Favorite way to make ribs

[Joe Ferguson forever]

I've often been disappointed with ribs I've made.  This is my current favorite:

https://amazingribs.com/best-barbecue-ribs-recipe/

Takes all day but worth it.

What's yours?  In keeping with the Easy meal" thread, I'd recommend baked ribs but imo not as good...

[billsfanmiamioh]

I used to really “baby” my ribs and did a lot of the things mentioned in that recipe. Then I sometimes started taking shortcuts to make things easier. I found that there was really no discernible difference in the ones I put a lot of effort into or the ones I kind of went low effort on, So all I do is low effort now.
 

I make my own rub that I apply liberally then get the smoker going. Usually use hickory. Throw them in and make sure the smoke and temp is just right and that’s about it. Check them once or twice and make sure temp and smoke is ok. Maybe if I’m really ambitious I’ll mop them once or twice with a concoction I make of chiavettas, cider vinegar, beer and some of my rub but that’s really it. Hell I don’t even peel the membrane off anymore before rubbing them. Bout 4-5 hrs max and they’re good to go. 
 

As long as you’re using quality ribs to start, have a good rub, and can maintain constant temp without over smoking, they’re kind of hard to screw up too bad. Not quite as forgiving as pork shoulder, but nowhere near the “caution” needed for a brisket. 

[teef]

ribs are something i haven't tried yet.   i may get a smoker and dabble, but my father in law nails it.  i'm not sure about the exact steps, but i know he sears the ribs in the grill to get a nice, "blackened" outside, then puts them in the oven with some beer and does it low and slow.  they come out perfect every time, but you do have to season them as you want.

[Joe Ferguson forever]

16 minutes ago, billsfanmiamioh said:

I used to really “baby” my ribs and did a lot of the things mentioned in that recipe. Then I sometimes started taking shortcuts to make things easier. I found that there was really no discernible difference in the ones I put a lot of effort into or the ones I kind of went low effort on, So all I do is low effort now.
 

I make my own rub that I apply liberally then get the smoker going. Usually use hickory. Throw them in and make sure the smoke and temp is just right and that’s about it. Check them once or twice and make sure temp and smoke is ok. Maybe if I’m really ambitious I’ll mop them once or twice with a concoction I make of chiavettas, cider vinegar, beer and some of my rub but that’s really it. Hell I don’t even peel the membrane off anymore before rubbing them. Bout 4-5 hrs max and they’re good to go. 
 

As long as you’re using quality ribs to start, have a good rub, and can maintain constant temp without over smoking, they’re kind of hard to screw up too bad. Not quite as forgiving as pork shoulder, but nowhere near the “caution” needed for a brisket. 

Yeah.  I've tried brisket twice and it was terrible.  Content to buy it made.

 

keeping the temp stable is easier said than done for me.

[Saxum]

My wife makes ribs many ways - i.e. BBQ and Chinese Char Siu 叉烧 style - but best way I found for ribs is to make them in a Ninja.  She cooks them with veges (onions, potatoes, red cabbage and baby carrots so far) and the veges absorb the flavor of the ribs.  

 

In college I would buy ribs at a butcher and cook them in a locking pot and then marinate them with homemade sauce and finish the cooking.  I would have people on my dorm floor coming buy asking if they could sample them but then wanting to finish the whole rib.  The sauce I made without a recipe by experimenting and found out that if you repeatedly boil down rosemary (hours) the remaining liquid could be used in sauce to make it sweet without sugar.

[PastaJoe]

Slather with mustard and then cover with dry rub. Put under broiler for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then bake at 300 for an hour, then cover with foil for the next half hour. Then apply Dinosaur BBQ sauce and bake covered for another half hour.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

1 hour ago, billsfanmiamioh said:

I used to really “baby” my ribs and did a lot of the things mentioned in that recipe. Then I sometimes started taking shortcuts to make things easier. I found that there was really no discernible difference in the ones I put a lot of effort into or the ones I kind of went low effort on, So all I do is low effort now.
 

I make my own rub that I apply liberally then get the smoker going. Usually use hickory. Throw them in and make sure the smoke and temp is just right and that’s about it. Check them once or twice and make sure temp and smoke is ok. Maybe if I’m really ambitious I’ll mop them once or twice with a concoction I make of chiavettas, cider vinegar, beer and some of my rub but that’s really it. Hell I don’t even peel the membrane off anymore before rubbing them. Bout 4-5 hrs max and they’re good to go. 
 

As long as you’re using quality ribs to start, have a good rub, and can maintain constant temp without over smoking, they’re kind of hard to screw up too bad. Not quite as forgiving as pork shoulder, but nowhere near the “caution” needed for a brisket. 

