Pork Ribs -- Baby Back and Spare

[tommy]

When the ribs came out, and at this point they can be stored in the fridge if you like to plan ahead, I mopped them with a sauce made from pureed anchos, tomato sauce, molasses, citrus juices and zests. Grilled over smokey hickory chips for a taste of Sunny Florida!

sweetmom, you bring up something i was just about to ask about...

i'm planning on making a bunch of ribs for a BBQ with about 20 ppl.  it'll be a lot of ribs i suppose, and they generally take about 2 to 3 hours on the grill.  my question is, can i make these in the morning, and then heat them up before serving, either on the grill, or preferably in the oven?  any drawbacks there besides the obvious?

any comments appreciated, as long as they are the ones i want to hear.  

[tommy]

i just want to "cheat" and bring this back up to the top so it doesn't get buried.  surely some of you folks can help me out.  surely?

[=Mark]

i just want to "cheat" and bring this back up to the top so it doesn't get buried.  surely some of you folks can help me out.  surely?

Sure, I can help...    Hit that "Home" key and read all the responses to your original request!  

You might do well to follow Tommy's comments on doing the ribs 4 different ways...

Edit: Of course the fates intervened to make a fool of me by moving this reply to a new page  :confused:   Pay no attention to the "Home" key thing...

[tommy]

You might do well to follow Tommy's comments on doing the ribs 4 different ways...

errr, but i *am* tommy.  :confused:

i'm actually wondering about the cook-ahead aspect.  the post before my last post...on the other page.  oh, this is getting too confusing.

can i cook the damned things ahead is my question!

[Jinmyo]

tommy, sure you can. Surely.

[=Mark]

You might do well to follow Tommy's comments on doing the ribs 4 different ways...

errr, but i *am* tommy.  :confused:

i'm actually wondering about the cook-ahead aspect.  the post before my last post...on the other page.  oh, this is getting too confusing.

can i cook the damned things ahead is my question!

Yes, I know you are Tommy, I didn't figure the sarcasm would be lost on you...

It just seemed the questions you wanted to be "helped out" on were covered in the first round, at least until you got to the reheating question.

As far as that goes, just cool them to the point where they won't melt a ziplock bag, wrap them and stick in the fridge.  To reheat, do them on medium heat uncovored in the oven or on low on the grill with the lid down.

So, you gonna come to the eGullet Thai dinner and snatch that Stuffies tape?

[Jaymes]

As far as that goes, just cool them to the point where they won't melt a ziplock bag, wrap them and stick in the fridge.  To reheat, do them on medium heat uncovored in the oven or on low on the grill with the lid down.

Or, sprinkle them lightly with a little liquid of some kind (I like apple cider or orange juice) and then seal them tightly in heavy-duty foil.  

Then reheat in either your smoker or oven, still wrapped in the foil.  Either way's fine...doesn't much matter after they're already smoked.  

Actually, that's the way a lot of commercial BBQers do them anyway.  It holds them indefinitely and keeps them from drying out.

[JSD]

Today I bought pork spareribs rather than baby back ribs, but I was planning on marinating them in Dr. Pepper (not diet) and barbequeing them for Father's Day.  I've tried this before with good success.  It's from Master the Grill the Lazy Way by Hahn and Giddeon.  I don't consider myself in any way an expert on ribs.

[Gene51]

You might try marinating the ribs in your favorite BBQ sauce (I use a sauce I found in a Hawaiian cookbook that includes orange, hoisin, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, black beans sesame oil and some other stuff) for two days in the fridge. Then I put them in a roasting pan, covered and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees. This cooks and steams the ribs, locking in flavors. I then uncover the ribs, baste with additional sauce, and bake for an additional 30 minutes or so. During this time it is wise to check the ribs every 10 mins or so to make sure that the sauce isn't burning, and baste. You will end up with outstanding ribs, full of flavor and, depending on the type of sauce, a deep, rich mahogany color.

This works for water smokers and indirect heat smokers as well. I usually smoke until ribs are almost done - 2-4 hours - then finish at higher heat in the kitchen oven.

