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Cooking ribs is an art form: get it right, and you’re rewarded with tender, fall-off-the-bone meat that’s smoky, juicy, and full of flavour. Whether you’re grilling, smoking, or baking, we break it down for you in these easy steps. A few notes first, then let’s get cooking!
The problem with 3-2-1 when cooking Ribs
It is a quick and easy hashtag but it does not make sense. There are just too many variables with ribs, from size, amount of meat on bone, and maintaining a constant heat. The biggest issue comes down to 2-1. When you wrap ribs for two hours you are essentially, steaming the ribs, meat becomes mushy and loses the meaty flavour and snappy texture.
Choose the Right Ribs
Not all ribs are created equal. Baby back ribs are smaller, leaner, and cook faster, making them easier to get tender, faster. Back Ribs (Baby Back Ribs, Loin Ribs) are located just after the spine (have an arc in them), attached to the loin. Because of popularity, these ribs are more expensive than spareribs. Meat is leaner than spareribs.
Weighs in approx 2 lb (half is bone) Spare ribs (or St. Louis-style ribs) are larger, meatier, and ideal for slow cooking or smoking. Always start with fresh, well-marbled ribs for maximum flavour.
What we are looking for with Ribs:
- Dark brown crust
- ⅛ bright pink Smoke Ring
- Smell smoky, slight bacon smell
- Taste should be natural pork flavour
- Sauce should compliment the ribs meat & smoke, some like it slightly sweet to counterbalance the saltiness of the rub, others like a vinegar-tang to the sauce. It should not overwhelm the other flavours
- Meat should be tender but retain the resistance like a steak, ribs should be moist and juicy with the juiciness coming out during chewing (if it falls of the bone it has been boiled or steamed)
- Flavour of ribs should be a balance of meat, smoke, sauce & rub.
7 Steps to Cooking Ribs
- Set smoker or BBQ between 275-300F
- Remove or leave membrane on ribs if it’s not too noticeable. Sometimes we don’t, and the difference is not huge.
- Choose a slather: water, oil, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar or even just temper, i.e let them come to room temperature so that fat is less hard. A slather will help seasonings stick, and attract smoke to the ribs.
- Season with salt, pepper, paprika or cayenne and/or your favourite spice rub (see our recipe BELOW. Jody’s husband has a collection of about 50!). Rub generously on all sides. Locally, try any rub from Lancaster Smokehouse!
- Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes, rub will pull moisture from the meat and become a paste.
- Smoke meat side up for 2 hours. Spray with vinegar, apple or orange juice and smoke ½ hour longer. NOTE: this is known as the Juice Box Method!
- Create a boat with heavy tin foil, add favourite sauce to ribs (we like to add 1-2 tablespoons of butter as well!) Smoke 1 ½ -2 hours longer (depending on size of ribs). Toothpick inserted into meaty part should have very little resistance. Rest for about 10 minutes & serve!
Basic Ribs Recipe:
2 Racks of Back Ribs
Salt, as needed
4 Tbsp yellow mustard
4 Tbsp bbq rub (see below)
3 Tbsp butter
Bottle of your favourite BBQ Sauce
- See the 7 Steps to Cooking Ribs above.
Our BBQ Ribs Spice Rub:
2 tbsp. smoked paprika (choose hot if you like heat)
1 tbsp. Regular paprika
1 tbsp. Garlic powder
1 tbsp. Mustard powder
1 tbsp. Onion powder
1 tsp. Ground black pepper
- Simply mix all spices together and use as required.
