ambush80
Senior Member
Do you think that the rib tips should come loose from the bone or should you have to tug and gnaw on it some?
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Perfect Spare Ribs
- Thread starter ambush80
- Start date
naildrvr
Senior Member
Don't really matter to me cause I'm gonna gnaw the bones anyhow. The best spare ribs are the ones on a plate ready to eat
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
Most consumers, self included, would rather they fall of the bone.
Well almost to that point. I don't really care as long as they are moist.
I don't like dry or chewy ribs. Competition-style ribs are still slightly adhered to the bone and have a slightly chewy texture, yet they are still tender.
Maybe a happy medium?
Well almost to that point. I don't really care as long as they are moist.
I don't like dry or chewy ribs. Competition-style ribs are still slightly adhered to the bone and have a slightly chewy texture, yet they are still tender.
Maybe a happy medium?
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
Many competitive barbecue teams use the tried-and-true 3-2-1 method when cooking St. Louis Style Ribs. The 3-2-1 approach calls for smoking the ribs for 3 hours, cooking for 2 hours tightly wrapped in foil, and unwrapping for the final hour for a total of 6 hours.)
Works for me. I also prefer St. Louis style over baby back ribs.
Works for me. I also prefer St. Louis style over baby back ribs.
blood on the ground
Cross threading is better than two lock washers.
I'd be knee wabbling drunk at the end of that run... I can have fall off the bone ribs in half that time.... Not saying that method doesn't work! Thats just a long time!
When I tried that a couple times, I had a foil packet of rib stew and never got to the "1" part. It does not take 6 hours to cook ribs. 4 hours is plenty.
I do not like "fall-off-the-bone" ribs, that means they're overcooked to me. I'll eat them any way, but to me, perfect ribs are tender, but you have to bite them off the bone. Just before the "fall-off" stage, in other words. The longer you cook them, the less flavor they have, IMO.
Dub
Senior Member
I always trim the tips off before I prep them for the grill.
I'll toss the tips on the grill, too. Every so often I'll hit them with some of the finishing sauce I use on on pulled pork. They get done in much less time than the actual ribs do and make great snacks for folks out on the deck & the dogs, too.
As far as how I like to do my ribs in terms of tenderness.....I strive to leave a little bite, but an easy chew that breaks apart nicely. Tender....but not soupy.
Bite off the bone....not fall off the bone.
Don't always nail it, but at least the flavor is usually good.
I'll toss the tips on the grill, too. Every so often I'll hit them with some of the finishing sauce I use on on pulled pork. They get done in much less time than the actual ribs do and make great snacks for folks out on the deck & the dogs, too.
As far as how I like to do my ribs in terms of tenderness.....I strive to leave a little bite, but an easy chew that breaks apart nicely. Tender....but not soupy.
Bite off the bone....not fall off the bone.
Don't always nail it, but at least the flavor is usually good.
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watermedic
Senior Member
I always cut my spare ribs down to St. Louis style. They seem to cook more even. 6 hours is definitely too long unless your heat is at 200. I cook mine at around 275. Rub them down, they spend an hour on the grill. Take them off and wrap them in foil with a little butter and brown sugar. Not much, just enough to taste. Back on the grill for an hour. Take them out of the foil, put them back on the grill with either a vinegar finishing sauce or a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce just until the sauce sets up. Done!!
By then I have snacked on the tips since they were finished about an hour ago.
By then I have snacked on the tips since they were finished about an hour ago.
Need just a bit of tug for me to be happy.
ambush80
Senior Member
No more wrapping for me. That makes them too soft. I did some without wrapping and they were tender but not falling apart. You had to bite the meat off like a chicken wing. I think that's what I'll do from now on.
Yep. 4 hours will git er dun. I do a 2-1-1. 2 hours on the smoke, 1 hour in foil and then unwrap them and finish them for 1 hour. It usually gives them just the right amount of tug to come off the bone but the meat will melt in your mouth like an M&M.
