Fuel of Choice

I am a big believer in lump charcoal. My fuel of choice is the Lazzari Mesquite Lump.  I have used Royal Oak, Cowboy (the worst), Humphrey, Goose Island, Cleveland, Maple Leaf, and several others including a brand made near Clare, MI…using mostly poplar and aspen. (that was an operation!!! Pre- EPA if you get my drift)

I like this charcoal because of it’s clean, hot burn. It can be problematic for first time users, especially in kettles and grills other than kamados (ceramic grills like the Big Green Egg).

One of the main problems is that it does not lay flat…like a traditional bed of coals. But with a little fire tending, you can get a nice, hot bed to work with.

Some advice.

1. Never use lighter fluid. Either a chimney or starter cubes (Weber makes a nice product)

2. Don’t worry about it being too hot for slow cooking. The key is not to let it get too hot! (duh…) When I bank the coals, I use a fire starter cube and I just let a few pieces get going, then I cover with my lid and slightly vent. This charcoal is very sensitive to oxygen. I get a small hot spot, then vent down, and it cooks at a low temperature for a long time. A very long time.

3. Don’t to be concerned about the BIG chunks. Embrace them. Combine one or two big chunks with the small pieces and you have a six-eight hour slow cook.

4. Add wood chunks or chips for smoke flavor. If you don’t like mesquite smoke, don’t worry about mesquite lump charcoal. Two different animals. Using by itself, lump charcoal does not overly smoke food. It is charcoal. Not smoking woods.

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Baby Back Ribs- Rib Wars Part II

Coming in at $3.99 to 7.99/lb. (I know, Sam’s and Costco have them cheaper sometimes), baby rack ribs can be considered the most “gourmet” barbecue cuisine. Especially when you factor in the origins of barbecue….inexpensive, tough cuts of meat (the leftovers), needing to be tenderized by slow cooking.

Although I don’t have scientific data, I would say the majority of KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) competitors would choose baby backs in the rib category. They are tender and easy to present. Other than pealing the membrane, there is very little trimming to do.

In my rib journey, I have found there to be a wide range in “quality” of baby backs. Some I have bought, are meatier. Others, like the one above are smaller and leaner. (I bought this rack at a farmer’s market..probably not the product of a “hog factory”).

Regardless, I have found that baby back ribs are good eating. They do require a bit more care than the St. Louis cuts. Much easier to dry out- especially the leaner ones.

I typically cook three racks, using a rib rack, at 250-275 degrees for 1.5-2 hours, heavy smoke (pecan/apple/cherry are my favorites) and then I wrap in tin foil and put back on the grill (lower temp…225 degree range) for another 1-2 hours.

Sometimes I add my bbq sauce at that time. Not always. I then have the option of taking them out of the foil and placing back on the grill for “finishing” (adding some grill marks, carmelizing the sugar in the bbq sauce, adding more color, etc.) I don’t have a consistent routine (I probably should) but usually go with the flow.

I have barbecued over 2000 racks of ribs (commercially and recreationally) and have taught over 100 rib classes. I have tried dozens of techniques, brines, seasonings, sauces, and marinades. The only mistake I make is when I get the coals to hot. However if you follow the simple strategy below you can almost guarantee the adulation of family and friends (plus a dang good rack of ribs)

1. Prep the rib. Trim spares or peal membrane from baby backs. That is about it. (I do peal the membrane from a St. Louis too, but sometimes it doesn’t pull off as easy, so I just score it with a knife)

2. Season with dry rub. Use your favorite. I coat with yellow (wet) mustard first to create a tasty bark on the slab.

3. Preheat grill. I bank the coals on a Weber kettle. In a Big Green Egg, I prefer using a plate setter to diffuse the heat. (However, I have successfully barbecued hundreds of racks without a plate setter) I try to maintain a temperature in the 225-275 range. Easy in an Egg. Harder with a kettle.

4. I place the slabs in a rib rack. This gives me more cooking surface.

5. I add my soaked wood chunks to the coals (I only use lump charcoal) and place the ribs on and let it go- full smoke ahead.

6. After about 1 1/2 hours, I check. If they look good, color wise, I then wrap in foil with a little bbq sauce. If they are still a bit pale, I increase the temperature a bit and then check back in about 20 minutes. I want the ribs to look done, but still be tough.

7. Placing the rib foil packets back on the grill…hopefully around 225-250 degrees…I chill. Job well done. About 1-2 hours later, I take them off. Let them rest and then serve.

There are many variables: number of ribs, type of rib, internal temperature, outside temperature (rain/wind play havoc on a kettle, the Egg is very steady). So a great rib is as much art as it is science.