Spareribs recipe, "how to" on best way to cook.

[dchance]

Taking ideas. thinking of doing spareribs this weekend.

Are ribs best low and slow, or 325ish for a couple 3 hours?

I already have a dry rub I use and the wife likes the ribs dry with no sauce. Just looking for best ideas on how to cook in kamado.

do I need a water pan? because the acorn doesn't have one.

[lardog]

Spare ribs can be tricky due to the varying thickness from one end to the other and because they are tougher than baby backs.
I do them low and slow somewhere between 200 and 275 to ensure tenderness without burning one end while the under cooking the other end.

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[dchance]

makes sense. thanks

[Skipperron]

do I need a water pan? because the acorn doesn't have one.

There is no black and white answer to this.

Many believe that water pan is not required in a kamado grill.

I agree, yet I still use water pan when doing low and slow, placed over the difusser.
Not for temp control but rather to catch the drippings and reduce the mess inside.

[dchance]

So, opinions on better ribs, low and slow or 325-350 for 2-3 hours?

[pkinetics]

The last racks I made were at about 250 dome temp, which is probably closer to 275 grill temp. I cooked at 2 hours with vents open, and then closed all the vents for the last hour. Then threw them on a heavy cookie sheet, foil covered them, and hauled over to friend's house. We let the ribs rest for probably 30 minutes and tore into the ends.

I've also done ribs at 300 dome temp, probably 325 grill temp, by accident. Those cooked for 2 hours, covered and served immediately at a friend's party. We let the meat rest for maybe 15 minutes. The ribs were still plenty tender.

I have not done below 250 dome temp with foil wrapping, and 3-2-1. I'm sure they would be delicious, but I have yet to have any issues.

I have a heat diffuser, and a drip pan (wrapped in foil for easier cleanup).

[JMSetzler]

I'd cook them at about 250 until the pass the bend test or the toothpick test the glaze them and leave them on for another 30 minutes or so...

[dchance]

"pass the bend or toothpick test"? What is this if you don't mind?

[JMSetzler]

"pass the bend or toothpick test"? What is this if you don't mind?

Ribs are sorta difficult to cook because they have a 'sweet spot' for when they are ready. Undercooked or overcooked and they tend to be tough...

The bend test:

Use a pair of tongs and pick the rib rack up from the middle and it should bend over almost double without breaking apart. If they bend over like this, they are ready.

The toothpick test:

You should be able to insert a toothpick into the meaty section of a middle rib with little to no resistance. This is like the 'probe' test for larger cuts of bbq.

I like the bend test best. It seems to work better for me.

[Marty]

I have great luck doing my ribs at 365 in a rack. They come out caramelized with some chew and they are in no way tough. I set up a diffuser and a water pan.

I just watched throw down last night and that is the way Ed Mitchel did his also---"hot and fast"

Steven Raichlen lists two ways for ribs 325-350 for 1 1/2 hours or 225 to 250 for 4 to six hours. Steven lists six methods that all can produce great results---direct grilling---modified direct---indirect---smoke roasting--smoking---spit roasting.

I have also done ribs on the Rotisserie with great results.

This links to a great recipe.

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=892

I need to up date this, I did a cook hot and fast the other night that ended up with a huge fat layer next to the bone that I had to eat the meat off of. Not good eats.

I always buy the spare ribs and trim then to a St Louis cut. I put the trimmings around the rib racks.
I usually do hot and fast and I have never had tough ribs. I think that is what you get when you over cook them or burn the surface,

I used to have a technique that i called disaster ribs. I cooked them direct on the gas grill and moved them to the warming rack after it all turned into a blaze. The ribs came out brown and in some places lightly black but never burned because the flames never got up to the warming rack. They tasted great and they were never tough.

The thing is if there is a big layer of fat then this method is not a good method. This is the first time that this has happened to me in probably 20 sessions.

[dchance]

Depending on time I wouldnt mind trying th 3-2-1 method. but I don't think I will have that much time available tommorrow so I may have to try a "hot and fast"

[lardog]

I just put mine on the smoker around 250 for 4-5 hours until done. No tricks. nothing fancy. Just a rub. It always turns out fine. I like simplicity and a hands off approach.

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[dchance]

Well, I went for 2.5 hours at about 240ish then took off, wrapped in foil, and put on for another 1.5 hours, then took off foil and back on for about 30 - 45 minutes. They were fall off the bone good. And that is how we like em. They turned out tremendous!!

thanks for all the tips guys

[allen09]

Great thread! Very helpful post.

[dchance]

I have repeated this for fall off the bone ribs. I love it.