How to Cook American Barbeque Pork Ribs
Pork ribs are enjoyed every year throughout the United States; for many they are a tradition. While there are hundreds of contests, and you find individuals bragging about their particular ribs, they are not inherently difficult to make.
Pork ribs can be found in packages both large and small. If you prefer doing your shopping in bulk, don't worry, you can re-freeze pork ribs and use them at a later date.
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Things You'll Need
- Pork ribs
- A grill
- Assorted barbecue utensils
- Rubber gloves or paper towels
- Mustard
- Rub (a basting sauce)
- Knives
- Barbecue sauce
- Spoon
- Grill thermometer
Instructions
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Barbequed Pork Ribs
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1
Remove the outer membrane on the pork ribs. Do not remove the second innermost membrane as this will cause the bones to fall out of place. It is easiest to start the removal by picking at the corner with your finger. This membrane is very slippery. Using rubber gloves or something such as a paper towel will increase your grip.
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2
Further trim the pork ribs by removing the diaphragm, commonly called a skirt. If you are unsure of what this is, simply flip the ribs over and remove the small flap that is hanging from the side. This trimming allows for even cooking of the ribs.
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3
Scribe a line with your fingers where each of bones end and then use a sharp knife to cut along the line. You don't need any specialty tools to cut through the cartilage; just a simple knife will work.
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4
Remove leftover fat from the bones. This should be done with a spoon. Don't apply too much pressure; just remove the fat that tends to fall off when scraping the bone.
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5
Place a thin layer of your preferred mustard and your favorite rub on the ribs. The layer of mustard should be extremely thin, so thin that it is almost translucent. The rub however, is applied much more thickly.
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6
Place the ribs on the grill with the bones facing downwards. It is important that the ribs be cooked between 225 degrees Fahrenheit and 235 degrees Fahrenheit. Although other temperatures will work, these are what normally produce the best flavor and tenderness. At these temperatures cooking will take an hour and a half to two hours. If your grill does not have a built-in thermometer then you must stick an external one in the grill.
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7
Add the barbecue sauce near the end. When you can push a fork into the meat of the ribs, they are ready for the sauce. Add one layer of sauce and cook for 10 minutes. Add another layer and cook for another 10 minutes.
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8
Remove from the grill, place the ribs onto a cutting board and slice the ribs in a way that you can see where the middle is in between each rib. This is best accomplished using a long, sharp knife.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are making your own rub or trying different commercial ones, a simple trick to differentiate between them on the grill is to stick toothpicks into them. One toothpick in the first one, two in the second, three in the third, etc.
Another trick to experimenting if you do not want to risk your ribs is to apply the different rubs to the trimmings or tasters before placing them onto the grill. Using the toothpick method mentioned above is recommended for this as well.
A common way to tell if the ribs are done is to stick a toothpick into them, if it slides between the bones like butter, then they are perfectly done!
You should always take the temperature of the grill at grate level, not at the top of the grill enclosure. It's important to note that most grill manufacturers place the factory thermometer here.
It is important to turn the rib trays every hour. First turn the whole tray around so that the rib on the far left is now on the far right. And then the next hour turn the ribs so that the back half of the ribs are now in the front of the grill.
It is also important to note that the grill should be left closed as much as possible during the cooking process.
