Through the years I’ve had people ask me, “should I boil the ribs first?” My answer: No!! Never!!! If you’re going to boil them you might as well put them in a crock pot or in the oven. To me, boiling before you put them on a grill dilutes the actual meat flavor. Now whether you’re grilling ribs on a Weber grill or using a smoker, there’s hundreds of recipes and opinions on how to enhance the flavor. Here’s one of my simple tips (remember I can’t give away all of my secrets).
When prepping ribs my basic go to seasonings are Montreal steak seasoning and garlic salt because both have salt contents. Don’t over-season them or they end up being too salty to enjoy. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations of seasonings whether store-bought or homemade.
Put them in a pan and cover them in foil or saran wrap and let them sit in the fridge overnight. That helps the seasoning soak into the texture of the meat.
When you’re ready to grill, take your ribs out of the fridge about an hour before you put them over a fire. I like the ribs to be close to room temperature when they hit the grill or smoker. (Note: many times I’ll buy ribs, season them as soon as I get home, and put them right in my smoker.)
If you’re using a Weber grill make sure you have a spray bottle filled with water handy. As the meat juices start to drip in the fire, it causes the flames to increase and you run the risk of burning your ribs. If and when the flame jumps, just spray it with a mist until the flame dies down. Just don’t spray too much because you might douse your fire. Another way to control flames is to partially cover the grill with the lid leaving just enough air to circulate and keep the coals hot. If you’re grilling a couple slabs of ribs at the same time they should be done in about 90 minutes and sometimes even sooner depending on the thickness of the ribs.
If using a smoker, once your coals or pellets are hot, add your choice of wood blocks. (Home Depot and Lowe’s have a great selection of small wood blocks). In a smoker, I like to keep the temperature between 200-250 degrees (remember: low and slow). Depending on how many slabs you’re smoking at one time will determine how long it takes them to be done. If I’m smoking just a couple slabs, three hours or less.
The finishing touch, of course, is the sauce. Sweet Baby Ray’s original is my favorite. It has the perfect combination of sweetness and spice. But when I want to experience a different taste I’ll add things like brown sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, cayenne pepper or regular black pepper. Don’t ask how much because I never use an exact measurement. It's something you get a feel for. I will put the sauce in a pan and heat it at a low temperature just enough to get it warm and then brush the sauce over my ribs.
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It seems like a long process from start to finish but its really not once you get the hang of it. And as always the effort is worth the end results.
Happy eating everybody!!!
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