How To Barbecue Pork Ribs-Do You Have A Clue?

Is it Rib Time? If it is...this is how to barbecue pork ribs. There's no fancy frills here, well maybe just a few thousand to make them finger lickin’ good and establish the genius, really cool BBQin' dude you are.

This is a recipe using Country-Style Pork Ribs, or Spare Ribs but the method is the same as Baby Backs, although you have to remove the membrane on the Baby Backs. (For the rednecks: I know, membranes and mebrains kinda sound like the same thing, so please don't get the two confused)

Personally, I like to BBQ Country-Style because I can usually find them a lot cheaper than Baby Backs, and they have more substance.

Go For The Meat!
El Shocko time: Country-Style are not really ribs, dude but they’re kinda close to where the actual ribs (baby backs) are on a hog. Hey, they look like great big ribs from a dinosaur, or something real, real large!

Now, it's time to do a shining star thing! Mr.Trump and Martha have decided, on short notice (and flying in on their personal gold-plated copters) to attend your BBQ gig.

However, this is really short notice and you're not prepared. You panic! But, the brain is starting to rally a tad and you are thinking: "Why not serve Donald and Martha Country-Style Pork Ribs, man!  Hey, maybe cook up some "beaners", too."

Ok, First Thing: Go out and buy some ribs for the party. Buy the "right ribs"...Country-Style, Spare Ribs.  Not the puny kind. Really, how hard can this be?

Wash the ribs and pat dry. Maybe use “Wild Willy's Number One-derful Rub ” as a Dry Rub and here is the recipe which Cheryl Jamison, from her book “Smoke & Spice” has given me permission to pass on to you dudes. Cool lady!

Main all-purpose rub, good on pork & beef rib, brisket, chicken, and more (meaning everything).

• 3/4 cup paprika

• 1/4 cup ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup salt

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 2 tablespoons garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons onion powder

• 2 teaspoons cayenne

I usually make a slug of this stuff.  For those who would rather not mess with making their own...Texas BBQ Rib Rub. (below)

Get yourself a marinating pan, something like a Tupperware Marinating container (see below...you'll never go back) or a large, heavy plastic bag.

Now that you have the Rub, sprinkle on all sides of the ribs and rub in thoroughly. Next apply plain old….I mean plain old yellow mustard to all sides of the ribs.

If you don’t want to get those beautiful pinkies of yours all goopy, use a brush, but real boys and girls use their hands. Yellow mustard has some neat ingredients in it that makes it an excellent marinade.

Apply more Dry Rub, but don’t rub it in this time….put in the fridge over night.

While you are getting the BBQ grill up to a medium temperature, 325 degrees or so. Get your ribs out of the fridge and let them sit out on the counter for a half hour.

I have a Traeger Wood Pellet Grill that cooks on indirect heat. You want to do your ribs on indirect heat if you are doing them on a gas or charcoal grill. You’ll burn them to smithereens if you don’t.

I prefer to place ribs in a shallow pan lined with foil. I don’t like to clean up messes on my grill.

On a gas grill, light only one side of the unit and cook on the other once you are up to temperature. Put the hood down and leave it down for an hour. A low two zone fire on a charcoal grill should get the same results.

Cook the ribs until they reach a temperature of 170 degrees…about an hour. They are done, but you aren’t!

Take them off the grill and drain off the fluid. If you are into sauces, coat them with a quality barbecue sauce like Stubb's Original, Emeril's Original BAM, Tony Roma’s “Carolina Honeys” or the “Original”.

Now we are going to smoke these puppies for four to five hours. On the Traeger, I simply turn to the “Smoke’ or “Cold” mode…90 to 110 degrees, and you have never seen so much smoke.

On a gas grill, you will have to get a “smoker box” (see below). Follow the directions on the package, which means soaking the wood chips for a certain length of time before you put them into a smoker box and then onto the grill.

Gas grills are not really meant for “smoking” but you can still get some kind of a positive result.

Place the smoker box on the heat deflectors (on the side you have lite) and turn the grill way down. If you don't you'll burn up the chips so fast it will make your head spin. Leave the hood closed while you are doing the smoking thing.

With the charcoal grill, add chunks of fruit wood rather than chips. You should last about an hour with a large chunk of wood over the coals.  Add more.

When smoking, (if you didn't add a BBQ sauce) mist the ribs every hour with a combo of fruit juice and apple cider vinegar….more juice and just a tad of vinegar. This is a modern way to baste instead of mopping. Use a squirt bottle that puts out a fine mist.

The latest fad has been to boil the ribs first before you BBQ them. Boil water, boil brats (not the children, dude), but don’t boil ribs. They will get overdone, burnt, ruined, messed up, have no taste and Donald and Martha will say in unison: "You're Fired!"


I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Grill A Beef Bottom Round Roast

I keep harping about a Beef Bottom Round Roast as an economical cut of meat that you should buy…grill or BBQ and serve. They’re good.

