Best ribs to smoke

[pg77]

I new to smoking and was looking for some feedback on the best type of ribs to smoke. Thx

 

[jake0531]

Best kind are the kind on the smoker! Beef or pork, shorts or spares, full rack or singles, whatever you fancy is the best! I personally am a fan of pork spare ribs. Reasonably priced and make some great Q. I also like beef short ribs but I only get those when I purchase locker beef

 

[seenred]

Hi PG77.

The answer to what's "best" is completely subjective.  My guess is that pork ribs are the most popular and most cooked ribs, but beef ribs are great too.  My personal favorite ribs are St. Louis pork spare ribs, but Mrs. Red prefers pork baby back ribs.

What you oughta do is try all the different varieties of ribs, then you can decide for yourself what is your favorite...and that's the funnest part!  

Red

 

[geezer]

Pork! 

Though beef and lamb are edible too. 

 

[sauced]

My favorite are pork spare ribs (St. Louis cut) followed very very closely by beef short ribs.

 

[tallbm]

My rankings are:

1. Pork spare ribs
2. Pork baby back ribs
3. Pork country style ribs (comes from shoulder)

I haven't had smoked beef ribs in a long time.  Well a couple of years ago I had some but they were unimpressive.

I do know that I LOVE well cooked beef ribs but the price is just so outrageous I haven't fulled with them personally.

A rack of dinosaur looking beef ribs are on the list of things to smoke though :)

 

[pg77]

Thank you all for your input. Giving it my first go on Saturday. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Wish me luck!!!

 

[jake0531]

Thank you all for your input. Giving it my first go on Saturday. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Wish me luck!!!

What type are you going with?

 

[pg77]

I'm gonna use the St. Louis spare ribs. The Costco by me has a pretty good deal on them.

 

[tallbm]

I'm gonna use the St. Louis spare ribs. The Costco by me has a pretty good deal on them.

Check out SmokinAl's post on how he perfected his ribs every time.  It has good info for you to absorb especially when you compare and contrast his approach to something like the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 cooking method people use for ribs.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/240916/perfect-ribs-every-time-this-really-works

 

[pg77]

Thoughts on type of wood chips for ribs?

 

[geezer]

Thoughts on type of wood chips for ribs?

Hickory or pecan always work, tho other woods will too. 

 

[sauced]

Personally I like a mix of Hickory and Cherry.

 

[pg77]

What about the liquid for water pan? Do you guys prefer straight water? Or a juice, beer, etc??

 

[geezer]

What about the liquid for water pan? Do you guys prefer straight water? Or a juice, beer, etc??

Personally, I use plain water and I'm using it as much for temp regulation as anything. Now, if the meat is in a pan, that's a different story. 

 

[bbqbrett]

PG77, it is all opinion. Not sure I would pick a favorite rib but I guess if I had to I would go with baby back pork ribs.

I like to use hickory to smoke em and for a liquid I like apple juice.

 

[SmokyMose]

St. Louis style. Hickory.
Water pan?

 

[gr0uch0]

St. Louis style. Hickory.
Water pan?

Agreed, with one minor difference than SM:  I'd rather buy full spares and trim yourself to St. Louis.  Less expensive that way, and there's some really good meat (hello, rib tips) above the joints and below the chine.  Don't buy any "manager's special" that has already been spiced--that goes for anything, including ribs.  Unless you're buying known fresh, make sure it's in the original Cryovac packaging.  Age old food service trick to pull what hasn't moved by expiration, slather it in something, and repackage with a new expiration date on it.  Single service C-Vac's allow you to inspect the product from all sides, unlike the styro trays and multiple items sandwiched together.

That said, you need to try them all in order to formulate your own opinion.  Beef ribs, baby backs, spares, lamb--even cabrito--have their own nuances that make them each special:  try all of them like Red suggested.  Experiment with the different woods:  and regardless what's said, you still have to try mesquite to find out whether or not you like it.  Words of caution are that it burns hotter than other woods and is stronger, so you don't have to use very much.  Don't limit yourself without trying them all and relying solely on others' opinions.  Good luck!

 

[SmokinAl]

I like ribs of any kind, but the favorite around here is BB's.

Although every once in a while I throw a rack of untrimmed, spares on the smoker.

With no rub or no sauce, just good ole pork flavor with a little S&P. And chew around the bones & cartilage.

Al

 

[pg77]

I have a rub recipe with a little white sugar and a good amount of brown sugar, how will that come out in the smoker?