BBQ done right...

[GGS2]

I think all you southerners should jsut forget about the trail and start up a BBQ website. Then y'all can talk about it ALL the time, and not have to interrupt the flow with irrelevancies like wind chill.

[SmokyMtn Hiker]

I just had supper and after reading all this I'm hungry for a plate of BBQ. I do agree with SGT Rock, BBQ is cooked slowly not this fast food BBQ crap. Here in NC we have what's called western BBQ and eastern BBQ, depending on which end of the state it's cooked in. I'm from the western side so that's what I prefer but when cooked properly it's all good, especially when washed down with good cold beer.

[Skidsteer]

OK, so now I have a good butt, hot smoking loins, and a big freakin' tamale. I got Wonder out of her dress and proved I have fast hands. All in less than 24 hours.

Where's that Cabin C rule when I need it?

You've been waiting three days on the right setup for that gem, haven't you?

[Dances with Mice]

OK, now back to BBQ ... and y'all should know that if I ever write more than one line posts after 6pm you should take them with a grain of salt. Kosher salt, coarse grind.

I like my ribs sprinkled with a little salt and pepper, slow smoked and served with just a dab of sauce on the side.

Restaurant ribs are really just platforms for spices and sauces. Ribs are too thin and have too little meat to really show off any slow smoking skills. If I just take my smoker up to 300F and wait for the temperature to start falling, all I have to do is load on the ribs and walk away for 3 or 4 hours. They'll come out perfectly cooked, nearly falling off the bones. Ribs can be overcooked - the meat should take a little tug to get it off the bone. If it falls off the bone when you pick up the bone it's overdone.

But the smoke flavor is usually covered by dry spicey rubs or a sweet sauce glaze. There's nothing wrong with that, it's not better or worse than pork shoulders or brisket, it's just different. It's like comparing a baked potato with a potato chip. With a good sauce or dry rub you really can turn out a platter of great ribs just using an oven to cook then a broiler to set the glaze. The difference between pit and oven isn't that big.

Using an oven and broiler on bigger chunks of meat yields baked shoulder or brisket, something that obviously isn't BBQ. With ribs it's harder to tell.

I once took Larry, TOW, to task for boiling ribs, glazing then finally finishing them over a grill. Once I thought about it for awhile I realized that if I had to prep a bunch of ribs to feed a crowd I'd probably do it the exact same way.

For the price of a rack of baby backs I'd rather buy a good shoulder or raw ham and take the time to let the smoke flavor and cooking time speak for itself.

But ribs are ok. The pit crew should have something to snack on while they wait for the real BBQ to finish.