A BBq Lesson by The Master

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

"This is about the right amount of smoke that should be emmitted from the chimney of the smoker. This should last from 40 to 60 minutes."

OMG!!! Think of the carbon footprint!!! Somebody call ALGORE!

He's burning wood, so the carbon was just tied up for a century or less probably.

Not like burning millions year old stuff (oil, coal) and releasing that carbon.

I know it was a joke, but that's a common misconception.


I've never understood the foil thing either - it makes things cook by steam heat - their own steam. I want to maximize the smoke from the apple wood or hickory or whatever wood I'm using...

So, Foil or no Foil??

[Mule]

Originally Posted by tabs

And the final product...The tin foil is put on after the meat has smoked for 2 or more hours. The foil imparts a bit of steam which makes the ribs nice and tender, fallin off the bone. I also as of late just make my ribs naked and apply the sauce at the table. The sauce generally should be applied during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking just long enough for the sugar to caramelize in the sauce. The ribs below have NO sauce on them

The idea is to impart a SUBTLE Smoke flavor that does not OVERPOWER the taste of the meat. Various woods impart there own unique flavors. Almond gives a slightly nutty flavor.

I use hardwood logs that are burned down into coals so there is no need to soak anything. If one is using CHIPs on a Grill or Smoker then one would soak them so that they smoke for awhile and don't just burn up.

One can use Soy Sauce, beer, wine, whiskey etc to the water and it will give a slight taste of that ingredient. Whiskey is 40% to 60% alcohol the rest is flavored water.

My little Chihuahua...there is a difference between Grilling and BBqing...BBqing is slow smoking of meats etc. Grilling is for fast and hot searing and cooking.

A great Margarita can be made with Limeade cut 2 1/2 water to 1 Limeade along with Tequilla and if desired Contreau or Triple Sec. I happened to forget to put in a wedge of Lime in this paticular Gin & Tonic. I just like to add olives thats all. Santa Barbaras stuffed with Jalepenos.

You need to pay "Nathan's Dad" for BBQ lessons. Master baiter, maybe, bbq poser.

[holtjv]

tabs, you've inspired at least one Pelican to bbq some ribs this weekend (the pic is upsidedown, if that matters to you):

[tabs]

I have been Grilling and BBqing for 35 years.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by tabs

I have been Grilling and BBqing for 35 years.

Congrats. Travel east a little ways and we'll show you how to do it correctly.

Foil? You gotta be kidding. A pan of anything liquid? With your rig, that's just not used. Leave that for the poor folk that try to "barbeque" on a Weber. I also have to disagree with the idea of a marinade. That be wrong.

Sauce? That's worse than the olives in the gin and tonic and that, my friend, is like drinking a nice Bordeaux wine over ice. Sauce is never needed, unless someone holds a gun to your head and forces you to cook a brisket. Never invite such people over to your house.

At least you burn decent wood and burn it down to coals first. You temp looks good, too. All is not lost, just needs a little tuning.

Happy chewing,
JR

[javadog]

Originally Posted by holtjv

When I was down in Mexico, a bartender claimed that the original recipe for a margarita was 2 parts tequila to 1 part contreau and the juice of one lime. This is the recipe I use now and it is dramatically excellent. Lots of flavor impartment for one.

This is one of the only pearls of wisdom in this whole thread, apart from my gentle advice to Tabs, seen above.

Those of you that put limeade into a maragrita need to have your tequila taken away from you.

JR

[Nathans_Dad]

NIce thread Tabs, ribs look good.

Javadog, I hate to break it to you, but I also foil my ribs (as do many many champion BBQers).

I also sauce my ribs (GASP).

I do all these things (and I use a Weber water smoker...double GASP), and I turn out ribs I would put up against just about any amateur BBQers. Not bragging, just saying.

[Mule]

I'm down with Rick here. I'm a sauce at the table kind of guy. But I have to say, for quick & easy, the Alton Brown approach works. You take the juice out of the tin foil & reduce it to a glaze, then caramelize the glaze on the ribs at the end, works pretty well. For quick & easy.

[javadog]

You know, barbeque is something that has a little tradition and I, for one, respect it. The method I use is pretty standard North Carolina style and the recipes I use have been handed down in my family over many generations.

