So I'm in this cook off with my FFB league...

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worm304

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Jul 12, 2016
283
177
4 of us are going to battle with a rib cook off. The other 3 clowns don't even have smokers.. We take this pretty seriously and I don't plan on losing... I'm dealing with somewhat unrefined bbq eaters so I'm sure they think "fall off the bone" ribs are the best. I'm the only one that's really into the obsession of smoking... Either way I want to blow them out of the water.

The question is, should I do Berkshire ribs? I've never done them but if you think it's worth the money I may just do it. I want to get good cuts, I'm reading SAMs or Costco are good enough for most.. Farmland? Prairie fresh? What should I buy? I want a really meaty rib! Looking to do spares.. Thanks!!
 
Personally I would do BB's.

I don't think you need to buy Berkshire. 

The 3 packs at Sam's are usually very good. 

Maybe buy 2 of them so you can find the best 2 or 3 racks.

Your right most of the people like fall off the bone with a lot of BBQ sauce.

Good luck!

Al
 
Thanks, al! I am probably going to do test rack of BB at 275 smoked for about 2.5 then foiled for about 45 min..I've been using just hickory only but think I'm going to try a 2:1 hickory/Apple mix. I did something similar with spares and they came out better than any 3/2/1 I tried at 225... I've got a SAMs membership.. I shop at publix and I have never been impressed with how much meat is on their BBs...
 
I would most definitely go with spare ribs and give them a proper St. Louis cut. IMHO spares are the way to go... You get nice uniformed sized ribs all the way across and you can smoke the trimmings (flap meat, riblets, extra ribs) and use them for snacks or incorporate them into some beans for extra smoky flavor..Good luck and have fun, but give it to 'em!
 
Nothing wrong with a hotter smoke. Personally I don't foil pork ribs. That's the way unlike them. I've been running pit temps as high as 325-350. I keep it pretty simple for the most part seasoning wise. For a come though I guess I'd pull out the big game no and add a finish glaze of some sorts. Cherry/pecan mix adds a nice flavor and good color.

Good luck with your smoke.
 
...somewhat unrefined bbq eaters so I'm sure they think "fall off the bone" ribs are the best.....
Hmmm.....my family loves their ribs fall off the bone and so does the Mrs. I would not call them "unrefined bbq eaters'!

Remember, that's why there are 32 flavors of ice cream!!!

Good luck in your contest!!
 
Yep, our league is pretty cut throat... I'm defending champ in the cook off and football... I'm sure they will cook various methods from boiling and grill to oven to smoke box on a grill to crock pot, who knows? Not to say that fall off the bone is for unrefined eaters, I'm just saying I don't think they are aware that competition ribs don't "fall off the bone". I love delicious meat that the bone pulls out of as well but I'd rather stay true to form and turn in a legit competition product... I see them believing "fall off the bone" as the best quality of rib. So I will cook to the crowd and destroy my competitors... Last year we did a pulled pork off and I made a PowerPoint outlining my methods for the crowd to enjoy while they ate!
 
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