The Main Event: BBQ Beef Ribs

I lived in Texas for nine years and pork ribs just don't cut it for me. Kim, my wife, loves only pork ribs so look for a pork rib recipe coming soon. In either case, I use convection and radiant heat only. No direct heat. (Note the hat.)

When you live upstate, getting beef ribs is a chore and a difficult chore it is. I order only during the summer so I can BBQ them. This year, I ordered my ribs way in advance, making sure that I would get them in time for the First Virtual Twitter Throw Down. But, the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men/Gang aft a-gley. And gang they did and quite aft a-gley it was. Instead of my butcher getting me the beef back ribs I normally cook, he got me the beef spare rib. And, of course, they were huge. Since I was expecting smaller, 6 inch, back ribs, I thought I'd gotten brontosaurus ribs.

So, running short on time for this Throw Down, I went with the spare ribs and fed one per customer. I didn't have the heart to cut them off the bone. I've since corrected this mistake on the part of my purveyor and have ordered the 6 inch back ribs. Perhaps I'll only get stegosaurus ribs this time. Anyone want 20 lbs of spare ribs? Or just come over and help me eat these.

I'll be posting the back ribs next week. I should be able to get the post finished by the end of Monday, the 29th, the last day of the Throw Down. And I've also ordered some pork ribs. However, the spare ribs are wonderful ribs and more than delish. Lots of beautiful meat and rich as all get out. Sooooo, in the meantime, enjoy. The cooking times don't change that much. With pork ribs or beef back ribs you can shorten the time by 3 to 2 hours respectively.

To get more of the back story on the First Annual Virtual Twitter Throw Down, see Luna Cafe's wonderful fried chicken blog post.




The most important part of making great BBQ Beef Ribs or any ribs isn't the sauce, though a bad sauce can ruin them, it is the wood you use to cook them with and how you cook them. I prefer an indirect convection style cooking and of course I use a Mesquite and oak blend of wood or charcoal. When I lived in Texas, I'd just go out and hack down some mesquite and oak and start cooking. We'd put entire tree logs in the BBQ. However, here in New York, I find the best charcoal I can and use that. I usually use Cowboy Charcoal and a good all oak or hickory charcoal and soaked wood chips.

The first box is off the to left.

I do not use direct heat. I use radiant heat and convection. I usually use two fires, one on each side of the meat. However, since these ribs were from a brontosaur, I stoked the firebox full with charcoal and kept the flames away from the meat that way.



After cooking the meat for about four hours, I started applying my BBQ Sauce. I applied it three times as it continued cooking for another two hours.



Then, I brought in the ribs to rest for 20 mins and applied more sauce.



Then I cut them and applied more sauce before serving. I also gave the diners extra sauce to apply at they saw fit. In case you missed it, this is my sauce recipe.





Usually, when doing a BBQ, I make feather bread, but in this case, I had Brian make a nice focaccia:



For sides, I wrapped fresh corn on the cob in alunimum foil, added butter, garlic, smoked sea salt and pepper and threw those in the fire box for 15 minutes. I also served roasted fingerling potatoes. For dessert, Brian made a very nice Black Forest Cake with whipped cream rather than icing. After these ribs, it was deemed very light. A perfect way to end the meal. Or course, we started with my famous apple cider vinaigrette salad. All in all, a tasty treat. And all brought to you by:



My Italian Fried Chicken recipe coming next. I do a great panfried and baked version of this wonderful Italian treat. Yum.

Please see the following people who are participating in the ThrowDown:

LifeByChocolate
Mark LaPolla, New York
http://www.lifebychocolates.blogspot.com
http://www.lifebychocolates.com
Twitter ID: @LifeByChocolate

LunaCafe
SMS Bradley, Pacific Northwest
http://thelunacafe.com
Twitter ID: @LunaCafe


Gluten Free Sanctuary
Leslie McLinden, Arkansas
http://glutenfreesanctuary.blogspot.com
Twitter ID: @lesliemac59

Fresh Eyes
Jan Richards, California
http://www.jgrichardsresultsblog.com
Twitter ID: @MrsRoadshow

Twitter: @LicoriceShrine

Grandma’s Gluten-Free Baking N Cooking
Joyce Paige, Kansas
http://grandmasgfbakingncooking.ning.com/
Twitter: @SilknPearls or @GFGrandmaBNC


The Sensitive Pantry
Nancy Kohler, New Jersey
http://www.thesensitivepantry.com
Twitter ID: @SensitivePantry