My grandma used to boil them first...they turned out ok but much more flavor if you don't....so don't.

Some people do boil them first, will cook faster, but I would not recommend that. One of the key things to know is that if you cook at too high a heat or if you put sauce on early, they will just burn and you will taste burned meat mostly. Have to cook at a low temperature, indirect is best, cover down and put them on away from the heat, but it can take quite awhile that way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people I know boil them first. I personally season then well, gift wrap them in foil, and bake them.



BOIL RIBS??!!! That is a great way to ruin them and then up with a bunch of tough chewy flavorless ribs. I can assure you that if people tell you they "like" your ribs, they are lying.

The only way to took ribs is to smoke them, slow and slow at around 225 for hours.



Think PP meant bRoil them first.

That is seriously the king of the typos.

I was kind of wondering about that, but I thought, well, it's a big world with all kinds of people out there ....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people I know boil them first. I personally season then well, gift wrap them in foil, and bake them.

BOIL RIBS??!!! That is a great way to ruin them and then up with a bunch of tough chewy flavorless ribs. I can assure you that if people tell you they "like" your ribs, they are lying.

The only way to took ribs is to smoke them, slow and slow at around 225 for hours.

Think PP meant bRoil them first.

Anonymous wrote:Most people I know boil them first. I personally season then well, gift wrap them in foil, and bake them.

BOIL RIBS??!!! That is a great way to ruin them and then up with a bunch of tough chewy flavorless ribs. I can assure you that if people tell you they "like" your ribs, they are lying.

The only way to took ribs is to smoke them, slow and slow at around 225 for hours.

18:38 and 19:00 have it.

If you're using a gas grill, soak some wood chips. Wrap them in a foil packet and then stab a bunch of holes in the packet. Fire up all your gas burners, get the grill hot, brush off the crud, then turn off the middle burner(s), leaving only the end two burners on. Put your ribs down in the middle (either naked or wrapped in foil as a PP suggested; I do naked). Fit that foil packet of soaked wood chips in there somewhere. Close the lid and let 'em go.

You want the temperature to stabilize somewhere between 200 and 250, and you want to let them go for hours. Resist the temptation to peek too often. It's hard to say how long without knowing how many ribs you're doing, but somewhere between 4 hours and all day.


If you're using a charcoal grill, use pure hardwood charcoal, or hardwood chunks. No lighter-fluid-impregnated crap--that stuff will get into your meat. Build your fire with all the charcoal on one side. After the fire has settled down to ashes, put your ribs down on the OTHER side, not over the coals. Cover, and set your vents so the fire burns low. Same idea -- indirect heat, you want to do it low and slow. You put these things right over the fire, you're going to dry them out and ruin them. Same advice as above re temperature and time.

For either method, if you find on your first run that they dry out on you, you might try putting small metal bowl of water or marinade, or for that matter a cracked open beer can (drink half the beer first) in there with them--somewhere on some spare grill space. The steam from the water/marinade/beer will keep the environment moist, though it won't be enough to steam the meat--you'll still be smoking it.

If you get to liking this, buy a cheap bullet (water) smoker. The charcoal fire goes in the bottom, a water/marinade pan and grill #1 go in the middle, and grill #2 goes on the top. Easy peasy, and holds beaucoup meat. I had a ton of fun with one of these in grad school, hosting bbq parties for 30-40 people.


For more details, google Steve Raichlen, buy one of his books, and start surfing BBQ blogs. They're out there.

P.S. good for you for doing dry rub. Don't you dare put sauce on them. (If your guests put sauce on after you serve them, that's up to them--it's on their souls.)

I once heard a pitmaster say, "There's two kinds of cooks. Them that puts sauce on the meat and cooks it, and them that cooks the meat and puts sauce on it. I ain't got time for them first fools."

Anonymous wrote:Most people I know boil them first. I personally season then well, gift wrap them in foil, and bake them.

Most people I know boil them first. I personally season then well, gift wrap them in foil, and bake them.

indirect heat is the way to go!

Low and slooooooooow.

How about a stove top grill pan?

OP, will you be using a charcoal grill or a gas grill?

I never grill, always cook them in the oven. Wrap your pan in foil and then put the ribs on and then cover tightly with foil so it's sealed. Put in 275 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. When done uncover and slather with BBQ sauce. I swear by sweet baby rays. Then put the ribs uncovered under the broiler just until the sauce starts to bubble and carmelize. Watch it because its fast. They fall off the bone every time. This is what works for my oven. You may find that your only needs 2 hour 15 or maybe a touch more. If you go too long they will be dry and stick to the bone. Takes a couple tries to perfect it but that's what works for me every time.

bump

I have made a dry rub for ribs, but am new to grilling them. Any advice?