Super Smoked Ribs...

Ok.  I’m just gonna put this out there…. I ain’t fat cause I’m lazy.  If you ever had my smoked ribs, you would definitely understand.  Once you get started, you can’t stop eating until you are too full to move!  Yea, l knows it sounds like bragging but it’s the truth!    And, this week I am going to teach you how to do them.

  First, you must get a good cut of meat.  I generally buy the baby back ribs when they are on sale and stock up.  I’ll throw them in the freezer and take them out when I’m ready to cook.

   Once you have acquired your ribs, you can’t just rub them down with spices and call it good.  You must pull the membrane on the back.  If you don’t the smoke won’t penetrate the meat well.  Also, it leaves a tough, chewy strip on the back that really isn’t good.   To pull the membrane, find a loose edge or create one and just pull it off.  It sounds gross, but it is a crucial step to making good ribs.

   Then, choose the rub you want to use.  Sometimes I make my own, sometimes I buy one.  It just depends on how much time I have to spend playing in the kitchen.  Choose one that is to your liking, there are all kinds so feel free to experiment to see which ones you like best.

  To put the rub on your ribs, first rub the ribs with either olive oil or mustard.  This helps the rub to stick better. If you choose to use oil, do not use anything than olive oil as they can burn and leave a really bad taste on your ribs.  If you like a bit more crust on your rib, use mustard.  It gives a little zip too.  It’s all a taste preference.  Once you have rubbed down your ribs, coat the ribs with the rub and let them rest before you put them on the smoker. 

   When it comes to smokers, I have used many.  I prefer the off-set smoker style but a strait smoker works too.  You can do them in the over, but you miss that smokiness.  They will still be good, but not smoked. 

   Smoked meats have been around probably as long as man has been using fire.  Smoked ribs are a Southern essential and the key is low and slow.  Let’s all say it together:  Low and Slow.  Low and Slow. 

  You should never cook your ribs hotter than 250 degrees.  I generally smoke my ribs at 215 – 220 for about four to five hours.  Any higher than that and you risk burning the ends.  Plus, too much heat makes them tough and chewy as well as dry.  No more than 250, ever.

   I could probably write you a dissertation on how to use a smoker, but if you have one you know.  If you don’t have one it doesn’t matter.

   Once the ribs have been smoked, I like to roll my ribs in foil and put them in the oven.  I put about a tablespoon of liquid on them before I roll them up.  This keeps them from drying out.  I usually will let them stay in there until we are about an hour out from eating.  If you make them beforehand, definitely put them in foil and put them in the fridge.  Then, about an hour or so before you eat, put them in the oven at the smoking temperature and let them warm up and sweat a little.  Then serve them hot. 

  If you want them wet (with sauce) you can do this in the oven or on the grill.  Just mop some sauce on them and put them in until the sauce is caramelized and then serve.