Text 8162, 82 rader
Skriven 2006-11-30 04:09:34 av DAVE SACERDOTE (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av DALE SHIPP
Ärende: Smoking Ribs
====================
DSh> We picked up our smoker today, finally.   Got a cryovac of 
DSh> ribs from BJs.  It is 12 lbs, two racks.   Each rack is about 
DSh> 10 inch x 17 inch and will not fit directly on the racks in 
DSh> the smoker, but I can cut them in half and put on four shelves.
DSh> Would you use that same brine solution you posted for your turkey on
DSh> the ribs?  Or something slightly different?
DSh> How long should they brine?
DSh> How long to smoke and at what temperature?
DSh> Do you have a favorite wood to use?

[roseanne roseannadanna]
Hey, Dale, you sure ask a lotta questions!
[/roseanne roseannadanna]
[g]

The cryovac package is exactly how I buy ribs for a big gathering;
you may find it easier to use just one of the racks for just the
two of you.  Or not, if you want lots of leftovers. [g]

Anyway, here's what I do, step by step.

1. Prepare the brine first. For two racks of ribs, you'll need about
   three gallons, depending on what you're brining them in.  For
   each gallon, use half a cup of salt, half a cup of sugar, a
   quarter cup of soy sauce, and a heaping quarter cup of mixed 
   pickling spice.  In addition, to the entire batch, use a handful
   of crushed bay leaves (i.e., take a bunch of bay leaves in your
   hand, crush them by making a fist, and dump 'em in.) Note that
   pork has a stronger character than turkey, so the brine is a
   bit more highly flavored.

2. Locate the chine at the large end of each rack; use a cleaver
   to cut through the cartiledge connecting it to the ribs and set
   the chine aside.

3. (Optional) Trim off the flap meat on the back of the ribs, and
   the triangular chunk of meat at the small end of the ribs.
   You can smoke these and eat them with the ribs, but I usually
   set them aside and use them for something else.  At the last
   picnic, I cut them up and made porkolt (a type of Hungarian
   stew) with them.

4. Cut the racks in half to make each into two manageable sections.

5. Put the ribs into the brine, overnight is best but for at least
   4 - 6 hours.

Smoking time:

The ribs should have maximum exposure to heat and smoke. I usually
make wire hooks and hang each rib section from hooks on the 
underside of the top rack. You can use "rib holders", or extra
wire shelves, or whatever you like.

Rub them with a dry BBQ rub if you want before putting them in
the smoker.  I don't bother, I let the flavor of the smoke
work on them, and if anyone wants BBQ sauce they can add it
at the table.  [If you are serving people who insist on BBQ
sauce, you can mop the ribs after they come out of the smoker
and sear them on a hot grill if you like.]

I keep the heat in the smoker at less than 300 F (275 is great) and
add chips every so often, usually when I'm looking out the window
and noticing that no more smoke is leaking out the vents [g].
They should need anywhere from 5 to 6 hours, cooking really slow
like that. The recipe you have from the smoker is wrapping them
in foil to help "steam" them since they don't brine first to
help retain moisture.

Use any hardwood you like.  Hickory is excellent.  Mesquite is
okay, too, but I prefer that for beef.  Apple or maple is best
for pork IMO, but apple wood can be hard to come by.  If you have
a crabapple tree, prune it in the spring and save the cuttings.





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