I would like to try making some ribs on my gas grill, dont have a smoker yet.
I have read a lot about Bacardi's 3-2-1 method looks like most are done on a smoker.
I can keep my grill at a steady 235 easily and do get alot of smoke from my smoke box
Any suggestions on would be appreciated.. I am thinking baby backs unless you guys think different
I havent been let down yet with the advice here
Tony T

PS Bacardi how is the shoulder doing????

If you're confident that you can maintain that steady temp and got the smoke, then go for it! I can see no reason as to why it would be unsuccessful. The only adjustment I'd make is that for baby backs, go with 2-2-1. I recently made some with this time scenario and they came out much better than when I previously had done them via 3-2-1. Good luck and don't forget to post your results.

Follow the same procedure as the butt cook! Indirect setup, heat on one side, ribs on the other, smoke, and do your 3-2-1, 2-2-1, or ?. There was a thread not too long ago on the texture of ribs. http://www.bbqsource-forums.com/invboard/i...471&hl=ribs read thru it and decide how you want your ribs, and cook using the appropriate method. A lot of it is personal preference. Some people use sauce, not applied until the last 30 minutes or so. Some use only a rub, others salt & pepper, no rub or sauce. I use the same rub that I use on my pork butts and then I spritz that last 30 minutes with a mixture of equal parts apple juice, apple cider vinegar, and Sweet Baby Rays. YMMV!

Flipper and 70Chevelle pretty much hit the nail on the head.

For baby backs, if you can maintain a steady 225-235 degrees then a 5 total hour smoke will yield fall off the bone ribs. One tip I can pass on while using a grill is do not open the lid, fore go any basting. Most grills will drop up to 100 degrees when you open them. Of the 5 hours, I prefer 2.5, 1.5, 1. That's 2.5 hours of smoking (I use hickory) unfoiled, 1.5 hours of foil and 1 hour unfoiled with no smoke. Sometimes with grills, you may have to do 3-2-1 to get fall of bone due to it being difficult to maintaining temps.

I have found ribs with sauce (wet ribs) with fall off the bone texture is the biggest crowd pleaser. 98% of people will think it's the best ribs they've ever had. Most people have maybe been to a real BBQ joint a few times in their live and consider chiles baby back ribs the best BBQ they've ever had. The last 2% are BBQ purists. I can tell you if you make fall off the bone ribs this weekend for your guests then a competition style rib the following weekend and ask your guest which they liked better, odds are 98% will like the fall off the bone better.

To make my best ribs, after removing the membrane I brush melted butter all over them. The butter assist with basting the meat thus keeping it moist, it also bring a great flavor to the party. Once the butter hardens, usually 30sec, I put on the dry rub (my receipt is under rubs). My ribs immediately go into the smoker. I've tried letting it sit for two days and also tried marinating. Through blind taste testing, couldn't tell a difference. This gives the luxury of turning on the smoker, go buy the ribs and by the time I get back and prep them the smokers up to temp. At the end, I tried adding the sauce at the last 30mins, doesn't do it for me. I add sauce once the ribs are out of the smoker and all cut up and. For the sauce, add your favorite bottled sauce and add honey to it. 1/4 cup of honey to every 1cup of BBQ sauce. This effectively turns your smoky sauce into a sweet glaze that's very high gloss. I cut up the ribs, then brush on sauce all over. If you want to caramelize the sauce and warm up the ribs a tad, move your oven rack to the top position and on your oven broiler to high and watch close. After 30-60seconds you see the glaze start to bubble, that's you que to remove them.

Hope this helps. I made near 100 racks of ribs now and those are my very best, if using spareribs I do the same thing only use 3-2-1 method. I don't mean to brag but people have begged me to make these ribs, again, these are people are not BBQ purists.

Shoulders doing ok, thanks for asking. No pain unless I move it. While sleeping is a different story.

Should I use a rack to stand up the ribs or should I just lay on the grates??
Tony T

I've done them both ways with equally successful results. I tend to use the rack because of volume; you can fit more in a smaller space. (if you have the head room)

I agree with flipper. Why bother cleaning both the grates and the rack if you do not need to?

Thanks for all the info. Hopefully this sunday I will get the chance to make a couple of racks
I will keep you posted. What has everybody been paying for baby backs???????
Tony T

Tony,

Good luck with the ribs - I'm sure you'll have us all drooling!

I buy mine at Costco - usually $3.89 per pound. They sell them in three rack packages. On occasion they drop the price to $2.89 - that's when I buy a 3-4 packs and freeze them.

Mike

I'm Air Force, commissary back backs are sub $3 a lb... About $4.50 everywhere else locally here in middle GA

Update

Made two racks today I removed the membrane, and dry rubbed with a pork dry rub, cooked for 2.5hr than foiled for 1 3/4hrs mopped with a mixture of apple cider vineger, apple juice and worechester sauce before I sealed the foil.
Removed from foil and cooked for .5hr more than basted with bbq sauce and honey mixture for last .5hr

family devovered them they were the best I have ever made
Tony T


Thanks Guys
sorry no photos today

Glad to hear it! Best part was, they were very easy to make

Tony,

Sounds like another good rib rack story! Your method is right on, and the honey was the perfect ending! Next time - PICTURES!!! You MUST keep the family at bay whilst snapping a couple of pics for your buddies here at the Source!

Mike