Your grilling secrets?

[d_r]

77. ribs are one of those things

that if you are open to it, is wonderful because people can make them a lot of different ways and it is all good. Like pizza or chili or wings. The problem is, like those three things, a lot of folks get stuck in the idea that there is one "right" way to do it. All they do is miss out on other good things.

Here is how I like to do ribs.

I cut the membrane off the back. Some people like it on, and I've had them with it on that is OK, but I like to cut it out. I take my sharp knife and slice the membrane down one of the rib bones in the middle, then move over a bone and turn the knife sideways and slide it under the membrane along the bone, then pry it up and strip that half, then do the same thing with the bone on the other side of the cut.

I like to brine them. Let them set over night in a brine of water and salt and apple cider vinegar with some garlic floating in there for good measure.

I like to smoke them. I'm not a purist and will use store bought charcoal started in a chimney. I use an offset firebox smoker. In the main grill I put a metal tub with boiling hot water with some onions and herbs in it under the grill. I put the boiling water in when the fire is ready to stabilize the temp. and it catches the drippings to help clean up too. Then on the grill I have some standing racks.

I like to rub the ribs with a little store bought yellow mustard (it won't taste mustardy after a few hours of smoking) and rub a little brown sugar and some black pepper on there.

Smoke about 175-200 for about 4 hours. I soak wood and put on the charcoal, what you want is for the smoke to be real clear not thick or heavy.

ETA oh yeah I come back by in a couple of hours and pour beer on them. Summer wheat or hoppy ale depending on how I feel. But that is the only time I open them, if you are looking you ain't cooking.

Personally I like putting a little red sauce on their and grilling them for a couple of minutes over the fire box after they smoke. Not too long for the sugar to burn, just a little flavor on there.

Then you have bacon on a stick, which is my favorite kind of rib.