Competition-Style Baby Back Ribs

Better Than Your Neighbor’s Ribs

· 2 or 3 slabs of ribs, depending on the capacity of your smoker

· Rub of choice

· Spray or Mop solution of choice

· Sauce of choice

· Charcoal and wood of choice

Review the blog on preparing ribs for the smoker.

Start your charcoal and bring the smoker to 250 or 300 degrees.  Once the smoker is up to temperature, put your ribs in the smoking chamber, close up your smoker and add a couple of wood chunks to start the smoke.  Adjust the smoker so the temperature is 225-250 degrees, then do nothing for a few hours.  After two hours, spray the ribs and rotate if your cooker has hot spots and cool spots.  Spray every 30-45 minutes after that.

One method to get ribs done just right is the 3-2-1 method.  After 3 hours spray the ribs heavily, wrap tightly with foil and put them back in the smoker for another two hours.  I like to paint on some Special Rib Goo (SRG = 20% AJ+DRP, 40% sauce, 40% honey) before I wrap them.  Then unwrap and cook another hour.  That means 3 hours unwrapped, 2 wrapped and 1 more unwrapped for a total of six hours.  With today's really meaty ribs, adjust to seven hours total, adding a half hour to the first two steps.

After the fifth hour you have a decision to make:

Choice #1: Some rib eaters prefer dry style ribs.  They are not actually dry, they just do not have sauce added while cooking.  Dry ribs are cooked the sixth hour without sauce and are served straight off the cooker (let them rest for five minutes or so) with sauce on the side. Even though they are called dry, you still want to spray while cooking.  

Choice #2: Others, including virtually all 'cue competitors, prefer glazed ribs and they can be done a couple of ways.  To glaze ribs like the pros, unwrap them after the fifth hour and put them back on the smoker.  Then paint Special Rib Goo or your favorite sauce on them with a brush, return them to the smoking chamber and cook for the last hour or so at 200-225 degrees.  This is how contest cooker make ribs.  The ribs in the photos were made that way.

Pete’s carnivorous kids sometimes prefer a slightly different method.  Part way through the sixth hour, I will sometimes add the SRG or sauce and then place the ribs on a cooking grate directly over the charcoal to grill them at fairly high heat for a couple of minutes per side.  Be careful with this because it is easy to burn them and wreck several hours of work.  On the other hand, if you get them right, the blackened, crispy bits of sauce and meat that result will send shivers down your spine like, well you know what it’s like.

Getting ribs done right is easy.  Getting them done right at exactly the time you told people that they could eat or when you need to turn them in for a contest is hard and getting your timing down will take some trial and error.  

While you are still learning, here is a way to practice.  After 5 hours of total cooking time, remove the smallest slab of ribs to test for doneness.  Let it sit for five minutes or so in the foil, then unwrap to see how it looks.  Ribs are done when the meat has pulled back from the tips of the bones, exposing 3/8 inch or so of bone.  If the slab can be picked up without falling apart and is pliable, they are done right and not overdone.  To test this, hold each end of the slab and bend it up and down in the middle.  Done right, they will threaten to pull away from bones but will not.

Cut off a couple of ribs to taste them.  The big cheese ‘cue competitors usually say that the meat should not fall off the bone, should be slightly chewy and should retain a bite mark.  If they are a little tough, leave them on for another half hour. If it flops apart they will taste good but are overdone.  You may win friends but will not win a contest. 

Once you know you got them right, wrap a couple of ribs in foil and take them over to your neighbor.  Watch his expression when he sees them and especially when he tastes them.  Your wife is better looking than his, too.

"Can't Beat Pete's Meat!"

Check out the photos below and then page down for another great rib recipe that's a little non-traditional.

Two racks of baby back ribs, membrane removed.  Check out the blog on preparing ribs for the smoker to start like a pro.

For spice rub:

· 2 ½ T light brown sugar

· 1 ½ T paprika

· 1 ½ T freshly ground black pepper

· 2 t salt

· 1 t five-spice powder

For sauce:

· 4 cups Coca-Cola (NOT DIET!!)

· ½ yellow or white onion, cut in large chunks

· ¼ cup water

· 1 ¼ cup ketchup

· 1 t red wine vinegar

· 2 t yellow mustard

· 1 ½ t Worchesyershertershire sauce

· 1/8 t vanilla

To make spice rub: Combine brown sugar, paprika, pepper, salt and five-spice powder in small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Set aside 2 T of spice rub, apply the rest to ribs. 

Wrap ribs tightly in Saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To make sauce: Pour Coke in a large sauce pan, bring to a boil, lower temperature to simmer and cook down to 1 cup. This will take an hour or so.

While Coke is cooking, process onion and water in food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to strainer over a collection bowl and press to remove as much water as possible. Keep the liquid and discard solids. 

Combine ¼ cup of this liquid with ketchup, vinegar, mustard, Worst sauce and reserved spice rub. 

Whisk together and add to pan with reduced Coke. Simmer until slightly thickened. Let cool and stir in vanilla. 

Smoke ribs using 3-2-1 method. Spray occasionally with a mixture of Coke and apple juice. Serve with sauce on the side or paint with sauce right before serving.

OK, so you think this is not real barbecue. Maybe not, but your old pal Pete likes a little variety every now and then. This is a great mix of flavors and the smoke and slow cooking adds another layer.  Give it a try!