Lawhorn’s Secret Tip for Cooking the Best Rack of Ribs Ever
The most important step in preparation of any pork ribs is to “peel” them before you season them. There is a membrane on the inside or “bone” side of the rack that is tough and chewy, and it also inhibits the seasoning from getting into the meat. You want to peel that membrane off before you do anything else. Just like you saw me demonstrate to Amanda, take a rounded end knife like a butter knife or an oyster knife, and get it started, then just rip it off fast and throw it away. Then you can Season the ribs on both sides. Coat well, but don’t go overboard. You can add less or more depending on your own taste preferences. Check out how easy it is in this video.
INGREDIENTS
1 (3-4lb) Fresh pork Spare Ribs, chine bone removed, “St. Louis” cut, or Baby Back ribs. (Each rack will feed 2 to 3 people, depending on how hungry you are! Baby Backs will feed 1 to 2 people each )
3-5 TBS LAWHORN’S SIGNATURE SEASONINGS per slab
YOUR favorite BBQ sauce for dipping
DIRECTIONS
Heat your smoker or grill to 225 to 250 degrees. If using wood, make sure the fire burns down enough to keep hot spots from charring the meat.
Peel the membrane off the back of the ribs, (I use an oyster knife to grip it.)
Generously season the racks with Lawhorn’s on both sides. If you have a rib rack to stand them upright, use it. If not, place the racks flat with the bones curved down first. Put a shallow pan of water in the grill to keep moisture in or occasionally spray the ribs with a water bottle to keep them moist. Cook for 2 hours then flip over and cook for another hour. Take the racks out and wrap them good with heavy aluminum foil and put back in the smoker for 1 hour. Keep the drippings when you un-wrap them and put the juice in either your sauce or Baked Beans…YUM! Check for doneness by pinching in between the bone. If the meat separates easily between your fingers, they should be plenty tender to eat. You can always cut a “tester” off and check them that way too. Use your own judgment on tenderness.I prefer to serve my ribs dry, without sauce… but if you prefer saucing your ribs, sauce them about 15 minutes before pulling them off the grill so the sauce will caramelize.
Variations: Many people par-boil or bake their ribs before smoking them to tenderize and speed up the overall cooking times, I choose not to. However, if you want to try it, this is how:
Peel the ribs and place them in a braising pan 4” deep or deeper. Fill the pan with enough water to barely cover the ribs. Mix in 1 cup of Lawhorn’s and one large diced onion into the water until dissolved and cover the pan with heavy foil. Place in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes. (they should boil for at least 30 minutes in the oven) Remove the ribs and follow the smoking steps as usual. This will cut the cooking time down to about 1 hour on the grill. Let the pork stock reduce by half and freeze it until you need a great pork gravy. Cut into single bones and serve with your favorite warm BBQ sauce.
Join Tim Lawhorn, creator of Lawhorn’s Signature Seasonings and Amanda Sites, wife of well-known outdoor enthusiast, speaker and host of the award-winning TV show “Spiritual Outdoor Adventures” – Jimmy Sites as they smoke some delicious baby back ribs right outside Jimmy and Amanda’s Tennessee home. The 2011/2012 season of Jimmy’s show on the Pursuit Channel will be featuring these cooking segments all year. Everybody enjoyed calling this one a “wrap” so those ribs could be fully enjoyed!