[tommy]

puttin' her back on top, so to speak.

i'll be cooking ribs in 2 days. i'm using mark's mustard sauce. i'm also going to cook them a day ahead and put them in a zip-lock, and then reheat over low heat on the grill.

with the rash of new foodies here on egullet recently, i thought maybe someone else might be able to opine on this.

thanx.

[Jaymes]

i'll be cooking ribs in 2 days.  i'm using mark's mustard sauce.  i'm also going to cook them a day ahead and put them in a zip-lock, and then reheat over low heat on the grill.  

.

Tommy -

I've hesitated to enter into any of the "BBQ cooking" discussions because I know there are much finer smokemasters on eGullet than I.

And, because I live in a city where where BBQ restaurants are on literally every corner, I have no desire to buy a big, wood-fire smoker. So, I've got a little gas grill out on the back deck of my bachelorette condo.

But, everyone brags on the BBQ ribs I make, so - here's what I do.

I do start them in the oven -- especially in the summer when it's 100 degrees, I don't like standing out there sweating over the ribs. Sometimes I even cook them in the oven a day or two before, so I have more time to sit around swilling Sangria with my guests. And, I don't have a hot oven heating up my kitchen during the party.

Night before: remove membrane from ribs (very important and many people - often even restaurants - skip this step).

For one rack of ribs, marinate overnight in mixture of:

2 C apple cider

1/2 C bottled Teriyaki sauce

1/4 C brown sugar

Bake ribs slowly in 250 degree oven, basting frequently.

Pretty darn good that way but for BBQ ribs, finish off on outdoor grill. (Can add flavorful woodchips of some kind to coals if using gas grill.)

Can baste with some sort of traditional BBQ sauce last few minutes of grilling to caramelize sauce, or just serve as is with sauce on side.

[tommy]

what if you don't remove the membrane? do you go insane? also, so anyone who feels inclined to recommend anything understands, i'm dealing with a weber gas grill, and have no intentions of smoking, adding wood, or doing any sort of silly dances. although, some silly dancing might ensue as the evening wears on. but that's another thread altogether.

[Jaymes]

what if you don't remove the membrane?  do you go insane?  also, so anyone who feels inclined to recommend anything understands, i'm dealing with a weber gas grill, and have no intentions of smoking, adding wood, or doing any sort of silly dances.  although, some silly dancing might ensue as the evening wears on.  but that's another thread altogether.

If you don't remove the membrane, people have to bite and chew through it.

And I don't have any fancy smokers either, so that's why I thought I'd offer my suggestions. As I said, I just have a little gas grill and my ribs turn out pretty darn tasty.

(Of course, it could be the silly dances. I'm a big fan of silly dances, as will probably come as a surprise to no one.)

PS - Want to add that putting in wood chips is no big deal. Just pick up a bag of some that have a nice BBQ smoke aroma, like hickory (they probably sell them at your grocery store) and put a few in your gas grill on top of your brickettes. It's really easy.

[mynamejoe]

I'm not sure why I'm helping if you're not going to do a silly dance, but here goes.

In a perfect world, removing the membrane every time would be great. In restaurants, we don't always do it because it takes too long. A little trick to get by with: lay the ribs, meat-side down, on a cutting board. With a stiff-bladed boning knife (if all you have is a flexible, use a small chef knife or even a paring knife), start making slashes through the membrane (at about a 45 degree angle to the bones) about 1.5 inches apart from each other. Then, make more slashes at an angle that will form a diamond pattern of cuts through the membrane.

Like this:

/ / / / / / / / / / /

then like this:

\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \

As far as reheating goes, follow Jaymes' and Mark's instructions. Just be careful they don't get dried out when re-heated (I recommmend frequent taste tests to help avoid this)

[tommy]

PS - Want to add that putting in wood chips is no big deal.  Just pick up a bag of some that have a nice BBQ smoke aroma, like hickory (they probably sell them at your grocery store) and put a few in your gas grill on top of your brickettes.  It's really easy.

what did i just say about wood? you freakin people are so thick sometimes.

so, i shall take the membrane off. it's the thing that looks like "silverskin", no?

i got these suckers brining right now, because every one here, although i'm pretty sure they've done *no* qualititave analysis, insists that it makes them more tender.

i'm looking foward to getting up tomorrow and putting them over indirect heat for 2.5 hours or so. then in the bag (with any sauce? i'm grillin em dry).

by the by, i made "BBQ" chicken tonite. slow and low, indirect heat, sauced at the last second, and it was brilliant. after doing it quickly for years, i can see how slow and low is very much appreciated. and i'm talking about the chicken too.

