How do you spice your ribs ??

[Tony Falotico]

I realize this is out of season for many of you, one of the benefits of living in Florida when it's not hurricane'ing outside.

I like to slow cook my spareribs for many hours in a smoker grill, smoked lightly with hickory, mesquite or local woods. I usually end up just smearing store bought Bar B Q sauce on them. I've tried glazing according to recipes from the 'net, still haven't found the right one. There has to be a better way!! LOML likes 'em mild, I like a slight bite to 'em, but not a lingering after taste.

Sooo, the question is....... How do you spice your ribs ??

[Lee DeRaud]

Store-bought here: I use the KC Masterpiece marinades, a 50-50 mix of honey teriyaki and caribbean jerk, both as a marinade and a basting sauce. The jerk is too spicy by itself, the teriyaki is too sweet by itself...together, just perfect.

[Jim Becker]

Wow...that's a mighty personal question...LOL!

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Seriously, I've only done ribs a few times, but like them enough that I'll do them more once the weather gets warm again. I've done verious dry-rubs (including the "let's just dump a little of this and a little of that" in the bag) as well as used different sauces applied near the end of the cooking cycle. I, too, like the KC Masterpiece products. But I doubt I'll even do it "just one way"...there is so much opportunity to learn new things through experimentation!

[Jim Davenport]

I really like to marinade them in "Stubb's" pork marinade. Then give a good sprinkling with "KC Masterpiece BBQ seasoning". You can get both at Publix. I also like KC Masterpiece original barbaque sauce. I cook them with mesqiute smoke chips.
"YUM_YUM"!!:D

[Walt Pater]

This thread could reach the heights of a Festool vs. EZ guide fight. Here's how I like pork spare ribs: First, dry rub with a mix of

1c salt
1c cumin
1/2c powdered ancho chili
1/2c paprika

Smoke 'em the way you like, do not baste.
When done, cut them down, then coat with BBQ sauce of your choice, then pop on grill 'til warm through.
I usually end up doctoring (thinning) a BBQ sauce with ketchup, grain mustard, vinegar and honey. If the ribs have been done over a gosh-honest wood-fired smoker, you don't need a smoke flavored BBQ sauce. I live in NY now, but the recipe above comes pretty close to tasting what I ate growing up in Dallas, Texas (Sonny Bryan's turf)
A really good cookbook about all manner of BBQ is called "The Thrill of the Grill" by Chris Schlesinger.

[Joe Pelonio]

Hey, BBQ is never out of season. I did steaks out in the rain on Christmas day.

I marinate my ribs overnight in the following:
1 cup water
2 cups chicken or beef broth
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp worchestershire
Optional 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper if you like 'em a little hot



Then I pat dry with paper towels, sprinkle with garlic powder and BBQW.

[Bill Turpin]

When making sauce from scratch, remember that the vinegar evaporates and is mostly gone, while the sugar concentrates. Citric acid from lemon or lime juice concentrates. If the sauce tastes good before use it will not be as good when done. It should be too sour at first so that it will end up as a tart/sweet finale. Be sure that your Worchestershire sauce contains both tamarinds(tropical fruit from India/SE Asia, similar in taste to raisins) and anchovies. Both of these are subtle, hidden flavors that make a big difference in final results. Lea & Perrins is my favorite, worth the extra price.

Avoid sugar, prepared mustard, paprika, tomato, most peppers, pineapple, apple in rubs and marinades. They will burn during early cooking. Add these to final sauce when cooking heat is slow and gentle. Use black pepper and dry powdered mustard in rubs.

Black jack oak found throughout Florida makes an excellant smoking wood that has a distinct flavor completely different from hickory. I like to start my ribs in the oven; when the meat is grey and its center is hot I move it to the grille. This shortens the cook time and insures better sterilization of the pork. :)

Bill in WNC mountains

[Tom Mullane]

This is my rib recipe. It also works real good for the bonless pork loins I do on my indoor rotisserie...
Dry Rub
¼ cup Brown Sugar
1 tbl Salt
3 tbl Ground Cumin
1 tbl Lemon Pepper
2 tbl Chili Powder (more if you like it spicy)
2 tbl Paprika

Mix all ingredients and rub over ribs… put in foil packet and let set at least 4 hours (overnight is better).. place in 200 degree oven for 2 hour…. Drain liquid from foil packets and place ribs on low heat grill with smoke of choice for ½-1 hour until nicely browned… brush on BBQ sauce and raise heat and cook a bit longer…. Be careful these are fall off the bone ribs

[Ed Frie]

The premier BBQ place in Memphis is a joint called Corky's. They can tell you are not from Memphis if you order the "wet" style ribs as opposed to the "dry". You can buy their wet sauce or dry-rub spices on line. That is all we use.
We make "wet" ribs by boiling babyback ribs for an hour, put the sauce or rub on, bake them (in foil) for 2 hrs at 325, then start the grill and lightly sear them on the grill just before serving. Guarenteed to fall off the bone when you pick them up.;)

[Randy Prestridge]

<TABLE width="100%" bgColor=#eeeecc border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Best Ribs In The Universe Rub - 1/4 Batch <HR noShade SIZE=1></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup non-iodized table salt
1/8 cup brown sugar, dried
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Accent (MSG)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Sprinkle meat two hours before cooking with rub and allow meat to come to room temperature. Do not over season. A good overall dusting of the spices is all that's needed. The spices will become a nice red, liquid coating after sitting for about an hour, if you used the proper amount.
Basic Cooking Procedure
Smoke ribs in a "water pan" smoker, i.e. Brinkmann or Weber "Smokey Mountain Cooker" (the best!). Start charcoal (10-15 lbs.) and 4 chunks of white oak and 2 chunks of cherry wood (about the size of a tennis ball) at least 1 hour before cooking meat. All fuel should be started in a chimney-style starter, no starter fluid, and all must be gray/white hot. Remove all bark from wood chunks, do not soak.
Very little smoke will be visible. Don't worry about that! You'll get the flavor.
Use straight water in the water pan and keep full during the entire cooking process. Control oven temperature of cooker by regulating the bottom vents only. Never, ever completely close the top vent! If you don't have one, put a thermometer on your cooker. Cook ribs for 3 hours fairly cool at 225°F on rib racks. After 3 hours lift the lid for the first time, flip the slabs end for end, and upside down, and open all the vents on the smoker wide open.
Temperature of the cooker should rise into the 250-275°F range. Peek every half hour to monitor doneness. Ribs will be finished when fairly brown in color and the meat has pulled down the long bones at least 3/4 of an inch (usually another 1 to 2 hours). Remove from cooker and sauce both sides before cutting individual ribs.
I like K.C. Masterpiece sweetened even more (5 parts sauce, 1 part honey), and so do the judges!
This basic cooking procedure is probably the most important of all, and works well with other meats as well. Forget about how much smoke is coming out of the cooker. If you've got the wood you like in there burning cleanly, the flavor will be in the meat. Smoke is nothing more than a smoke screen, and any coming out the top of the cooker is flavor lost!
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