BBQ ribs are the bomb.
If you've never had ribs that have been cooked and even smoked in a grill or smoker, you really need to try this. After that, you'll see, oven-cooked ribs will quickly lose their charm and go by the wayside. 😝
On our site, we have a lot of rib recipes that you can make. We even have a blog on the 10 commandments of ribs so that you can succeed in your cooking! But there… I thought I would make you a little “short and sweet” version of the information you need to know so that you have fiery ribs. 🔥
Having the best and most beautiful ribs in the world is really not complicated. Follow my steps and you will be on your way to glory! (Note that you can "pimp" your ribs in other ways than what I explain today, but to get a result "on the mark" without making too much effort, the steps are all here. 😉)
Are you excited? Let's go!
1- Preheat the BBQ
Ribs are cooked at a low temperature. So whether you're using a smoker or a grill, I recommend preheating your appliance to 225°F. At this temperature, cooking will take about 4 hours (note that you should always rely on the internal temperature of the meat and not the time when cooking , hence the "about"), which will give you plenty of time to react if anything happens during cooking.
Alternatively, if you are in a hurry, you can increase the temperature of your machine and preheat it to 300°F so that cooking takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
2- Remove the membrane
Next comes the time to remove the membrane. What exactly is the membrane? It is the layer of collagen, the whitish layer, which is found at the back of the ribs (it is also called the "silver skin"). It is not mandatory to remove it, but I strongly recommend doing so to obtain the best possible result. By removing it, you avoid, in particular, having "lumps of spices" on your meat at the end of cooking because during cooking, the membrane will have split and rolled on itself and, at the same time, take the seasoning with it.
So… how do you remove it? When you look at a rib, there is always a side where the bones are sharper and a side where they are more rounded. It is the “rounded bones” side that is interesting in this case.
Once you have the "membrane" side of your rib facing up, you then want to insert a butter knife between the membrane and the flesh of the cut of meat. This way you place the tip of the knife in the center of the rib, at the end of the rounded bones, and slide it between the membrane and the flesh about 1 inch deep.
When done, put one or two fingers between the knife and the membrane.
Once you are able to get a good grip on the membrane, then pull on it while pressing down on your knife with your other hand so that the rib stays in place. In a few seconds, the membrane will be completely removed.
3- Season the meat
Now that the meat is equally beautiful on both sides, it's time to give it some flavor. What I recommend doing first is to "seal" it with a product like Le Booster BBQ Québec flavor enhancer . What this does is enhance the flavor of the meat and allow it to keep all its juices, juices and taste inside.
You put it on both sides of the rib without putting too much, because otherwise you will have less "adhesive surface" to put dry marinade on your meat. You then sprinkle enough so that the flesh of the meat is still visible between the grains of Booster. And there, watch your eyes, you will already notice that your meat will start to shine. 😎
When your meat is well "protected", then comes the time to season it with the spice mix of your choice. Personally, if you want the best, my choice then stops on the Kansas BBQ Québec dry marinade which, with its large grains of cane sugar that will melt and caramelize the meat while cooking, will give it the most beautiful and delicious crust in the world. You then spread a thin layer on both edges and, if your dry marinade is as good as this one, don't hesitate to even put a second layer afterwards. 😉
4- Cook the meat
Once your rib is to your liking, you then send it to the BBQ or smoker and let it cook, slowly but surely, on indirect cooking, flesh side up, until it has an internal temperature of 200°F or 205°F (if you want it to be even softer and a little less fatty), or 210°F (if you want it to "fall off the bone") and is sexy as hell.
5- Taste
And… once all that is done, that’s it! When your rib has reached the right internal temperature, the odorous and visual torture is over, the meat is finally ready to be enjoyed. So… treat yourself and enjoy every bite! 😋
Happy BBQ!