I made the discovery too that ribs are impossible to mess up. I have noticed no difference in doing it the easy way vs the hard way on my Egg. 
 

(wish the same could be said for brisket— my success rate is like 50% for brisket).

[The Jokeman]

Throw them in with a bottle of BBQ sauce and cube a bunch of potatoes and put em in a crock pot on low heat for a few hours. 

[Joe Ferguson forever]

43 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

Throw them in with a bottle of BBQ sauce and cube a bunch of potatoes and put em in a crock pot on low heat for a few hours. 

We had them made this way at friends recently.  Really good.  Definitely not dry which is what happens to mine when grilled sometimes...

[Jauronimo]

275 F, 2.5 hours unwrapped, spritz with cider vinegar every 30-45 mins, wrap ribs in foil and add a little liquid, cook meat side down for an hour. Unwrap, sauce and cook in a foil boat for 30 minutes or until sauce is tacky and ribs are probe tender.  On a pellet grill its relatively idiot proof although the meat does get drier than when I had a water boiler.

[Jauronimo]

It feels wrong but its idiot proof and actually great for tailgates: sous vide pork ribs.  Prep, trim, dry rub the same as you would normally. Vac seal and then in the bath for 12 hours at 165. Toss them in the fridge over night and on game day you take them out of the bag and reheat on a grill.  They are the perfect texture and you still get a bit of smoke from the grill.  A few drops of liquid smoke in the bag never hurts.  These have been a big hit at parties as well.

Edited June 21, 2023 by Jauronimo

[Guffalo]

I'm not a chef, but I'm always worried that pork that is not done will create mayhem. so I par-boil the rib racks and after removing them I dust them with a dry rub (cajun seasoning, chili powder, brown sugar and a bit of garlic powder) I put the dry rub on right after the ribs come out of the boiling water. The dry rub becomes a bit caramelized and then I wrap it in tin foil and put them in the freezer. When I am ready to cook them, I pull them out in the morning, let them defrost, put them on the BBQ still wrapped and cook about 30-40 minutes, maybe more if they are thick. Then unwrap them and put whatever wet sauces you want (dinosaur, or others) and cook for another 10 to crisp up the racks. (I always take a few cuts to make sure there is no pink inside before serving).

 

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Pork ribs.  I got a recipe from my chef buddy “smack it up, flip it, rub it down.”  I rub the ribs and let them dry brine in the fridge over night.  I first hit them on the grill just to give them a nice char.  Then I cook them in the oven low and slow for a few hours.  Fall of the bone tender and delicious.

[Jauronimo]

6 minutes ago, Guffalo said:

I'm not a chef, but I'm always worried that pork that is not done will create mayhem. so I par-boil the rib racks and after removing them I dust them with a dry rub (cajun seasoning, chili powder, brown sugar and a bit of garlic powder) I put the dry rub on right after the ribs come out of the boiling water. The dry rub becomes a bit caramelized and then I wrap it in tin foil and put them in the freezer. When I am ready to cook them, I pull them out in the morning, let them defrost, put them on the BBQ still wrapped and cook about 30-40 minutes, maybe more if they are thick. Then unwrap them and put whatever wet sauces you want (dinosaur, or others) and cook for another 10 to crisp up the racks. (I always take a few cuts to make sure there is no pink inside before serving).

 

 

You boil them, rub them, freeze them!!, defrost them, steam them, and finally grill them and you still need to make sure they aren't under 145 degrees internal temp? 

 

Dude....This isn't a recipe.  Its a snuff film.

[BullBuchanan]

I like unwrapped ribs. I'm not sure what you're cooking on but I just use 2 parts black pepper, 1 part coarse salt, 0.5 parts garlic powder, 0.25 parts chili powder and roll them at 225 until done. I'd start checking via the bend test around 195 internal. Once they're completely done, you can sauce if you like, and then let that bake in for 20-30 minutes. I thin my sauce with a little apple juice to a glaze consistency.

If you're going to wrap, you want to wait until your bark is completely set. before wrapping and again, start checking them around 195. When i do wrap, I use paper so they don't get too wet. When they're done, I let them dry on the rack for 20 minutes. The temp will drop significantly due to the moisture so no need to worry about overcooking.

[Joe Ferguson forever]

I do indirect heat on a ceramic smoker. I get past 225 fast and then it's hard to wait the temp down.  Should be better at it by now. Anyone use beer or another liquid for some steam.  I like apple juice with apple smoker wood.  It's a cool hobby and pays off big time when you get it right.

