In my last post (http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/241131/marinated-ribs-step-by-step#post_1514259) I did ribs by starting them in a char siu marinade.
While I was preparing the ribs I was wondering what to do with the end of the ribs that is usually trimmed off but always comes with the ribs so they can charge you more. I have tried treating them like the regular rib section but they always have too much fat and the cartilage and bone makes them difficult to eat.
I first thought I would cut them to smaller pieces to allow more surface area so the fat would cook out.
Second, I normally don't foil my ribs but I decided to foil these and go through the 3-2-1 system to give a longer cook which would cook out more fat and be more fall from the bone which would allow the meat to seperate from the bones and cartilege.
Third, I wanted to use a sweet sauce to allow for a caramelized surface to give them more texture and a good bark.
As I was using char siu marinade to do the ribs, why not use it to marinate the rib tips and as a sauce at the end?
I started by cutting the tips into one inch strips with a heavy chef's knife.
Then I cut the strips to 2 inch lengths.
I mixed up the char siu marinde:
I tossed the rib tips in this and let them marinate overnight, tossing a couple of times.
The next day I took the ribs out of the marinade, saving the marinade. I preheated my pellet smoker to 225 F and put the rib tips on the grill.
I let them smoke for 3 hours. Then I put them in a roasting pan. I poured the reserved marinade over them, tossed them in the marinade and covered the pan with foil.
I put it back in the smoker for 2 hours.
I took the foil off and put them back on the grill.
I took them out of the pan and put them on the grill for another hour. Then I took them off and served them.
The Verdict
These turned out great. The meat pulled easily away from the bones and cartilege making them easier to eat. Most of the fat had cooked off so you got a great pork taste without trying to separate large chunks of fat. The char siu marinade caramelized on the surface and gave a good bite and texture.
These were so good I will start saving the rib trimmings for future appetizers when I do ribs from now on.
Disco
While I was preparing the ribs I was wondering what to do with the end of the ribs that is usually trimmed off but always comes with the ribs so they can charge you more. I have tried treating them like the regular rib section but they always have too much fat and the cartilage and bone makes them difficult to eat.
I first thought I would cut them to smaller pieces to allow more surface area so the fat would cook out.
Second, I normally don't foil my ribs but I decided to foil these and go through the 3-2-1 system to give a longer cook which would cook out more fat and be more fall from the bone which would allow the meat to seperate from the bones and cartilege.
Third, I wanted to use a sweet sauce to allow for a caramelized surface to give them more texture and a good bark.
As I was using char siu marinade to do the ribs, why not use it to marinate the rib tips and as a sauce at the end?
I started by cutting the tips into one inch strips with a heavy chef's knife.
Then I cut the strips to 2 inch lengths.
I mixed up the char siu marinde:
- 175 ml (2/3 cup) soy sauce
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) hoisin
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) five spice
- 8 ml (1 1/2 teaspoon) sriracha (could substitute 3 ml (1/2 teaspoon) hot pepper sauce)
- 375 ml (1 1/2 cup) brown sugar
I tossed the rib tips in this and let them marinate overnight, tossing a couple of times.
The next day I took the ribs out of the marinade, saving the marinade. I preheated my pellet smoker to 225 F and put the rib tips on the grill.
I let them smoke for 3 hours. Then I put them in a roasting pan. I poured the reserved marinade over them, tossed them in the marinade and covered the pan with foil.
I put it back in the smoker for 2 hours.
I took the foil off and put them back on the grill.
I took them out of the pan and put them on the grill for another hour. Then I took them off and served them.
The Verdict
These turned out great. The meat pulled easily away from the bones and cartilege making them easier to eat. Most of the fat had cooked off so you got a great pork taste without trying to separate large chunks of fat. The char siu marinade caramelized on the surface and gave a good bite and texture.
These were so good I will start saving the rib trimmings for future appetizers when I do ribs from now on.
Disco
