Ribs are a delicious meal that can be enjoyed anytime of the year, for any occasion. Whether you choose pork or beef ribs, one way you can cook and prepare them is by smoking them. Smoking your ribs allows them to slow cook while preserving juices inside. There are several ways to smoke ribs and preparation is key when it comes to making the perfect rack.
Step 1
Select ribs from your grocer or local butcher. Choose pink ribs that have no odor or smell. For pork, the main selections include baby back, St. Louis cut and spareribs. The baby back rib is a lean choice of rib with minimal fat and tissue. St. Louis cut is a clean-cut rib that is easy to eat. It has been trimmed of the tips and skirt -- resulting in a flat rib with a large amount of meat. The sparerib contains a considerable amount of fat, leaving a juicy flavor infused into the meat. Beef ribs are classified into plate short ribs, chuck short ribs and beef back. Plate short ribs have a lot of connective tissue that can make the rib less tender. Chuck short ribs are tender rubs and can be bought boneless as well. Beef back ribs contain a smaller amount of meat, but it is generally very tender and easy to eat.
Step 2
Cut the membrane off the back of the ribs. The membrane is a thick, white skin that can be difficult to remove. Use a paring knife or butcher shears if necessary.
Step 3
Add a dry rub or a sauce if you want. A dry rub may consist of your favorite barbecue seasonings such as brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and paprika. Add rub just before smoking. You can use your favorite sauce for a marinade and then add the last hour of smoking.
Step 4
Set up your smoker. Put it in an open area away from flammable items. Set up charcoal on the bottom of the smoker. Create a triangle mound and use fire starter if needed. Above the charcoal you should have a filled water pan. You can wrap soaked wood chips in foil and place above the water. Your next rack can contain your ribs.
Step 5
Place the ribs, backside down, on the tallest rack. Rotate and turn every 30 minutes to prevent burning. If you have a larger smoker, you can add additional meat if desired.
Step 6
Cook the ribs on a low heat. Keep the temperature around 250 degrees and smoke for around five hours. This will assure they are cooked completely and thoroughly.
Tips and Warnings
- You can also ask your butcher to cut the rib meat according to your needs. Smoked ribs that are cooked through should read an internal temperature of around 250 degrees.
- Thoroughly cook pork products to avoid food-borne illness.
Things You'll Need
- Tongs
- Brush
- Charcoal or wood chips
- Wood chip flavorings
- Fire starter and lighter