[NewYorkTexan]

Tommy- What.....no mention of a dry rub?

Are you going to put the ribs on the grill naked?

[tommy]

Tommy- What.....no mention of a dry rub? 

Are you going to put the ribs on the grill naked?

the only thing nekid at my party will be me. but that's likely to occur long after the meat has been eaten.

yes, they will be cooked nekid, but brined (which i've been told is soooo important...and i actually believe it ). slow and low for a coupla hours. when the reheat time comes, i will throw some sauce on, unless someone suggests otherwise.

[=Mark]

This should be interesting. I've brined poultry but not pork. I'd be concerned that the extra surface area of ribs might result in over brining and mushy texture. Bear in mind that much of the pork availabe in supermarkets has already been injected with a brine solution.

Again, I think the "falling off the bone tender" thing is over-rated. I like a little resistance, a bit of a tug, in my ribs.

By the way, I figure it's in there somewhere, but am too lazy to check, are you doing babybacks or spares?

[tommy]

Again, I think the "falling off the bone tender" thing is over-rated.  I like a little resistance, a bit of a tug, in my ribs.

By the way, I figure it's in there somewhere, but am too lazy to check, are you doing babybacks or spares?

i'm doing babybacks. only because i think people like them better. and, i've had some success with them in the past and don't want to tinker at this point.

i brined the ribs the last time, and they turned out excellent. whether or not that had anything to do with the brining is anyone's guess.

[bushey]

Does anyone know the difference between babybacks and St. Louis (or St. Louie, as my meat store sometimes marks them) ribs? I grabbed a rack of the St. Louis last year and did them on the grill with a dry rub and they came out sensational. Seemed a little less fatty than babybacks, but it could have been my imagination.

I'm a big fan of the dry rub method for bbq. Even my daughter who's a barbecue sauce nut likes the way the dry rub results.

[cookandwife]

Ilike to throw some ketchap,soy sauce,peanut butter,hot sauce and ginger over the ribs and let them cook in an oven at 200 for about 3 hrs.You can always throw them on a really hot grill for a few minutes afterwards but it is not necessary.I never use the same marinade because i use what i have in fridge so it varies,but i always get rave reviews .

[tommy]

what kind of hot sauce. peanut butter seems like it would be overpowering. is there a distinctive peanut flavor at the end?

[Jaymes]

Ilike to throw some ketchap,soy sauce,peanut butter,hot sauce and ginger over the ribs and let them cook in an oven at 200 for about 3 hrs.You can always throw them on a really hot grill for a few minutes afterwards but it is not necessary.I never use the same marinade because i use what i have in fridge so it varies,but i always get rave reviews .

That sounds really good. Is that the idea of the cook? Or the wife?

It also sounds Asian-influenced. By any chance, are either the cook or the wife of Asian extraction?

[cookandwife]

what kind of hot sauce.  peanut butter seems like it would be overpowering.  is there a distinctive peanut flavor at the end?

any hot sauce will do,last time i used dat'l do it devil drops,and no the peanut butter is not over powering.some maple syrup in there is also a welcomed addition along with some chopped cilantro roasted corn off the cob to top it off.

[cookandwife]

Ilike to throw some ketchap,soy sauce,peanut butter,hot sauce and ginger over the ribs and let them cook in an oven at 200 for about 3 hrs.You can always throw them on a really hot grill for a few minutes afterwards but it is not necessary.I never use the same marinade because i use what i have in fridge so it varies,but i always get rave reviews .

That sounds really good. Is that the idea of the cook? Or the wife?

It also sounds Asian-influenced. By any chance, are either the cook or the wife of Asian extraction?

i hope i do not get alot of that,it would be the lover.no asian in us but we do have a korean nephew with one more on the way.sometimes i do feel like i am turning japanese though.