The local Safeway store usually has them on. We wait until we can get a real deal on one and then go for it!

We bought a five and a half pound roast. As a rule, they are very lean, although a bit on the tough side.

You can slow cook them on the barbecue, which I have done on the Traeger, or you can grill them on a gas or charcoal grill. This baby I grilled on a gas grill.

Remember the tough thingy. Now, this isn’t critical when you slow cook them, but it sure is when you just grill them.

I used McCormick Grill Mates “Zesty Herb Marinade” (see below)

It calls for adding White Vinegar, Water and Vegetable Oil. But, I never follow rules, I substituted EVOO for the Vegetable Oil. It make for a lot of marinade.

Back to the five and a half pound Beef Bottom Round Roast. This is a real chunk of meat and I halved it. It makes it easier to handle.

Nobody is going to tell you this, but I poked every conceivable part of the roast with a rather large fork. Now, get yourself a marinating bag or a Tupperware marinating container (see below).

Saturate that sucker with the marinade. If using a bag, no sweat, but if using a container, pour half the marinade on one side, turn over and pour on the other.

I know the directions on the marinade package say “thirty minute marinade”. That ain’t long enough, folks. Try overnight!

I pretty much cooked this roast like it was a steak. I turned the gas grill to high, initially. In the meanwhile, take the roast out of the fridge and let it sit out for at least 30 minutes before grilling.

If you have a large roast, you are just about to embark on one of the longest grilling sessions you will ever do. This is not one of those five minutes per side thing. Initially, yes, because you just want to sear it.

Once it was seared, I turned down the heat a tad. You don’t want a crispy critter.

I didn’t time it, but I say it was more like 25 minutes after searing, that I had the internal temperature of the meat up to 140 degrees, which is rare….longer for medium and well done.

Wrap the roast in aluminum foil when done and set aside 15 minutes before serving. Slice very thin.

You are going to find that a Beef Bottom Round Roast, if prepare properly is going to be a hit with family, friends and you!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say: “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's cool if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Best Price For Weber Grills

If you are looking for the best price for Weber Grills this is it, but you also should be looking for quality and the best customer service along with the best price.

For Those Who Are In The Really Fast Lane & Can't Wait To Start Barbecuing...Here It Is:

Up to 20% Off on Weber Grills! Free Same Day Shipping on Select Grills at ShoppersChoice!

But, For The Rest Of The Really Cool Folks Who Can't Wait To Start Barbecuing:

Back in the Sixties my very first barbecue was a Weber Kettle Grill. I let it sit out in the weather uncovered (I live in Oregon) and it lasted probably ten times longer than any other comparable grill would have under those conditions.

Now, if I had taken the time to cover it, or store it out of the weather I would still have it 50 years later. Meaning: Most Weber Barbecues are built like “Brick Chicken Houses”!  Well, that expression kind of goes back to the 50's and I won't get into all the guy things about that expression!

Ok, ok! Concerns about quality of some of the Weber Gas Grills are the ones that you find in the Big Box Stores. I recommend you invest only in Genesis Gas Grills and above. There is one exception and that is the Weber Baby Q. Neat grill for the money.

If budget restraints are a concern, buy a Weber Charcoal Grill instead of a low-end gas grill, even over the Q. You will get a lot of grill for the same money that will last you for years.

Especially, look at the Weber Performer Series….they light easy, get up to speed easy and you be turning out chow like the pros, and I dig the cool utility table that it comes with!

The Finale: “Busy Fingers Are Happy Fingers, Dude”, so get off your duff and look at the Weber Grill choices on ShoppersChoice!  Go back to beginning and use your fingers on this really cool link!

Kamado Ceramic Grills

There are all types of grills out there and one that is becoming more and more popular are the ceramic charcoal grills. And, one brand that stands out among this group is the Kamado.

They originated in the 1960's and have been popular ever since. Many chefs and, of course, barbecue folks think they are the greatest thing since "sliced bread" or maybe more descriptive: "Pulled Pork"!

They are manufactured from Terapex Ceramics. This material is designed to handle high heat and, this is real important, enhance the taste of the food that comes off of it while retaining the moisture in that food that is so important in good barbecuing.

The cooking surface on a Kamado is eighteen inches, which is pretty good size and it can handle large-size poultry, steaks, homemade-pizza, hamburgers and just about anything you might want to grill or BBQ. They cook very evenly across the grilling surface.

If you are thinking “green”, they are fuel efficient using only about 30 percent of the charcoal fuel that conventional barbecue grills use. They are designed to have you cooking in five minutes.

It’s a beautiful alternative to a gas, wood pellet or conventional charcoal grill.

The Kamado is good looking, it’s going to look superb on your deck or patio, and you are going to impress family, friends and yourself with this outstanding grill.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend , George Hirsch would say, “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's OK if you do! Jeez, it really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure.