Brown Sugar Finished Ribs

As promised, here are the results from my brown sugar finished ribs.

First, I could of used more brown sugar (surprisingly).  Next time I will really pack it on.

Second.  I need a spicier rub.  I used Stubb’s BBQ Rub….Need more heat to contrast to the sweetness of the brown sugar.

Third.  It was good…good enough to do it again after a little tweaking.

I do recommend you try this…..

(Add the brown sugar to the ribs after about 2-3 hours…, wrap in foil and place back on grill for another 45-60 minutes…..Unwrap, add sauce and then serve.)

Here are a few visuals:

Fred Eaglesmith and Amen to BBQ Brother!

As last reported, I was on a family vacation at Drummond Island (eastern upper peninsula in Michigan). Radio reception is not always that great, but one station that came in was Canada’s version of NPR.

Coming back from a whitefish dinner at the Northwood Inn, I was half listening/half watching out for deer crossing the road, when the host of a radio show began interviewing Canadian musician, Fred Eaglesmith. Never heard of him, wasn’t that interested. Then, all of a sudden, they played a track from his new CD- Tinderbox, and I was sold…hook, line and sinker. The song was called; Get on Your Knees. It was over before I had a chance to really process how good the tune was and soon I was back at the cabin, but I made a mental note to check this guy out (hoping I could remember his name in a few days).

Three days later I am back in Grand Rapids, and going to the WYCE offices to pick up a few more CD’s to review…and there it was; Fred Eaglesmith’s Tinderbox.

The fickle finger of fate smiled down on me again. If you are fans of Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen and great songwriting..this is one CD should check out. Tinderbox has a southern Baptist/Pentacostal, fire-and-brimstone, get-on-your-knees-and-pray, can-I-get-an-AMEN-from the choir, feel to it….In other words, perfect for a Sunday barbecue.

In fact, Fred is inspiring me to try a new rib technique this Saturday…hopefully I am filled with the spirit of the holy smoke as I try to coax a new flavor from a few racks of ribs (baby backs).

I will report back on the results, but to make a long story shorter, this new technique was something I “accidentally” observed last year at a BBQ Competition. A friend (and BBQ Champion….name to be withheld to protect myself) was finishing his ribs before turn in….From what I could tell, the ribs were done (visually), but he still had about 90 minutes before they were due. Maybe they needed a little more tendering up….Anyway, he had the racks of ribs layed out and was covering them in brown sugar (heavy cover) and then stacking them up and wrapping in tin foil. He then placed them back in his smoking chamber and walked away.

That is all I know….how long did he leave them? I don’t know. Was it just brown sugar? I don’t know. How cooked were they at that point? I don’t know. What was his dry rub? I don’t know. How hot was his grill? I don’t know. How well did he do? I do know he was in the top three…

There you go….if you believe in fate, karma or luck, it does not matter. Just like I was meant to be turned on to Fred Eaglesmith, I was meant to stumble on this barbecue secret….(I just need to figure out a few details)

So, on Saturday, I am going to go with the brown sugar finish, a spicy dry rub and Big Ricks on the side…I will let you know.

(both photo’s are from Fred’s website)

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.