[PromoTheRobot]

It might be sacrilegious, but I  make ribs in the oven. Slow roast all day.

[Saxum]

4 hours ago, Guffalo said:

I'm not a chef, but I'm always worried that pork that is not done will create mayhem. so I par-boil the rib racks and after removing them I dust them with a dry rub (cajun seasoning, chili powder, brown sugar and a bit of garlic powder) I put the dry rub on right after the ribs come out of the boiling water. The dry rub becomes a bit caramelized and then I wrap it in tin foil and put them in the freezer. When I am ready to cook them, I pull them out in the morning, let them defrost, put them on the BBQ still wrapped and cook about 30-40 minutes, maybe more if they are thick. Then unwrap them and put whatever wet sauces you want (dinosaur, or others) and cook for another 10 to crisp up the racks. (I always take a few cuts to make sure there is no pink inside before serving).

 

I paraboiled my rubs too which removed the fat on the outside of ribs.

[sherpa]

Evening before. Unwrap, rinse, dry, remove bone-side membrane, put on any rub and let sit, uncovered in refrigerator.

 

Day of. Take out of refrigerator for an hour and a half before putting on grill.

Use only lump charcoal, never briquettes. A chimney starter full of lump get lit, once it's going good into the grill on one side only, making certain large lumps are at bottom to ensure better air flow. Add about have a chimney more lump and mix it in.

Set the grill up for indirect cooking. Heat on one side, ribs on the other. I use a Primo XL Kamado, 

Put temp probe on grill grate where ribs will be. I use 225f. Once its stabilized at 225 at the meat height, on they go, meat side up.

After three hours check them and put them in foil, adding any moisture if I want. Now in foil, back on grill meat side down.

After one hour, and no more, take them out of foil and decide how to finish them. Usually I don't add anything. Back on grill meat side up for one hour.

 

I don't sauce them on grill. I let each person do that on their plate, but the sauce is at room temp.

If doing more ribs than I have room to lay down on grill, I put the rack in a circle and use a metal skewer to hold them in that position. For the last 15 mins I take out skewer and lay them flat over coals.

 

I'm not a fan of briquettes because of the amount of binder used in them. Haven't used them for years. Only lump.

I don't put any smoking wood in. I don't think they need it. The Komados are very efficient charcoal consumers, so it really doesn't take that much.

I used a DigiQ tem controller for years, but now I don't always use one because I've gotten good at holding 225 by vent placement. I do use it when I want extremely accurate temp control, like on a higher end beef on weck low and slow with a top sirloin roast.

 

I don't know if it's me or what, but it seems the quality and taste of the ribs has diminished slightly since covid.

I get them at Cosco, which is always better than retail grocery stores for meat,

 

 

[TheCockSportif]

I'm somewhat echoing what people have said here, but I'll do pork ribs in the following order.  (Before doing anything with the ribs, I recommend removing the membrane on the back/bottom, also as others have noted.)

 

1. Smoker.  I'm currently using a Camp Chef pellet smoker (Traeger, Pit Boss, etc make similar products).  This my gen 2 of smoking; the first was a Masterbuilt box smoker (wood chips).  Prep the ribs by removing the membrane as noted earlier, and pat dry with a paper towel.  Then liberally apply a (dry) spice rub to both sides and let sit uncovered in your fridge for 24 hours.  Pat down the next day with a paper towel then add pinches of your spice rub as needed.  Put on 225F smoker, high smoke, for 4 hours.  Remove ribs and cover with foil or butcher's paper for another 2-3 hours.  I find that foil gets them really close in 2 hours where with butcher's paper it's more like 3 hours.  Open the covering and apply a sauce.  I make a habanero-honey-carrot as a finisher.  My dry rub does not use any sugar.  I prefer to glaze in the end.  You should be good to go after 7-8 hours.

 

2. Sous vide.  The reverse sear.  I go 24 hours in a 140F sous vide bath.  In the vac packed bag I'll put my spice rub and liquid smoke (as noted by @Jauronimo before).  Seal it, get it in the bath, should be good to go 24 hours later.  By good to go, I mean, finish the ribs how you want.  You can do oven, grill, whatever.  When they come out of sous vide they look like boiled meat, and the color is kinda gross (gray).  I pat down a bit before finishing on the grill with a sauce or cranking the smoker up to >300F (pellet smokers can do this) and doing the sauce as mentioned above.  This renders the best juicy/meaty result although I think that the bark is not as good, well, because this method does nothing to develop it.

 

3. Smoker above + finish in oven at 400F for less than an hour.  You can sauce or whatever you want here.