gonna make casings from the intestines, she didn't flinch, helped me turn them inside out, wash and scrape, flush and pack in salt. I knew I had a keeper then, and we've been going strong for 30 years this coming March.

Sorry to ramble...

Ken

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Beef Ribs

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irwinwd

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idahobeekeeper

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flash

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skinnerc06

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