I tend to dismiss BBQ competitions as every bit irrelevant as a chili cook-off. If you look at the recipes that have been published for the winners of those competitions, you'll note that what wins isn't really chili. What they use to make it bears no relationship to what the chili pioneers used.

I suggest if anybody is serious about food, that they should do a little digging on where these techniques came from and how they evolved. There is a reason why things are done in a certain way. Deviations from this are usually just laziness on the part of the cook.

It's like going to McDonalds to buy a hamburger. Not my first choice...

JR

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Mule

I'm down with Rick here. I'm a sauce at the table kind of guy. But I have to say, for quick & easy, the Alton Brown approach works. You take the juice out of the tin foil & reduce it to a glaze, then caramelize the glaze on the ribs at the end, works pretty well. For quick & easy.

Alton braises his ribs. That's not at all the same method of cooking as barbeque. I've tried his recipe out of curiosity and nobody in my house would eat the ribs.

Sorry.

JR

[Nathans_Dad]

Originally Posted by javadog

You know, barbeque is something that has a little tradition and I, for one, respect it.

If that's the case, then I hope you are doing whole hog, roasted in a hole in the ground that you dug.

If not, then join the rest of us...

[tabs]

I use a DRY RUB on my meat.....I use the term "marinate" to describe letting them sit in the Fefer with the rub on for 3 to 5 hours or so. To let the flavor meld.

I use foil and I don't use foil. I use a water pan and I don't use a water pan. It all depends what you want to accomplish...

I also leave my Ribs naked..I apply sauce at the table as a dipping sauce...

Read critically Javadog!

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Nathans_Dad

If that's the case, then I hope you are doing whole hog, roasted in a hole in the ground that you dug.

If not, then join the rest of us...

That's a Mexican thing around here and yes, it's been done. Mexican food is another of my passions. My father-in-law was doing that decades ago, given that he's half Mex. Goat works well, too.

Face it, you and I will never agree on BBQ. That's not the end of the world. My kids put BBQ sauce on a nice ribeye, and I haven't killed them yet. I am somewhat tolerant of others.

JR

[javadog]

Originally Posted by tabs

I use a DRY RUB on my meat.....I use the term "marinate" to describe letting them sit in the Fefer with the rub on for 3 to 5 hours or so.... Read critically Javadog!

I caught that. I was emphasizing the term YOU used. Maybe just to tweak you a little bit.

BBQ is basted. Not marinated. And, no dry rubs, unless you consider black pepper a dry rub.

Cheers,

JR

[pwd72s]

Forgive me for saying this...but Tabby...that looks like a fine batch of ribs to me...

[holtjv]

Originally Posted by Nathans_Dad

If that's the case, then I hope you are doing whole hog, roasted in a hole in the ground that you dug.

If not, then join the rest of us...

We're doing that in 2 weeks at my neighbor's house. It's a 2 day event--prep the first day, cook all the second day, and eat that night.

[holtjv]

So here's a question for the bbq-intellegentsia (had a hard time spelling that): how the F do you get the meat to fall off the bones? How long do I have to cook it?

The ribs I did today were very, very tasty--and seemed like they were about 2-4 hours away from "falling off the bone" tender. But is there any formula, like time per pound?

TIA, Jack

[javadog]

It will depend on the temperature you use, as well as the type and size of ribs that you use. I'd allow 4 hours on average and pull the meat when the ends of each bone are nicely exposed and you can easily twist a bone. Rest them for a while before eating, maybe an hour.

JR

[javadog]

Here's a picture, showing the degree of doneness you seek:

[berettafan]

Originally Posted by holtjv

So here's a question for the bbq-intellegentsia (had a hard time spelling that): how the F do you get the meat to fall off the bones? How long do I have to cook it?

The ribs I did today were very, very tasty--and seemed like they were about 2-4 hours away from "falling off the bone" tender. But is there any formula, like time per pound?

TIA, Jack

threads like this inspire me to read up more on bbq, grilling, etc.

turns out bbq snobs don't consider 'falling off the bone' to be appropriate for ribs.

i'd love to try ribs from the usual players on these threads and see for myself. definitely agree with saucing at the table vs. beforehand. too much sauce and other stuff has GOT to be a trick learned by folks who didn't have access to good meat.

the comment about bbq competitions rings true to me as a seafood competition would likely produce food that does not even resemble what real seafood is and should be.