Keys to Smoked Ribs

The Best Tools For Great Smoked Ribs

Smoked Ribs Tips

When it’s time to set up outdoors and begin to grill or smoke food for the summer, you’ll want to be prepared with the best tools around. Smoked ribs require special attention to acquire that subtle savory flavor that only masters can achieve. Without the right tools – from equipment to seasoning – you’ll never be fully satisfied with the outcome of your spare ribs, feeling that something is missing every time. Here are some things to always have on hand when deciding it’s time for smoking ribs and enjoying a backyard barbecue. 

1. Mustard – Yellow mustard is a necessary part of creating the most flavorful rack of ribs around. While this is not actually necessarily part of the seasoning or rub you use, it will help to assure the ribs absorb the flavorful spices you use. Some people will opt for a mustard-based rub, skipping the step of basting the meat with mustard first. However, this is not required. You can use any yellow mustard and don’t need fancy namebrands, since the flavor will cook off in the smoking process anyway. However, the mustard will allow the meat to open up to the seasoning you add afterward, whether a sauce based seasoning or a powdered rub. It will also help the rub to stick to the meat so that it can better infuse throughout the membranes of the meat.

2. Smoker – This is the best way to get a rack of ribs carefully smoked. A smoker will hold in the smoke from the cooking and allow it to permeate the meat as you slow roast the meat in the 200-degree temperature that is best to maintain for tender, juicy spare ribs. However, if you don’t have access to a smoker, you may be able to achieve the same results from a kettle charcoal grill. Either way, you need a basin in which to build up a smoky heat so that your ribs will come out with the woodsy, smoky flavor afforded by a smoker.

3. Wood chips – Depending on your flavor preference, you have several options for wood chips to use when smoking ribs. Mesquite is a popular choice, especially in the south or when used with southern recipes that involve a spicy rub. However, there are other popular scents that can create a unique recipe for your pork ribs as well. Hickory is another fine choice, giving a more woodsy and less spicy tang to the meat. For some, blending woods can create a fantastic recipe, and you can use a mixture of mesquite, hickory, and oak chips to give your spare ribs the perfect flavor.

4. Patience and a thermometer – Cooking your smoked ribs can require a great deal of patience. You can expect the ribs to be thoroughly cooked and tender after about four hours. However, the longer you wait, the more tender and juicy they will be, and the more flavor they will have picked up from the rub and the smoke. Also, having a thermometer is necessary to maintain the optimum temperature while your meat is smoking. You want to keep the smoker at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit for best results, as this will cook the meat slowly and allow it to absorb all the flavors with which it’s been prepared.

With these tools in hand, you can rest assured anyone who tries your smoked ribs will be hounding you for the recipe, looking for your trade secrets. If you want to continue to win them over, though, don’t share your information with just anyone! Be sure to keep it to yourself so that you can have the best pork ribs in the neighborhood for years to come!